Understanding Nonprofit Financial Statements


Book Description

"This book concentrates on one major and widely recognized method of measuring value: financial statements and their implications for outcomes. It is organized to maximize a nonprofit board member's understanding of the most important financial elements within his or her organization. At the outset, the book reviews the function of the board in its goal-setting role, which includes financial outcomes. This sets the stage for examining the differences between simple accounting and the board's function in analyzing accounting numbers to portray financial outcomes. Understanding the major elements of the financial statements is the heart of the book, and attention is given to the key ways in which those elements represent the real financial outcomes of the operations performed by the organization's senior management and staff over the relevant time period. The remainder of the book highlights similarities and differences of interim versus audited financial statements, some very specific ways to use available financial information to fulfill the board's fiduciary responsibilities, and, finally, how to utilize financial information to measure organizational performance. Included is a CD-ROM that contains sample financial documents and a Microsoft 'PowerPointʼ presentation on financial practices that can be used at board meetings to improve financial skills."--P. ix.




How to Read Nonprofit Financial Statements


Book Description

EXPERT GUIDANCE ON HOW TO READ, INTERPRET, AND USE NONPROFIT FINANCIAL STATEMENTS UPDATED FOR THE NEW FASB STANDARD RELATED TO NONPROFIT FINANCIAL REPORTING (ASU 2016-14) If you're an executive or volunteer leader at a nonprofit who is unfamiliar with the formats and language of financial statements, this book fills you in on how to read and correctly interpret those critical documents. If you're a seasoned pro who wants to brush up on your skills while familiarizing yourself with the latest FASB nonprofit reporting standards, this is the only guide you need. The intent behind creating the ASU 2016-14 was to improve the clarity and usefulness of nonprofit financial statements, but making sense of those statements can still be tough going for the uninitiated. Accountants and non-accountants alike who use and prepare nonprofit financial statements need guidance on how to interpret and implement the new FASB standard. Written for both audiences, this book: Clearly defines accounting terminology and concepts, while offering numerous examples of financial statements reflecting both the old and new FASB standards Steers you, line-by-line, through financial reports, providing explanations of differences between the old and new standards Provides numerous illustrations that help you quickly feel at home with the format of nonprofit financial statements Offers exercises that help you gain insight into the concepts surrounding nonprofit financial statements and reinforce your command of those concepts How to Read Nonprofit Financial Statements, Third Edition is an invaluable resource for everyone who reads, interprets, or prepares those all-important documents.




Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations


Book Description

Essential tools and guidance for effective nonprofit financial management Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations provides students, professionals, and board members with a comprehensive reference for the field. Identifying key objectives and exploring current practices, this book offers practical guidance on all major aspects of nonprofit financial management. As nonprofit organizations fall under ever-increasing scrutiny and accountability, this book provides the essential knowledge and tools professional need to maintain a strong financial management system while serving the organization’s stated mission. Financial management, cash flow, and financial sustainability are perennial issues, and this book highlights the concepts, skills, and tools that help organizations address those issues. Clear guidance on analytics, reporting, investing, risk management, and more comprise a singular reference that nonprofit finance and accounting professionals and board members should keep within arm’s reach. Updated to reflect the post-recession reality and outlook for nonprofits, this new edition includes new examples, expanded tax-exempt financing material, and recession analysis that informs strategy going forward. Articulate the proper primary financial objective, target liquidity, and how it ensures financial health and sustainability Understand nonprofit financial practices, processes, and objectives Manage your organization’s resources in the context of its mission Delve into smart investing and risk management best practices Manage liquidity, reporting, cash and operating budgets, debt and other liabilities, IP, legal risk, internal controls and more Craft appropriate financial policies Although the U.S. economy has recovered, recovery has not addressed the systemic and perpetual funding challenges nonprofits face year after year. Despite positive indicators, many organizations remain hampered by pursuit of the wrong primary financial objective, insufficient funding and a lack of investment in long-term sustainability; in this climate, financial managers must stay up-to-date with the latest tools, practices, and regulations in order to serve their organization’s interests. Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations provides clear, in-depth reference and strategy for navigating the expanding financial management function.










Nonprofit Accounting & Financial Statements


Book Description

Most popular book on the nonprofit financial governance directed at non-financial board members, management, and staff.




Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations


Book Description

Indispensable for all types and sizes of nonprofit organizations, this important book imparts a clear sense of the technical expertise and proficiency needed as a nonprofit financial officer and includes real-world case studies, checklists, tables, and sample policies to clarify and explain financial concepts.




