Tag Archives: Restrictions

Nonprofit Trainings and Workshops

aztecMy calendar is getting full as we move into the Fall and I want to help out the groups that have asked me to do trainings for them. But before that I want to point your attention to two other learning opportunities.

The first is the Nonprofits Assistance Fund’s new Financial Management Webinars. Their first on projecting and managing cash flow is coming up on September 18, do check them out. The other is the Nonprofit Risk Management Center’s 2009 Risk Management and Finance Summit for Nonprofits. The event is always good, and I’m disappointed I can’t present at it this year and attend it (new baby due at any minute!).

Nonprofit Accounting Trainings

In September I’ll be at:

In October I’ll be at:

I’ll add more details as I get them for my events and more trainings I find out about from other groups that look good. If I miss any let me know.

Questions and Answers

I’ll end with a quick Q&A:

Question – Our nonprofit has funds remaining from last fiscal year. Is there any special treatment for the funds left over or can it just be rolled into the current year beginning balance?

Answer – If the funds were donated to you for a specific purpose (if they are restricted in any way) then you would have to use them per the donor’s instructions. If they are just left over general (unrestricted) funds you can use them for the nonprofit’s business, or even create a reserve account.

Got a question of your own? Ask away.

The Funder is Not the Program

monryshirtWhen I work with nonprofits I will often hear them talk about their [insert name of funder] program.  I always cringe a little at this because  it means they are sliding into thinking of the funder and the program as one in the same.

They are not.

I can see how this thinking has evolved in the sector.  Someone has a great idea for a program and they look for funding.  A particular foundation loves the idea and gives them a grant.  It then can be easy to associate the two things as one.  But I repeat here the mantra I was taught: “The funder is not the program.”  What happens if that big funder decides to stop giving money to that program?  Does it end?  Probably not.  The nonprofit will seek additional sources of income.  But the program could suffer if there is an interruption of funding and the nonprofit does not have some other way to keep money flowing into it.

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What I Learned From the IRS, Part 1

No longer in draft form!Questions and Answers from the latest New Form 990 training I did:

For calculating our total assets to determine which form we use, do we exclude property, plant and equipment?

Nope, you use total assets for figuring out which form, either the 990, 990 EZ or the 990 N, to fill out.

When filling out the functional expense section and calculating the advertising expenses, do we include money we spent to advertise open positions within the organization?

Not as I read the instructions.  Here is what it says for line 12 in part IX:

Advertising expenses. Enter amounts paid for advertising. Include amounts for print and electronic media advertising. Also include Internet site link costs, signage costs, and advertising costs for the organization’s in-house fundraising campaigns. Do not include fees paid to independent contractors for conducting professional fundraising services or campaigns (these amounts must be reported on line 11e).

With the economic downturn and the decreased value of endowments and reserves, will more organizations be filling out Schedule N of the form 990?

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