Achieving Nonprofit Financial Health

WELCOME!

Achieving Nonprofit Financial Health,

featuring Cheryl Black

2

Our Speaker

Cheryl Black

Chief Financial Officer

Texas Association of Nonprofits

Cheryl has 29 years of experience working within

nonprofit organizations as a volunteer, board

member, fund-raiser, donor, independent auditor,

consultant, seminar speaker, controller and

executive director.

In addition to working at TANO Cheryl serves on the

Audit Review Committee for United Way Capital

Area and as grant reviewer for the AmeriCorps State

Grant Competition.

Cheryl has a B. S. in Business Administration from

the University of Nebraska - Kearney and a State of

Nebraska CPA certificate.

Agenda

– Differences between non-profit and for-profit

organizations – FASB requirements

– Setting up systems and getting started

• Chart of accounts

• Accounting software

• Basic financial statements

• Establishing good internal controls

• Annual Operating Cycle

– Budget preparation

– Monthly Activities

• Closing the books

• Working with the Board and other departments

• Investment and Cash Management

– Year end closing

• Audit, Review or Compilation

• Management Letter

– Reporting requirements

• Form 990 Tax return

• Single Audit A-133

• Payroll reports

Differences Between

Non-profit

&

For-profit Organizations

• FASB 117 - “Financial Statement of Non-

Profit Organization”

– Statement of Financial Position

– Statement of Activities

– Statement of Functional Expenses

– Statement of Cash Flows

– Financial Statement Disclosures

– Accrual Basis of Accounting

• Disclose

– In Statement of Activities or

– In the footnotes

• Functional Classifications

– Program services

– Management and general

– Fundraising

• Definitions

– Accrual

– Cash

– Modified Cash

• Factors to consider when choosing

– Few payables or receivables

– Expertise and time constraints on bookkeeping staff

– Budget size

• FASB 116 - “Accounting for Contributions

Received and Contributions Made”

– Recognized as revenues in period received

– Recorded as either restricted or unrestricted revenue

(donor imposed conditions)

• In-Kind Contributions

– Donor sets value, not non-profit

– Shows true cost to operate the organization

– IRS does not allow in-kind services or facility rental

to be deducted from Form 990 tax return

• Special Events and Membership Dues

– Fund-raiser attendees often receive a tangible benefit in

return

– Membership dues may entitle individuals to benefits

– The portion of ticket or dues which represents the fair

market value of the benefit received is NOT tax deductible

– Minimal benefits are excluded

– Non-profit required to send letters to donors re: amount

that may be taken as tax deduction

• IRS Publication 1771 - “Charitable

Contributions - Substantiation and

Disclosure Requirements”

• FASB 124 - “Accounting for Certain Investments

Held by Not-for-Profit Organizations”

– Investments be reported at fair market value

– Gains and losses be included in a statement of

activities

• FASB 93 - “Recognition of Depreciation by Not-

for-Profit Organizations”

– Recognize the cost of using up long-lived tangible

assets (depreciation)

– Exceptions

• Certain works for art

• Certain historical treasures

Setting up Systems

and

Getting Started

Chart of Accounts - Design Planning

• A tool used to code all the transactions that will be

recorded in the accounting records.

• The accounts set up here are then consolidated

into the financial statement presentation.

• If not well thought out, the financial statements will

be less effective as a management tool in making

decisions about the future of the organization.

Chart of Accounts - Design Planning

– Decisions to make –

• Unified Chart of Accounts (UCOA)

• Numbered accounts

– Usually follow standard industry practice

» 100 Assets

» 200 Liabilities

» 300 Net Assets (Fund Balance)

» 400 Revenue

» 500+ Expenses

• Overall Considerations

– Most important features

– Cost

– Off the shelf or customized

– Number of modules

– Training of accounting staff

– Maintenance contract

– Specialized non-profit packages vs. general accounting

packages

– Compatible with rest of applications

Statement of Activities

• Commonly known as the “Income Statement”

• Is the cumulative total of revenue and expense

activity for the current annual operating cycle

– Calendar year

– Fiscal year

• Management focuses on this statement more than

the Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet)

Basic Financial Statements

Basic Financial Statements

Statement of Functional Expenses

• Is the breakdown of “natural” expenses into

“functional” categories.

