Dear KG members,
First, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Charles VINCENT, and I am the new treasurer of Kehilat Gesher since the Annual Meeting of June 27, 2023. Your trust honours me and I will try, to the extent of my abilities, to fulfill the mandate you entrusted me with.
This message is a first contact with you. It will be followed by others in the coming days, particularly to explain to you, step-by-step, the different ways to contribute and pay your dues and other events to, and for Kehilat Gesher. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to write to me at [email protected]. Transitions are difficult times for everyone, both for me and for you. Together we will get there.
You and I know that KG needs everyone’s goodwill; if you and/or your children can contribute with your expertise and your various experiences, do not hesitate to contact a member of the Board, you are welcome!!
I would like to share with you some key thoughts as I enter into my role of treasurer of Kehilat Gesher, an active community that listens to you.
Clear and up-to-date financial and accounting management, using modern accounting tools and methods adapted to non-profits, separating the “operational” budget from the budgets for “specific” projects. For accounting management, your Board has already approved my proposal to use accounting software dedicated to non-profits and work with a donation platform, “AssoConnect” (replacing HelloAsso) with features that will facilitate accounting and reporting. These steps are already bearing fruit thanks to Anne and Pascal who have spent a lot of time inputting data since the 1st of September 2022. I also launched a call for proposals to appoint an external auditor (commissaire aux comptes), a legal obligation for our non-profit. The external auditor will report to the next Annual Meeting for greater transparency.
I undertake to report to you periodically, at least twice a year, whether the news is good or bad! This report will be on the “operational” budget as well as on specific projects. Donors, big and small, must and will be regularly informed about the use of their donations.
As you know, it is only through very generous special gifts that the operational budget can be covered. Thank you to those who provide this extraordinary support to our community. To have a more diversified group of big donors, the Board approved new levels of “exceptional” donations that I proposed: 3,000 Euros, 5,000 Euros, 10,000 Euros, and 20,000 Euros. We need to have more big donations to balance the books.
I will work with the AssoConnect platform (we no longer use HelloAsso) to facilitate your payments, donations and contributions through online tools and to facilitate monthly or quarterly payments.
I ask for your help and commitment to pay your dues and event activities promptly according to the schedule to which you have committed to. Every donation, every contribution, every payment for services provided by KG is important and the administrative work to follow up on delays is very time consuming! As your board members are all volunteers, we really need your help on this aspect of financial management. Many thanks in advance. You will receive in the following days a message informing you of the terms of payment. Do not hesitate to contact us by email if you have any questions.
I undertake to provide you with the CERFAs for the previous fiscal year before February 28 of the following year to enable you to benefit from the French tax credits to which you are entitled (reducing the actual amount of your contributions and donations). For those preferring to donate in the USA, please contact me as we do have a 501C3 vehicle which allows for your donation to be tax deductible if you are entitled to it. For information, some of you will have already received your CERFA for donations made until the end of June 2023, under the control of Pierre.
It is only by working together that we will succeed in moving our community forward. I therefore undertake to communicate with you in the best way possible, to ask for your help of course, but also to listen to you, hear your proposals and recommendations.
Sincerely,
Mr Charles Vincent, KG’s Treasurer
Information on the different methods for making your donations, paying your contributions and events within the framework of the worship and cultural activities of Kehilat Gesher.
As part of improving the management of donations, contributions and ticketing, the Board of Directors approved the use of AssoConnect tools, replacing HelloAsso. This change will require you to discover a new platform and we will be there to help you if necessary. The AssoConnect platform allows the integration of online donations and accounting, which will allow us to better inform you of the financial and accounting situation. From July 12, 2023, unless there are computer bugs, you should be able to connect to the AssoConnect donation platform. I would like to thank Pascal and Soizick for the hard work done over the past 7 days. Feel free to email me at [email protected] if you have any issues. We will solve them together Settlement of your annual dues and Tishri. To help us in the management of Kehilat Gesher we ask you to privilege, and of course according to your particular and personal circumstances, the single payment covering the year 5784 (1.09.2023 -31.08.2024), payment which you can start making from July 12 and before September 7. If you prefer or need to make periodic payments, please give preference to direct debit, monthly or quarterly, offered via AssoConnect, a method that will allow us to properly track the contributions in the daily accounts. TERMS of payment for contributions, regular or extraordinary donations, and religious and/or cultural events.
1. SEPA DIRECT DEBIT: This method is preferred to reduce payment transaction costs. Kehilat Gesher will send you a form for you to complete and sign which will allow periodic direct debiting directly from your account as desired. These direct debits will be automatically recorded not only in our database but also in the accounts of our association.
2. ASSOCONNECT PLATFORM – CREDIT CARD- Please see appendix for AssoConnect step-by-step procedure-
You can also, if you prefer, use the AssoConnect platform to make single or periodic (monthly, quarterly) payments by registering your credit card. The “disadvantage” is that the transaction fees are higher and when your credit card is no longer valid, for whatever reason, the payment is not made, which increases the administrative work of your volunteers.
You can make your payment by credit card for:
a. Annual fee: you can choose the frequency of your payments. I encourage you to make your payment from August or September.
b. Tishri contribution: preferably to be made in a single online payment with AssoConnect once you have programmed your annual contribution.
c. One-time event: preferably to be made in a single online payment with AssoConnect
d. One-time or extraordinary donations of less than 2,000 Euros: preferably to be made online with AssoConnect. Important note regarding the “tip” of AssoConnect for payments via this platform: the platform will ask you to make a “tip” which covers the administrative costs of AssoConnect. You will add a “tip” if you wish, but be careful with the amount of the tip.
In general, count around 1.5%. For a donation of 800 Euros … 12 Euros tip, for a donation of 400 Euros … 6 Euros, for an event payment of 135 Euros … 2 Euros, for an event payment of less than 100 Euros … 1 or 2 Euros. By leaving a “tip”, Kehilat Gesher will not be charged for the service.
3. BANK TRANSFER – You can also make bank transfers from your bank directly to Kehilat Gesher’s account (see RIB in the appendix). Transfers can be programmed by you on a monthly or quarterly basis, at your convenience. This method of payment is to be distinguished from direct debit. It is also simple but requires more administrative follow-up by your volunteer team at KG.
4. CHECK – Finally, those who wish to make a donation or pay their dues by check can of course do so. I ask you, however, to use this means of payment only to pay an entire year of subscription and /or Tishri to simplify the work of our volunteers.
Make sure, if you send us a check, to clearly indicate your name and the reason for your payment ON THE BACK OF THE CHECK.
For example: NAME first name – contribution year
Kehilat Gesher needs your financial support to exist.
Picture taken in July 2023:
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