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I am pleased to recommend Mark and his firm. He has helped us to become a better organization and better people as well.

Rev. Louis R. Lothman, Th.D., Director, Pastoral Counseling Services, Presbyterian Minister, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

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Understand Your 990’s Public Relations Value…and Hope the IRS Does, Too

Completing Form 990 each year is more than an IRS requirement. The data you assemble for your 990 gives your tax-exempt organization new opportunities to promote your cause.

While larger organizations may find completing their Form 990 information reports time consuming and perhaps expensive, the data compiled provides a wealth of information…that motivated smaller nonprofits can use to tell their stories.

First, the requirement: the IRS wants confirmation that organizations granted tax-exempt status are deserving of that designation. Abuses were rampant a few years ago and the IRS recognized this fact by tightening the 990 reporting requirements.

These reports are more than just dollars and cents—they’re the story of your operations…the actual “how” of accomplishing your important mission. But be careful—review the content of your Form 990 before you file it as you can count on others to do so!

And the fact is, you want them to. Since you’re required to assemble this data, use the Form 990 to make the case for more support. Making these returns available to the public assures your donors their contributions are being used as they were intended, and they can also serve as valuable background information pieces for the media when you’re pursuing public relations.

Hopefully the IRS will soon recognize it could play a valuable part in assisting nonprofits in this publicity effort. Approximately 1.5 million tax-exempt organizations file a Form 990 each year, from which the IRS gleans an enormous amount of data regarding finances, organizational structure, and governance of charities, educational institutions, hospitals and foundations.

While it does make this information available to the public, the cost is high and the information comes in user unfriendly formats. Imagine the possibilities if the data were available for free in a searchable, analyzable format!

Nonprofit organizations provide many of the social services our communities depend upon, as well as cultural and religious outlets. Providing access to bulk data in easily usable formats would enable researchers, the media, and especially prospective donors the ability to analyze and compare efficiencies across sectors, and under different local governmental regulations.

The downturn in the economy affected the nonprofit community along with the rest of the nation, but research may show us whether some are coping better than others and provide opportunities to learn from each other. From the research, innovators and entrepreneurs may find ways to benefit the sector, enabling organizations to improve their services and promote interest in the community.

Nonprofit organizations work hard to stretch every dollar they get. Making data available for creative minds to develop new resources seems like it would provide benefits for everyone.

Even before that happens, Online Stewardship Accounting & Consulting is a resource you can use. Let us know how we can help:  Lynn@onlinestewardship.com or 904-398-4747.

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