Holiday-inspired generosity and the desire to reduce tax liability makes the end of the year a busy time for charitable giving. According to Network for Good and other sources, approximately 30% of charitable gifts are made in December alone. For nonprofits, an important part of processing these donations is sending thank-you letters that acknowledge gifts. […]
Filed under: General by OSA&C Tuesday, January 12th, 2021
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Does anyone actually read footnotes? If they’re financial statement footnotes, the answer is usually “yes.” Footnotes can provide donors, governmental supporters and other stakeholders with critical information about your not-for-profit. So it’s important to work with your CPA to make sure your footnotes are accurate and thorough. Operations and accounting policy snapshot One important set […]
Filed under: General by OSA&C Tuesday, December 29th, 2020
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Delegation ideally gives not-for-profit executives time to focus on mission critical tasks and provides growth opportunities to staffers. However, you need to approach delegation strategically. This means assigning the right tasks to the right staffers — and following up on assigned work to ensure it’s completed to your standards. Projects and people First, consider potential […]
Filed under: General by OSA&C Tuesday, December 15th, 2020
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A warning if your not-for-profit organization is looking for expenses to cut: Don’t skimp on insurance. Should your nonprofit experience a fire, major theft or other calamity, you’ll be glad you have the coverage. Of course, you may also be required by your state, certain funders, lenders and your own bylaws to carry adequate insurance. […]
Filed under: General by OSA&C Tuesday, December 1st, 2020
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In this pandemic year, many not-for-profits are scrambling to find new sources of revenue to replace donor contributions and other lost income. If this sounds like your charity, you might want to consider licensing your name and brand to a for-profit business. Ensuring success When licensing arrangements work, both charities and companies can experience significant […]
Filed under: General by OSA&C Tuesday, November 17th, 2020
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Financial audits conducted by outside experts are among the most effective tools for revealing risks in not-for-profits. They help assure donors and other stakeholders about your stability — so long as you respond to the results appropriately. In fact, failing to act on issues identified in an audit could threaten your organization’s long-term viability. Working […]
Filed under: General by OSA&C Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020
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Most for-profit companies compensate the directors who serve on their boards. But not-for-profit board members generally serve on a voluntary basis. However, there are circumstances in which you might want to consider compensating those who serve on your board. Advantages and drawbacks Board member compensation comes with several pros and cons to consider. Your organization […]
Filed under: General by OSA&C Tuesday, October 20th, 2020
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Employees or independent contractors? It’s not only for-profit companies that struggle with the question of how to classify workers for federal tax purposes. Not-for-profit organizations must withhold and pay Social Security, Medicare and unemployment taxes for employees, but not for contractors. (There may also be state tax responsibilities.) But be careful before you decide that […]
Filed under: General by OSA&C Tuesday, October 6th, 2020
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Not-for-profits increasingly are adopting a corporate world tool: financial dashboards. A dashboard is a summary of an organization’s progress toward a specific goal over time — or a snapshot of its current situation. Dashboards are designed to help boards and other constituents visualize important metrics, or key performance indicators (KPIs). But to facilitate informed, timely […]
Filed under: General by OSA&C Tuesday, September 22nd, 2020
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Current financial pressures mean that your not-for-profit probably can’t afford to pass up offers of support. Yet you need to be careful about blindly accepting grants. Smaller nonprofits that don’t have formal grant evaluation processes are at risk of accepting grants with unmanageable burdens and costs. But large organizations also need to be careful because […]
Filed under: General by OSA&C Tuesday, September 8th, 2020
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