The role of a nonprofit’s finance committee is probably more important now than at any time since the 2008 financial crisis and ensuing Great Recession. Here are some of the areas your committee should focus on almost two years into the COVID-19 pandemic. 1. Cash flow Financial reserves have taken a hit across all types…
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GoFundMe Charity to Shut Down
GoFundMe Charity, the fundraising-dedicated website launched in November 2019, is now scheduled to shut down on September 30, 2021, when it will merge with GoFundMe.com. The last day to start a new fundraising campaign on the platform is June 30, 2021. Nonprofits have through December 31, 2021, to view and export their donor and fundraiser…
Time to Replenish: Are Your Operating Reserves at a Good Level?
Operating reserves — generally, unrestricted assets you can easily tap — are often called “rainy day funds.” But stable reserves are critical for far more pressing reasons than the metaphorical rainy day. Many nonprofits, for example, have drawn on their operating reserves since the spring of 2020 to cope with the economic backlash of the…
Surge in virtual events lowers revenue expectations
The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted fundraising from traditional events, such as annual galas and walkathons, to virtual happenings. But, according to research from the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum, the revenues raised from these events often fall below projected revenues. The organization surveyed 120 North American nonprofits and found two-thirds already had hosted a virtual campaign in…
COVID-19 Changes the Landscape for Single-audit Compliance
COVID-19 and its economic impact have left the nonprofit niche financially vulnerable, with corporate and individual donations dropping precipitously for many organizations. Relief funding under the CARES Act has helped some nonprofits remain reasonably stable. But funding also will likely impose new single-audit requirements on recipients already struggling to keep their heads above water. The…
Survey: 3% to 38% of Nonprofits Could Close
Candid, a nonprofit information service, estimates that as many as 38% of organizations could be forced to close in the wake of COVID-19, vs. 4% in a typical year. The service looked at more than 300,000 U.S. nonprofits and considered 20 possible scenarios that fall into three categories. The 38% figure represents the direst scenario,…
Should You Buy or Lease Your Headquarters?
Current economic challenges are leading many nonprofits to take a close look at their expenses. The costs of your facilities may be overlooked during a cost-cutting process because they seem unavoidable. But the choice between renting and buying property to house your organization can have substantial cost implications. This makes it important to evaluate the…
Virtual B-I-N-G…NO
Why Arizona nonprofits should avoid certain gambling-related fundraisers As we are in our six month of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, many nonprofits are looking for creative ways to raise money. While they are looking at new fundraising avenues, they may be tempted to try approaches they have not used in the past. In addition,…
Deferral of Payroll Taxes – New Executive Order
On August 8, 2020 President Trump signed four Executive Orders (EO) designed to provide additional relief to those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The orders addressed enhanced unemployment payments, student loan relief, moratoriums on evictions, and a deferral of payroll taxes; it is the last order that I will be addressing in this post. Payroll…
When It Comes to Embezzlement, Your Response Matters
A quick Google search for the phrase “nonprofit embezzlement” turns up thousands of news stories about thefts, ranging from relatively small amounts to millions of dollars. Regardless of the size of the misappropriation, the way a victimized organization responds can make or break its reputation, fundraising results and, in turn, ability to pursue its mission….