Jan 20
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3 Nonprofit Management Tips To Maximize Results Without Sacrificing Passion

By | Nonprofit | No Comments

Colored PencilsIf you work in a managerial position at a nonprofit, you know that there are certain issues that are unique to the nonprofit world.  Many nonprofits have to work with the funds they have, not the funds they would like to have.  And although many talented workers are interested in working for nonprofits, the lower salaries tend to result in a high turnover.  Of course, there are nonprofits which don’t face these problems but, by and large, many of them do.  Here are a few tips to keep in mind when it comes to nonprofit management:

  1. Passion vs. Practicality.  It sounds like a Jane Austen novel (Sense and Sensibility) but passion and practicality are two qualities that are often in conflict with each other.  Often, people who are passionate about a certain cause enter the nonprofit world because they’re looking to make a difference.  People who are practical generally go for the for-profit world since this is where they are likely to get better salaries.  However, it can really be beneficial to a nonprofit organization to have both, passion and practicality in its employees.  This is something that you can look out for at the managerial level.
  2. Creating a Feeling of Family.  It helps to create a familial feeling in any kind of organization, whether it’s for-profit or not-for-profit.  However, it’s particularly beneficial to a nonprofit organization because you’re already working on a tight budget and with employees who are likely to get disillusioned after a while due to the heavy workload.  Prevent this from happening by creating a friendly, congenial atmosphere around the office.  Let employees know that they are appreciated with little gestures.  Even a company mug or a small cake on someone’s birthday can help them to feel like they belong.
  3. Preventing Burnout.  Employees often leave nonprofit organizations because they start feeling burnt out.  This is especially true if they are constantly in contact with people who are in need of help.  If your nonprofit organization works with victims of domestic violence or the homeless, this can take an emotional toll on your employees.  Encourage employees to be good to themselves by preventing them from working too much overtime.  Everyone needs a vacation or a day off now and then, but this is especially true with nonprofit employees.

It can be immensely satisfying to work at a nonprofit and know that you’re helping people.  Contact us for more nonprofit management tips that will help make sure your workforce shares this optimism.

Jan 16
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For Improved Nonprofit Transparency Look to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act

By | Nonprofit | No Comments

iStock_000022227728XSmallThe Sarbanes-Oxley Act or “The American Competitiveness and Corporate Accountability Act of 2002” was originally passed to address corporate malfeasance but has since been used by many organizations to improve their nonprofit transparency and internal controls.

The components of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that are relevant to nonprofits are:

  • The Act governs the Board of Director’s Audit Committee. It requires that each committee member be on the board and that each member receives no compensation or benefit from the company. Also, each audit committee is required to have a financial expert.
  • The Act governs the responsibilities of auditors. The lead partner of the auditing company is made to rotate off audits every five years. In addition, non-audit services cannot be provided to the company during the audit. The audit firm is also required to report to the auditing committee critical accounting policies and procedures.
  • The Act requires the chief financial and chief executive officers certify the company’s financial statements, attesting that they are appropriate and accurate. Nonprofits are encouraged to have a capable chief financial officer to certify the financial condition of the company. The CEO will ultimately be responsible but most haven’t the knowledge needed to sign off on financial matters.

Some other points of interest for the nonprofit in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act include:

  • Disclosure or transparency to the public.
  • Whistle-blower protection.
  • Insider transactions and conflicts of interest.
  • Document destruction.

Nonprofit transparency is such a crucial part of the nonprofit organization in this day and age due to the ever watchful eye of the wary public. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act can be used as just another guide to help your nonprofit organization reach its goal of nonprofit transparency that will bolster your reputation and ensure trust with donors and your supporters. If you have questions and/or concerns about your organizations nonprofit transparency feel free to contact us.

Jan 12
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Grant Management: Where to Find Opportunities

By | Grant Management | No Comments

iStock_000017057771XSmallOne of the biggest aspects involved in grant management involves knowing where to look for them. Grants can actually be found a number of ways, and here are some of the most common places to search for them.

Government Grants

A host of information about grants can be found at Grants.gov. This website contains a database of more than 1,000 different grants that are administered by 26 different federal agencies. You can search for grants by agency or type in order to find one that is suitable for your nonprofit organization.

The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance sometimes lists grant programs as well. You can browse through a list of grants, or enter a specific keyword into the search bar in order to locate grants that are appropriate for you.

Knowing how critical grants are to funding various projects, The Nonprofit Times launched a section on its website dedicated to grants and makes it easy for you to find the grant you are looking for by segmenting the grants by type (e.g. Arts, Human Services, Animal Advocacy, etc.)

Grant announcements are sometimes placed on local and state government websites as well. By checking these pages often, you can be aware of grant opportunities as soon as they become available.

Private Grants

One of the best websites to use for finding private grants is The Foundation Center. You can subscribe to a newsletter entitled Arts Funding Watch to keep up with the latest grant announcements, and the site makes it easy to search their database for specific grants as well. In doing so, you can narrow down your search to foundations in your geographic area. That way, you can contact them directly if it appears they regularly donate to causes similar to yours.

Grant Station is another website that provides information on private grants. In addition, there are also tutorials and informational webinars designed to help those who are unfamiliar with the grant seeking process to gain the information they need.

Locating grants can take some time and effort, but it is nonetheless an essential part of operating a non-profit organization. In time, you’ll become more proficient at searching, and will also build a network of contacts you can call on for assistance from time to time.