What is cryptocurrency? Simply put, it’s money that’s not in a physical form, otherwise known as digital money. Nonetheless, it shares some of the same characteristics of paper money in that it can be earned, used, and invested. Why should you care? According to Gemini’s 2021 State of U. S. Crypto Report, 21.2 million adults…
Your organization’s Chart of Accounts is the building block for meaningful financial reporting. Optimize it and your accounting data will tell you the truth about what’s really going on. It will allow you to develop and track key performance indicators; it will tell you what you are doing wrong; it will highlight your financial successes;…
Many nonprofits are subject to annual audits. Although they can be challenging, they are often required for one or more reasons. A byproduct of that requirement is that audit standards can and do change and those changes can and do impact your organization. This year is no different. A new “Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS)”…
If you’re getting close to an annual audit, you’ve probably heard the term “PBC”—but what is it and what does it mean? First, it is important to understand what an audit REALLY is. So many organizations view an audit as an opportunity to issue financial statements. It’s not uncommon to even refer to the audited financials as the auditor’s financials when, actually, it is the responsibility…
Internal controls are a must for nonprofit organizations. It should be a priority to establish proper internal controls from the start to ensure that assets are protected, and risks are mitigated. NPOs often struggle with limited staff and resources, which makes them particularly vulnerable to the risk of fraud or mishandling of funds. Nonprofit leaders,…
If you have ever wanted to expand your knowledge of nonprofit accounting basics, learning about functional expenses is a great place to start. Nonprofits have unique reporting requirements that set them apart from for-profit businesses. One of these reporting requirements is presenting an analysis of natural expenses by function – most commonly through the Statement…
Professional athletes measure their performance all the time. As Peter Drucker–the man who invented modern business management–famously said, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.” Even though professional athletes are not considered to be in business, they do just that. They measure their performance during each game, during each season, and during their…
For many nonprofit leaders and their accounting and finance teams the annual audit can be a stressful and disruptive time, commanding considerable staff resources. This should be the exception, not the rule. There are year-round strategies to help make audit time a less stressful experience. Storing required audit documents throughout the year An auditor’s PBC…
For nonprofits, deciding on a board committee structure can be a challenge. Often, the decision is solely based on the number of board members and their talents and expertise. Proper financial oversight, however, is important to the success of a nonprofit because it ensures that the organization is in compliance with applicable laws, is acting…
3 Keys to Being Prepared for Your Next Nonprofit Audit For many nonprofits, going through an annual audit is like undergoing a root canal—it’s a painful, stressful, and expensive experience. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way (the audit, that is.) Through advance planning, organization and knowledge of the audit…