The Simplified Guide to Not-for-Profit Accounting, Formation, and Reporting


Book Description

A complete and easy to understand guide to the fundamentals of how not-for-profit organizations are formed and run, as well as their structure and the unique accounting and reporting issues they face. Providing you with a comprehensive understanding of how to maintain the "books" of a typical nonprofit entity and comply with numerous reporting requirements, The Simplified Guide to Not-for-Profit Accounting, Formation & Reporting equips you with everything you need to know to form a Not-For-Profit, setup an accounting system, record financial transactions and report to donors and regulatory bodies. Topics include: Step-by-step guide to forming a Not-For-Profit and applying for tax exemption Becoming familiar with unique Not-For-Profit accounting rules such as classifying contributions/grants and recording restrictions, allocation of expenses to programs and supporting services and investment classification and reporting Budget development, payroll processing and accounting for personnel costs Shows how to prepare and understand required Not-For-Profit financial statement and their components Provides you with a broad understanding of the numerous filing requirement required by donors, grantors and government regulatory agencies Practical and comprehensive in scope, The Simplified Guide to Not-for-Profit Accounting, Formation & Reporting offers a wealth of practical information to accountants and non-accountants alike for understanding Not-For-Profit financial transactions, financial statements and the many internal and external reports they must prepare.




Nonprofit Bookkeeping and Accounting For Dummies


Book Description

Your hands-on guide to keeping great records and keeping your nonprofit running smoothly Need to get your nonprofit books in order? This practical guide has everything you need to know to operate your nonprofit according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) — from documenting transactions and budgeting to filing taxes, preparing financial statements, and much more. You’ll see how to stay organized, keep records, and be prepared for an audit. Begin with the basics — understand common financial terms, choose your accounting methods, and work with financial statements Balance your nonprofit books — set up a chart of accounts, record transactions, plan your budget, and balance your cash flow Get the 4-1-1 on federal grants — find grants and apply for them, track and account for federal dollars, and prepare for a grant audit Stay in good standing with Uncle Sam — set up payroll accounts for employees, calculate taxes and deductions, and complete tax forms Close out your books — prepare the necessary financial statements, know which accounts to close, and prepare for the next accounting cycle Know what to do if you get audited — form an internal audit committee, follow IRS rules of engagement, and keep an immaculate paper trail Open the book and find: The difference between bookkeeping and accounting How to maintain a manual or computer record-keeping system Ten vital things to know when keeping the books Do’s and don’ts of managing federal grant money How to prepare for an audit of your financial statements IRS Form 990 good practices The most common errors found during nonprofit audits How to figure out employee payroll deductions and taxes




Bookkeeping for Nonprofits


Book Description

BOOKKEEPING FOR NONPROFITS Bookkeeping for Nonprofits is a hands-on guide that offers nonprofit leaders, managers, and staff the tools they need to create and maintain a complete and accurate set of accounting records. This much-needed resource provides those with little or no bookkeeping experience with practical advice in a highly accessible format. Written by Murray Dropkin and Jim Halpin, Bookkeeping for Nonprofits is a step-by-step introduction to keeping accounting records, which form the foundation for a nonprofit organization's financial reports, tax returns, budgets, cash forecasts, and grant proposals. Using this volume as a guide, nonprofit leaders and staff will be able to set up books with or without accounting software and ensure that the records meet the needs of their organization. Bookkeeping for Nonprofits is a comprehensive resource that Discusses how transactions provide day-to-day information for tracking cash balances and cash requirements Shows how transactions provide information to management and the board of directors for budgeting and other essential tasks Explains basic bookkeeping concepts, such as the accounting equation, the chart of accounts, and income and expense tracking Guides readers through the nuts and bolts of recording a transaction Provides an overview of alternative recordkeeping methodologies and how to choose among them Designed to be easy to use, the book is filled with illustrations and checklists. "Bookkeeping for Nonprofits is the remarkable new guide for a new generation of accounting challenges bookkeepers face every day." —Frances Hesselbein, chairman and founding president, Leader to Leader Institute "Bookkeeping for Nonprofits provides a rare combination of consummate professionalism and clear, accessible writing. Underlying the wealth of technical information lies a great deal of wisdom. The authors have found a way to translate their enormous, on-the-ground experience into usable, actionable policies, procedures, and practices. It is a book that gives all you need to create a fiscally responsible agency with the bonus of helping you become a better manager and a wiser person." —Peter Block, business consultant and author of Flawless Consulting and The Empowered Manager "Bookkeeping for Nonprofits provides an excellent understanding of the practical application of bookkeeping in the real work environment." —Ron Werthman, vice president, finance/treasurer and CFO, Johns Hopkins Health System, The Johns Hopkins Hospital "This is a wonderful book that every bookkeeper in a nonprofit organization should have." —Eusebio David, fiscal director, Federation of Multicultural Programs, Inc.