Ready for your close-up? --your nonprofit’s year-end snapshot Joan M. Renner, CPA, CGMA, Director 501(c)(fit!) Remember the last time you updated your professional photo? Most of us have a picture that we use on our website and our bio. I bet you put some thought into looking your best on picture day. Well, for your [...]
Staying on Track— your financial GPS Joan M. Renner, CPA, CGMA, Director 501(c)(fit!) My husband is really good at road trips. He can drive a right-hand drive car on the left side of a narrow road, faced with an oncoming hay wagon and an upcoming roundabout. The only thing difficulty I can remember, had to [...]
Building Your Budget—the bridge between ideas and action Joan M. Renner, CPA, CGMA, Director 501(c)(fit!) Right about now, you may be focusing more on next year than this one. Your Board has exciting new ideas, but making them happen is another matter. You’ll need people, space, supplies, and most of all, funding. Some take a [...]
Collections—are you being lapped? Joan M. Renner, CPA, CGMA, Director 501(c)(fit!) Fraud prevention tips often focus on how to control outgoing payments. But why would anyone take the risk of creating fraudulent disbursements if he or she could just lift some incoming money before anyone else know it was there? That’s what happened in South [...]
A Nonprofit Tale—how to write a better ending Joan M. Renner, CPA, CGMA, Director 501(c)(fit!) Once there was a little nonprofit. Its founding Board was super engaged and passionate. The Executive Director worked hard to do more with less, squeezing every dollar to put the most toward the mission. Everyone shared the same style. They [...]
New GAAP Disclosures—your liquidity up close and personal Joan M. Renner, CPA, CGMA, Director 501(c)(fit!) Have you seen that TV commercial where the friendly neighbor delivers a home baked pie to the new family on the block, just to get a peek inside the front door? Inquiring minds want to know. You may be feeling [...]
Practical Fraud Prevention--plugging the leaks Joan M. Renner, CPA, CGMA, Director 501(c)(fit!) My mom makes sure to turn out every light before leaving her apartment. I’ve seen her do it every time. She doesn’t even pay for electricity, it’s just the right thing to do. How far are you willing to go to safeguard resources? [...]
Measuring impact—focusing resources Joan M. Renner, CPA, CGMA, Director 501(c)(fit!) Last week we discussed how the new tax law will affect your donors. Although donors who itemize can still deduct their contributions to your organization, fewer taxpayers will itemize. Many will take the standard deduction no matter what they give to charity. As we begin [...]
New Year--New Tax Law—how will it affect your donors? Joan M. Renner, CPA, CGMA, Director 501(c)(fit!) This time of year, we say goodbye to the old and look toward the new. We each look for opportunities to renew, whether it’s our health, fitness or work-life balance. At your nonprofit, you may also be thinking of [...]
Peace, Love, Joy Joan M. Renner, CPA, CGMA, Director 501(c)(fit!) “Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give.”—Eleanor Roosevelt “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we [...]
