GARY CROW PRESENTS

   

(C) Fiscal Services Function

Shown here is a sample of Fiscal Services and associated sub-functions. Typically, human services agencies have fairly complex fiscal systems. This particularly relates to revenues that often come from multiple government and private funders and through numerous insurance and other payers reimbursing services related costs. Additionally, these multiple funding sources frequently require separate reporting processes and audit procedures.

·       Oversee budgeting and fiscal planning, including developing and monitoring SSI’s budget, planning for future agency requirements, and projecting future resources and expenses. Additionally, separate funders normally require budgets and financial projections related to their particular funds or grants. Beyond these needs, budgeting and fiscal planning activities are reflected in annual reports, promotional materials, development materials, and numerous other SSI documents and processes.

·       Oversee and manage receivable and payable activities, including accessing and tracking grant and other external funding streams, billing appropriate payers for agency services, paying agency expenses, managing payroll and taxes, tracking use of credit cards and other staff generated expenses, and managing audits and required documentation and reporting for all fiscal activities.

·       Develop processes for and manage cost accounting including development and management of strategies and processes to track and measure the cost of providing services. SSI tracks and accounts for all of its resources on a complete, detailed, and continuous basis, including knowing the cost of each aspect of its operation.

As is the case with Administrative Services, Fiscal Services are transparent to SSI clients and visitors, and generally transparent to SSI staff. Like any other well-managed secondary function, Fiscal Services support and sustain the primary Service Function without interference or calling attention to itself. The internal SSI eco system functions smoothly and quietly. Anything less than efficient, effective Fiscal Services represents noise or static disrupting the quiet functioning of the SSI eco system. It would be but another example of the negative energy discussed in Chapter Four. As noted there, the agency eco system is relatively fragile and its tolerance for static and negative energy is quite low.