Aboriginal Financial Officers Association

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Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of
Canada Report on Activities Presented by
Dana Soonias, CAFM, Chair AFOA Chapters
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario Working
Together Sharing Information October 11 12,
2011
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OVERVIEW

• Background / Eight Strategic Objectives
• Membership
• Education Program
• Certified Aboriginal Financial Managers (CAFM)
• Professional Development On-line courses
• Workshops and Publications
• Leadership Awards
• Youth Initiatives
• JAM Journal of Aboriginal Management
• National Conference

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Background - afoa canada

• Founded in 1999 to help First Nations better
  manage and govern their communities and
  organizations through a focus on enhancing
  finance and management practices
• AFOAs premise - effective management is key to
  building social and economic prosperity and
  essential to successful Aboriginal governance
• All of AFOAs work is undertaken to support above
  premise

MISSIONContributing to Aboriginal social and
economic prosperity by building a professional,
educated workforce that supports effective
governance and administration VISIONAFOA is the
centre for excellence, information and
certification in Aboriginal management
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WHAT DOES AFOA DO?

• Conduct capacity development research aimed at
  enhancing competency in financial management,
  general management and program management
• Develop capacity development programs, products
  and services
• Provide professional development training
• Certify Aboriginal financial managers

• Participate in the development of Aboriginal
  financial management, accounting and reporting
  standards
• Promote best practices
• Encourage Aboriginal youth to enter into the
  finance and management professions
• Provide a forum to share knowledge, experience
  and best practices and
• Support Aboriginal accountability and governance
  efforts.

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Five year STRATEGIC plan (2009-2014) Eight
Strategies
1. Support Aboriginal Self-Governance Efforts
2. Promote Enhanced Financial and Management Practices and Standards in Aboriginal Communities and Organizations
3. Enhance AFOA and CAFM Profile Among Aboriginal and other Stakeholders
4. Strengthen and Augment AFOA Products, Programs and Services
5. Increase and Stabilize AFOA Revenue and Funding
6. Increase Membership and CAFMs and Continue to Improve Member Services
7. Support Chapters and Regional Network Development and Strengthen Coordination Among Chapters and with AFOA Canada
8. Continue to Enhance AFOA Canada Governance and Management
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1. Support Aboriginal Self-Governance Efforts
1.1 Build new and enhance existing partnerships with organizations whose focus includes supporting Aboriginal self-governance efforts 1.2 Support efforts of First Nations to access capital 1.3 Participate in developing capacity at leadership level 1.4 Participate in government initiatives impacting Aboriginal governance 1.5 Communicate to members all relevant developments
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2. Promote Enhanced Financial and Management
Practices and Standards in Aboriginal Communities
and Organizations
2.1 Certification for AFOA Band Administrators 2.2 Encourage Aboriginal youth to enter into the finance and management professions 2.3 Develop capacity of First Nations to meet GAAP requirements 2.4 Build on partnerships with CGA and CICA 2.5 Ensure all AFOA National and Chapter programs, products services promotes enhanced financial and management practices and standards
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• Enhance AFOA and CAFM Profile Among
• Aboriginal and other Stakeholders