– Admin and general (or overhead)

– Programming

– Fundraising

• Is closely linked to the Statement of Activities

(Income Statement)

• Can be a supplement report or an audit footnote

Basic Financial Statements

Statement of Financial Position

• Commonly known as the “Balance Sheet”

• Is a snapshot of the financial position of the organization on a

certain day

• Consists of three main categories

– Assets (what you own)

– Liabilities (what you owe)

– Net Assets (what the organization is worth)

• Independent auditors focus on this statement more than the

Statement of Activities (Income Statement)

Basic Financial Statements

Statement of Cash Flows • Commonly known as the “Change in Financial Position”

• Breaks down the use of cash into three different activities

– Operations

– Investing

– Financing

• Lets the reader know exactly where the organization received and spent cash during the period

Internal Controls – Overview

• Main objectives include -

– Safeguarding assets

– Promoting efficiency in operations

– Enhancing reliability and completeness of

financial reporting

– Minimizing the risk of misuse or abuse of the

organization’s resources

Internal Controls – Overview (cont’d.)

• Nonprofits at greater risk for fraud?

– An atmosphere of trust

– Many cash donations (difficult to control)

– Limited availability of qualified staffing resources

(salary constraints)

– Mixture of volunteers and employees with lack of

business/financial experience involved in

operations

– Volunteer Board of Directors (decision makers)

• Segregation of Duties

– No financial transaction is handled by only

one person

• Policies and Procedures

– Established way of doing business that ensures public

confidence

– Maintains integrity of your organization and its assets

– But does not inhibit your ability to get your daily work

done

– Assists with training new employees

– Prevents fraud

Annual Operating Cycle

• Overall significance

– Used to monitor success of goals

– Used to show strength of plan

• Detailed Plan

– Choose format and tool (how)

– Choose level of staff/Board participation (who)

– Commit to a time line for completion (when)

• Detailed Process

– Begin with upcoming year goals

– Translate those into resources needed and

expense outlays to carry them out

– Balanced budget - yes or no

• Board policy in place to be followed

• Deficit

• Surplus

– Review during the operating year

• Generating monthly financial statements

– Policy for month-end closing

• Working with others

– Board and committees

– Other departments within organization

• Investment management

– Investment policy

– Investment spending policy

• Cash management

– Cash flow shortage policy

– Cash flow surplus policy

• Compilation

– Information just “compiled” by outside accounting firm

– Uses standard form of financial statement

presentation

– Provides no opinion or assurance that the information

is reliable

– Cost is minimal

• Review

– Limited examination of the organization’s financial

statements

– Limited testing

– Provides limited assurance on the reliability of the

information presented

– Cost is much less than audit

• Audit

– Process for testing the accuracy and completeness

of information presented in the organization’s

financial statements

– Completed by independent CPA’s

– An “opinion” issued on how fairly the financial

position has been presented

– If financial statements comply with GAAP

• Audit report - consists of

– Auditors opinion letter (qualified or unqualified)

– Required Financial Statements

– Required Notes to the Financial Statements

• Management letter

– Informs organization of ways to improve their

internal control processes and day to day

management

Form 990 Reporting Overview

• Purpose for filing with IRS

– Required information for statistics and tracking – not a

“tax return”

