Effective Planning for Private Foundation Grant Distributions
Written by: Cameron Stelljes Planning for private foundation grantmaking involves a structured and strategic approach to distributing funds to charitable causes. This process requires an intimate understanding of the foundation’s mission, goals, and overarching strategies to ensure the maximum impact of its resources. Additionally, it involves meticulous research to identify potential grant recipients whose work […]
6 Fundamentals of Not-For-Profit Financial Management
Understanding the specifics of grant agreements, accurately accounting for grant funds and maintaining up-to-date financial records are crucial aspects of financial management for non-profit organizations. It’s equally important to have a realistic budget, taking into account known and potential revenue sources. Remember, grant agreements could have conditions beyond administrative requirements, and these conditions directly impact […]
Not-for-Profits and Gift Card Donations: Bookkeeping Best Practices
Gift card donations can be a valuable source of support for not-for-profit organizations, providing flexibility and resources to further their missions. Managing these contributions effectively, however, requires careful consideration and adherence to proper bookkeeping practices. Understanding the Nature of Gift Card Donations Gift cards are treated similarly to cash donations, allowing NFPs the freedom to […]
Spotting Charity Scams: How to Give Safely
Local charities depend on the generosity of their communities and in return, our communities often depend on the support of local charities. It’s an ecosystem that results in a win-win situation for all parties; that is, unless the charity you’re supporting is not a charity at all. As fraud is on the rise, it’s important […]
Grants and Organizational Budgets for Not-for-Profits
By: Sherry Henning Organizational budgets help serve as a benchmark and are developed to assist in achieving your mission. The organizational budget includes all your programs that provide services to the community as well as administrative and overhead costs to run your not-for-profit. Grant budgets are a subset and portion of the organizational budget as a […]
Marriage & Tax Returns: The Benefits of Joint vs. Separate Filing
Just because you’re married doesn’t mean that you have to jointly file your annual federal income tax return. Although being married and filing jointly comes with some perks, there are also benefits for those who are married and choose to file separately. It all comes down to your unique situation. Read on to learn about your choices […]
Not-for-Profits and the De Minimis Indirect Cost Rate
By Kylie Thomas To start with the basics, a de minimis indirect cost rate is a simplified method used by government agencies and other entities to reimburse indirect costs incurred by recipients of federal funds, particularly in grant programs. Instead of calculating and allocating actual indirect costs, recipients may elect to use a predetermined fixed […]
OMB Rolls Out Updated Guidance Around Federal Awards
Back in October of 2023, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced that they had planned to revise sections of their guidance for grants and agreements. Now, just five months later, a memorandum addressing the changes to the guidance on administering and managing Federal Awards in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulation […]
Walking a Fine Line: Lobbying and Not-for-Profits
By Jenna Senn There’s a common misconception that not-for-profit organizations are strictly banned from lobbying for political, environmental, or other social issues. While these organizations aren’t banned from such activities, there are certain guidelines and boundaries that they must consider. Generally, not-for-profits may not qualify for tax exemption if a substantial part of their activities are […]
How Data Can Support Nonprofit Organization Management
Dear CSH: Our nonprofit has already invested in a CRM to track donor profiles and activity, but how else can we use data metrics to improve our organization? Data-driven decision-making is a cornerstone of effective management, and nonprofit organizations are no exception. By collecting and analyzing relevant data, nonprofit leaders can gain insights into various aspects […]