3.1 Augment name and branding of organization to attract management and leaders as well as financial managers 3.2 Increase demand among Aboriginal employers for CAFM designation 3.3 Implement successful communications and marketing strategies maintaining high standards 3.4 Enhance and expand website www.afoa.ca
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4. Strengthen and Augment AFOA Products, Programs
and Services
4.1 Introduce an Aboriginal Management degree program   4.2 Improve success with CAFM Examination   4.3 Review Special Arrangement provisions   4.4 Tailor additional AFM courses to Aboriginal context and offer on-line 4.5 Increase number of students in AFM programs currently being offered by colleges, and increase number of educational institutions offering AFM program
4.6 Pursue articulation and/or transfer credit agreements with educational institutions 4.7 Implement Prior Learning Assessment (PLAR) principles in CAFM Special Arrangement criteria 4.8 Successful delivery of 2 course semesters per year with optimum number of students registered and completed 4.9 Identify and develop new AFOA management certificate on-line courses 4.10 Establish qualified pool of course instructors, exam markers and exam preparation facilitators
4.11 Provide comprehensive support to course instructors 4.12 Translation of on-line courses into French   4.13 Provide targeted programs to Inuit 4.14 Development of revised, updated version of AFOA Fiscal Calendar   4.15 Delivery of capacity development workshops across Canada
4.16 Publish new resources on needed capacity development areas 4.17 Reinstitute and stabilize Fellowship Program 4.18 Institute Community Leadership in Financial Management Award   4.19 Successful delivery of Annual National Conference with optimum attendance and sponsorship   4.20 Annual presentation of Excellence in Leadership Awards
4.21 Production of two bilingual issues of JAM annually  4.22 Increase use of Distributed Knowledge Sharing (DKS) System  4.23 NEW Bilingual Delivery of all AFOA programs and communications    
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5. Increase and Stabilize AFOA Revenue and
Funding
5.1 Build and implement a Corporate Relations Strategy 5.2 Secure charitable status for AFOA or set up new charitable entity 5.3 Secure increased and multi-year core funding from INAC
5.4 Identify and seek funding from alternative government departments 5.5 Solicit donations from philanthropic organizations 5.6 Review all product pricing
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6. Increase Membership and CAFMS and Continue to
Improve Member Services
6.1 Increase distribution of membership into more First Nations 6.2 Increase number of Band Administrators as AFOA members 6.3 Develop programs/services that meet member needs 6.4 Enhance and augment member-only area at www.afoa.ca
 6.5 Expand Affinity Program 6.6 Continue and enhance on-line communications with members 6.7 Enhance and maintain membership statistics analysis
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7. SUPPORT CHAPTERS AND REGIONAL NETWORK
DEVELOPMENT AND STRENGTHEN COORDINATION AMONG
CHAPTERS AND WITH AFOA CANADA
7.1 Sharing of Chapter and National Resources with all Aboriginal organizations across Canada. 7.2 Adherence by all Chapters to Chapter protocols 7.3 Development of Chapter annual business plans and sharing of business plans among all Chapters and National. 7.4 Develop shared National and Chapter branding
7.5 Development of Chapter or Network in Nunavut Yukon 7.6 Strengthen NWT Chapter enhance programs and member services 7.7 Route Chapter core funding through National office 7.8 Continue to hold annual Chapter /AFOA Board meetings
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8. CONTINUE TO ENHANCE AFOA GOVERNANCE AND
MANAGEMENT
8.1 Ensuring AFOA has the capacity to sustain and increase its efforts to fulfill its mandate 8.2 Diversify and enhance competency of Board of Directors and Committees 8.3 Produce Annual Reports
8.4 Enhance office database 8.5 Enhance office efficiency 8.6 Enhance IT
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AFOA MEMBERSHIP
Member Composition

• AFOA members include
• First Nation financial managers
• Band Administrators
• Elected leaders
• Directors
• Program managers
• Economic development officers
• Band and Tribal Council members
• Executives and decision-makers

Band Management and/or Governance 25
75 Financial Management
1,449 Members September 30, 2011
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EDUCATION PROGRAMS

• CAFM designation
• Developed with CGA Canada
• Only of its kind in the world
• Over 400 in Canada
• CAFMs can fast track into CGA Program up to 4th
  Level
• Based on competencies, ethical standards,
  education and experience
• Professional Examination and Maintenance of
  Certification (MOC)
• Aboriginal Financial Management (AFM) Program
• 14 courses leading to the CAFM designation
• 5 tailored to Aboriginal context and offered
  on-line through AFOA

• New Certified Aboriginal Public Administrator
  (CAPA)

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CAFM PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Certificate Level Courses

• AFM 1 Financial Accounting Fundamentals
• AFM 2 Business Communications
• AFM 3 Aboriginal Business Law
• AFM 4 Aboriginal Strategy Decisions
• AFM 5 Values and Ethics in the Aboriginal
  Workplace
• AFM 6 Aboriginal History Developments

