The Difference Between an Audit Committee and a Finance Committee and Why a Nonprofit Needs Both

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…

Read More…

The Importance of Investment Policies

5 Steps for Nonprofits to Develop a Wise Investment Policy Nonprofit boards have a fiduciary responsibility to protect the organization’s assets and ensure that they’re used to further the mission.  Often, an important part of the board’s responsibility is deciding how to invest the nonprofit’s cash. That requires implementing a sound investment policy that balances…

Read More…

The Importance of Reserve Policies

5 Keys to Develop Your Operating Reserve Policy Every nonprofit needs to have sufficient cash flow to meet obligations. Setting aside an operating reserve is a smart practice as it provides a cushion against unexpected events that could temporarily impact the cash flow. Following are five best practices to follow when establishing your operating reserve…

Read More…

What’s So Different About Nonprofit Accounting?

What’s So Different About Nonprofit Accounting? If you’ve never worked in the nonprofit environment, you might assume that the accounting is fairly simple and straightforward. In actuality, proper accounting for a nonprofit is much more complex than accounting for a for-profit business. Why?   For starters, most nonprofits operate on an accrual, not cash, basis. This…

Read More…

Why Your Nonprofit Should Outsource Accounting

Rare is the nonprofit that looks forward to finance and accounting tasks, from bookkeeping to budget reviews and reporting. At a minimum, such tasks are a headache, and sometimes—as when an audit takes place—they become the bane of many executives’ existence. The difficulty of managing finances internally is one of many reasons nonprofits are increasingly…

Read More…