Resources For Accountability and Financial Management in the Voluntary Sector
In the public sector
Interest in increased accountability is not restricted to the private and voluntary sectors. As taxpayers demand to know how their hard-earned dollars are spent, all levels of Canadian government (federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal) are increasingly interested in demonstrating results.
Examples at the Federal Level
At the federal level, the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) of the Government of Canada has been developing a "results-based accountability framework." The basis of the framework is "accurate and timely performance information (which) measures, evaluates and reports on key aspects of programs and their performance in core areas."3 The four main areas of this framework are shown here:
The Four Management Commitments for the Government of Canada
(Source: "Results for Canadians: A Management Framework for the Government of Canada")
Another example of accountability at the federal level is An Accord Between the Government and the Voluntary Sector. Signed in December 2001, the Accord is a key product of the Voluntary Sector Initiative (VSI). The Accord describes the key elements of a strengthened relationship between the federal government and the voluntary sector. Building on the Accord, two "Codes of Good Practice" were developed in the areas of Funding and Policy Dialogue. The Code of Good Practice on Funding is a tool to guide interactions between the Government of Canada and the voluntary sector on funding policies and practices.4 The Code is grounded in the recognition by the government and the voluntary sector that they are both accountable to Canadians, and in the recognition of the importance of sustainable capacity to enable voluntary sector organizations to serve Canadians.
Examples at the Provincial/Territorial Level
Provinces are also interested in being accountable to their citizens. For example, the Government of British Columbia makes the following statement in their Government Strategic Plan:
"We have committed to holding government accountable for measuring the success of its programs and reporting on performance. In developing this plan we have drawn from work across the province, and have used sets of evaluations and information that we monitor on a regular basis to assist in the development of key performance measures and indicators. In addition, we have established the British Columbia Progress Board to help define specific economic, social and environmental benchmarks and targets for the tax, regulatory, social and fiscal reforms that government will undertake, and to monitor its performance. This work will assist us in fulfilling the commitment to provide regular reports to British Columbians and the Legislature so that taxpayers can monitor our performance and progress, and hold government accountable for its commitments. It will also help to inform government where follow-up efforts are necessary and additional work is warranted."5
Another example is the Government of Alberta's publication of "Measuring Up," a report to Albertans on how the province is achieving its goals. This annual report can be found on the Government of Alberta's website, http://www.gov.ab.ca/publications/measuring/.
Examples at the Municipal Level
Municipalities also need to be accountable. For example, in Ontario, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing requires all Ontario municipalities to measure and report on how they are doing in ten core service areas (e.g., water, police services, transportation, etc.)6
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