Diploma Level Courses

• AFM 7 Managing Information Systems
• AFM 8 Micro Macro Economics
• AFM 9 Financial Accounting -Assets
• AFM 10 Financial Accounting-Liabilities
  Equities
• AFM 11 Business Quantitative Analysis
• AFM 12 Management Accounting Fundamentals
• AFM 13 Corporate Finance Fundamentals
• AFM 14 Aboriginal Human Fiscal Issues

Offered on on-line through AFOA and at
accredited colleges and universities Offered
on-line through AFOA only
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Management Certificate Courses
• 8 courses focusing on management skills
• AFOA 1 Community Economic Development
• AFOA 2 Aboriginal Management Practices I
• AFOA 3 Aboriginal Program Management
• AFOA 4 Aboriginal Management Practices II
• AFOA 5 Values and Ethics in the Aboriginal
  Workplace
• AFOA 6 Performance Measurement Reporting in
  First Nations
• AFOA 7 An Introduction to Comprehensive
  Community Planning in First Nations
• AFOA 8 Developing an Effective Management
  Action Plan

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Capacity Development Workshops

• Performance Measurement Reporting in First
  Nations
• Developing an Effective Management Action Plan
• An Introduction to Comprehensive Community
  Planning
• Strategic Planning for First Nations
• First Nations Financial Reporting Workshop -
  Tangible Capital Assets
• Values and Ethics in the Aboriginal Workplace
• An Introduction to Economic Development
• NEW WORKSHOPS FOR ELECTED APPOINTED ABORIGINAL
  LEADERS
• The Politics of Ethical Decision-Making for
  Elected Leaders
• Demystifying Finance for Elected Leaders

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PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

• Series of Publications on
• Performance Measurement Reporting in First
  Nations
• An Introduction to First Nations Comprehensive
  Community Planning
• Developing an Effective Management Action Plan
• Presenting and Understanding Financial
  Information
• Developing Business Plans and Funding Proposals
• Understanding Debt Management
• Audits
• Risk Management
• Project Management
• Technology and Operations Management
• Managing Employee Performance
• Introduction to Document Management

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PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

• Financial Literacy Publication
• Dollars Sense designed for Youth NEW!

• Awards
• Youth Awards
• Excellence in Leadership

• Youth Initiatives
• Scholarships
• Bursaries NEW!

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PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

• JAM The Journal of Aboriginal Management

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PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

• National Conference
• Largest Aboriginal capacity development
  conference 900 - 1,000 attending
• 11 held to date
• Leading edge issues
• Pre-conference workshops
• 2012 National Conference
• February 14-16, 2012
• TCU Place Saskatoons Arts
• Convention Centre

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AFOA CANADA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

1. Chair - Dana Soonias, CAFM, Saskatchewan
2. Vice-Chair - Janice Rose, director-at-large,
   British Columbia
3. Secretary-Treasurer - Allan Munroe, CAFM,
   Manitoba
4. Gloria Allen, Northwest Territories
5. Deboraha Christmas, CAFM, Atlantic
6. John Carter, CAFM, CGA director-at-large,
   Northwest Territories
7. Clay Harmon, CAFM, British Columbia
8. Dennis Meeches, director-at-large, Manitoba
9. Daniel Richard, CAFM, membership
   director-at-large, Manitoba
10. Andre Richer, CAFM, Quebec
11. Stan Sabourin, CAFM, Ontario
12. Gerald Whitford, Alberta

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ANNUAL MEETING OF MEMBERS
February 15, 2012 TCU Saskatoons Arts
Convention Centre at 430pm
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• FOR MORE INFORMATION ON AFOA AND
• ITS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

• See www.afoa.ca
• Contact AFOA at
• AFOA Canada
• 1066 Somerset Street West
• Suite 301
• Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4T3
• Tel [phone]
• Fax [phone]