New Legislation Proposes to Help “Rescue” Nonprofits

No one needs to tell nonprofit organizations how tough the past year has been. According to the John Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies, 7.7% of not-for-profit workers — nearly one million people — lost their jobs between February 2020 and January 2021. An even higher percentage of arts and education organizations lost jobs last…

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Nonprofits: Hit Your Targets With Benchmarking

How committed is your not-for-profit organization to benchmarking? Perhaps you think it makes sense in the for-profit sphere, but not as much for charities and other nonprofits. If so, you’re probably missing out on benefits — including long-term sustainability. Here’s how to overcome reluctance and learn to love benchmarking. True impact Even if your staff…

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Rebuilding Your Nonprofit’s Operating Reserves

Events of the past year put a dent in many not-for-profit’s reserves. Perhaps you tapped this stash to buy personal protective equipment or to pay staffers’ salaries when your budget no longer proved adequate. As the pandemic wanes and economic conditions improve, you’ll need to start thinking about rebuilding your operating reserves. Back on steady…

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Defrauded? How to Help Your Nonprofit Recover

Thousands of not-for-profit organizations fall victim to embezzlement schemes every year — some even losing millions of dollars. But losses go beyond actual dollar amounts. The hit to a group’s reputation may scare off donors, grantmakers and other supporters. However, with the right response, nonprofits can bounce back from fraud. Here’s how. One best practice…

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How Nonprofits Can Work With Social Media Influencers

With the competition for donation dollars fierce right now, many not-for-profits are turning to influencers — from Hollywood celebrities to politicians to blog stars — to raise awareness of their organizations and causes. But before your nonprofit solicits influencer support, there are a few things you should know. On the plus side If influencer marketing…

It may be Time to Tune up Your Nonprofit’s Accounting Function

Many organizations get stuck in procedural ruts because it’s easier in the short term to continue doing things the way they’ve always been done. But it generally pays to regularly review your not-for-profit’s accounting function for inefficiencies and oversight gaps. You might plan to conduct a review once a year or perform an assessment whenever…

New Revenue Idea? Watch Out for the Commerciality Doctrine

If your not-for-profit has lost financial support during the pandemic, you may be looking for ways to raise new revenue. But if your proposed solution is a side business, be careful. Even when business ventures are related to a nonprofit’s exempt purpose, they can run afoul of the commerciality doctrine — and jeopardize an organization’s…

Will Permanent Work-From-Home Work For Your Nonprofit?

It’s been almost a year since many not-for-profit organizations sent staffers home — to work remotely. For many nonprofits and employees, remote work has been a positive experience. And as the pandemic fades, you’ll probably need to decide whether employees should remain where they are, return to the office or work a hybrid schedule. Win-win…

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Paycheck Protection Program Loans and the Employee Retention Credit

  Trying to navigate the relationship between the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans and the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) is confusing and constantly changing. Previously, you could not receive a PPP loan and claim the ERC on your Quarterly Tax Payments, although recent legislation has changed to allow employers to take both. Due to this change,…

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Don’t Make Decisions Without Data Analytics

Most not-for-profit organizations collect vast volumes of data. But according to a study conducted by EveryAction and Nonprofit Hub, only 40% of nonprofits regularly use that data to drive decisions. The majority of organizations that don’t analyze and apply data say they lack the time or staff to dedicate to it. But because it helps…