– Have information available for public inspection

– May be primary or only source of information available to

the public

– IRS cleaning up their database

• When to file

– 15th day of 5th month after close of fiscal year

Form 990 Reporting Overview

Who Must File

Old Rules

• Organizations with gross

receipts <$25K per year –

• No filing requirements

2007-2009 Rules

• Organizations with gross

receipts <$25K per year –

2010 Rules

• Organizations with gross

receipts <$50K per year –

• Required to file electronic

notice

• “e-Postcard” or Form 990-N

Changes Since 2007

• Form 990-N

– Filing

• Log in to www.irs.gov/eo

• Click on “Annual Electronic Filing Requirement

for Small Exempt Organizations – Form 990-N

(e-Postcard)

– Failure to file for three consecutive years will

result in revocation of tax exempt status

Old Rules

• Organizations with

– Gross receipts between $25K

and $100K

– Total assets <$250K at year

end

• File Form 990-EZ

• Could elect to file Form 990

2008 Rules

• Organizations with

– Gross receipts >$25K but <$l M

– Total assets <$2.5 M

• File Form 990-EZ

• Can elect to file Form 990

and schedules

Changes Since 2007 (cont’d.)

• Form 990-EZ

– Has not been redesigned, but changes have

been made

– Review Schedules A, B, C, E, G and L and

determine if they apply to your organization

Old Rules

• Organizations with

– Gross receipts > $100K

– Total assets >$250K at year

end

• Required to file Form 990

2008 Rules

• Organizations with

– Gross receipts >$l M

– Total assets >$2.5 M

• Required to file Form 990

Old Rules

• Organizations with

– Gross receipts > $100K

– Total assets >$250K at year end

• Required to file Form 990

2009 Rules

• Organizations with

– Gross receipts >$500K

– Total assets >$1.25 M

• Required to file Form 990

2010 Rules

• Organizations with

– Gross receipts >$200K

– Total assets >$500K

• Required to file Form 990

Changes Since 2007 (cont’d.)

• Form 990

– Revised for fiscal years beginning in 2008

– Last revision was in 1979

– More questions about governance

– Instructions include “Sequencing List”

– Format

• Core form with eleven parts

– Part IV – Checklist of Required Schedules

• Sixteen schedules

Form 990 List of Schedules

• A-Public Charity Status and Public Support

• B-Schedule of Contributors

• C-Political Campaign and Lobbying Activities

• D-Supplemental Financial Statements

• E-Schools

• F-Statement of Activities Outside the US

• G-Supplemental Info Regarding Fundraising or Gaming Activities

• H-Hospitals

• I-Grants and Other Assistance to Orgs, Gov’t., and Individuals

• J-Compensation Info

• K-Supplemental Information for Tax-Exempt Bonds

• L-Transactions with Interested Persons

• M-Non-Cash Contributions

• N-Liquidation, Termination, Dissolution

• O-supplemental Information to Form 990

• R-Related Organizations and Unrelated Partnerships

• Circular A-133 single audit report

– $500,000 or more in federal awards expended in

any fiscal year

– Audited annually

– Available for public inspection

– Auditee duties

• Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards

• Maintain internal controls

• Payroll reporting

– Quarterly (941) reports

– Annual (940) reports

– W-2’s

– 1099’s

• Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT)

– Regularly carries on a trade or business

– Not substantially related to its exempt

purpose

– IRS Publication 598 - Tax on Unrelated

Business Income of Exempt

Organizations

Please type in chat window online.

49

Contact Information • Connect with the Texas Association of Nonprofit Organization’s

at www.tano.org . You can also contact Cheryl via email at

cheryl<at>tano<dot> com.

• Connect with Sage

– Email nps <at> sage <dot> com

– Download the presentation and handouts from

www.slideshare.net/sagenonprofit

– Read our blog, http://www.SageWords.net.

– Like us on Facebook,

http://www.facebook.com/sagenonprofit

– Follow us on Twitter, http://www.twitter.com/sagenonprofit

– Join the discussion in our group on LinkedIn.

– Watch and follow on YouTube,

http://www.youtube.com/user/SageNonprofit

– Pin with us on www.Pinterest.com/SageNonprofit