Not for Profit

The arrest last year of a high-profile cryptocurrency exchange founder for fraud not only hurt the crypto business, but also cast a shadow on “effective altruism.” This philosophy employs evidence and statistics to determine strategic ways to benefit others — and the alleged fraudster is a vocal proponent. He has claimed that he earned as much money as he could so he could give most of it [...]

Not-for-profit executives can be perfectionists — they often know exactly how they want something done and believe they’re the only ones capable of doing it right. Unfortunately, this attitude can alienate staffers and make it difficult to mentor successors and build effective teams. Then there’s the problem of time: There are only so many hours in the work day. To best serve your nonprofit and [...]

If your not-for-profit has an endowment, you probably know it’s a major responsibility. Endowment investments generally need to be managed by a financial expert, and your organization must adhere to certain regulations, particularly when it comes to spending. As a refresher — or primer for new employees or board members — here are the basics of endowment management. Prudent decisions First, it’s important to distinguish endowments [...]

Most not-for-profits can’t afford to turn down offers of financial support. At the same time, you shouldn’t blindly accept government or foundation grants simply because they’re offered. Some grants may come with excessive administrative burdens, cost inefficiencies and lost opportunities. Here’s how to evaluate them. Administrative and other burdens Smaller or newer nonprofits are at particular risk of unexpected consequences when they accept grants. But larger [...]

A new refugee resettlement charity had only just begun operating when its director realized something: She wasn’t sure how to value the many donations of clothing and household goods community members had dropped off. Was value simply the price her not-for-profit would charge if it sold the goods in a rummage sale or on an auction website? Even established organizations may not know what value [...]

Although failing to file a Form 990 with the IRS when required to do so is probably a more serious mistake, filing it with data errors isn’t recommended. Similarly, your not-for-profit should strive to be as accurate as possible when preparing accounting and other tax documents. Carelessness can cost you support from donors and grant makers and, in extreme cases, threaten your exempt status. Here’s how [...]

If you’re starting to plan activities for a 2023 fundraiser, consider gaming — for example, bingo, poker, raffles and even casino-type games. Such games can be a great way to engage supporters and raise more revenue than your not-for-profit might otherwise. However, gaming isn’t without potential pitfalls. There are strict tax rules governing these activities, and noncompliance could lead to penalties and other serious consequences. [...]

A community health center desperately needed to upgrade its computer network. Unfortunately, the not-for-profit had little IT expertise on staff or on its board of directors. That’s when it decided to form an advisory committee made up of people who could analyze the situation and help guide IT decision-making. This included a retired technology company executive, a cybersecurity specialist and a longtime volunteer who, in [...]

An accounting standard from the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) that takes effect in mid-December, 2022, could require your not-for-profit organization to act. Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments — Credit Losses (Topic 326), Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments — was primarily intended for financial institutions. But if your nonprofit adheres to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), you may need to report credit [...]

By now, all organizations — for-profit and not-for-profit — know about the risk of cyberattacks. Why then, would any nonprofit fail to secure its network and digital assets? One reason is cost. Cybersecurity can be expensive. Yet according to IBM’s “2022 Cost of a Data Breach Report,” a data breach in the United States leads to an average $9.44 million loss. Obviously, the average is skewed by [...]

At its base, “accountability” means taking responsibility for outcomes — both good and bad. But one common byproduct of accountability is that results are actually more likely to be positive than negative. That’s because accountable managers work proactively, seeking solutions to potential problems instead of sidestepping them. Here are some other ways for your not-for-profit to embrace this concept. Ensuring compliance Accountability starts by complying [...]

Whew! That’s probably your reaction when outside experts announce that their audit of your not-for-profit is complete. But even if auditors have left your premises and returned the documents they’ve reviewed, the work isn’t really over. Not only do your executive director and board need to review the audit report, but it may be necessary to address auditor concerns by making changes to your organization. [...]

Religious congregations usually enjoy greater protection from federal government oversight than other not-for-profit organizations. For example, the IRS can’t conduct a “church tax inquiry” unless a high-level Treasury Department official has written evidence that a religious organization has violated tax-exempt rules. However, you’d do your faith group a great disservice it you failed to observe IRS rules and financial best practices. Even if your congregation escapes [...]

Are your not-for-profit’s staffers employees or independent contractors? It’s an important question because under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), misclassifying workers can lead to penalties and other costs. If you haven’t reviewed your staffers’ status since the start of the pandemic, now may be a good time — particularly if you’ve recently experienced staff turnover and have started relying more on temporary workers. Supreme [...]