Nonprofit Harvest

Serve America Act

National Volunteer Week honors the important work of volunteers in our communities.  It seems fitting that President Obama signed the Serve America Act during this time.

In addition to encouraging service, the legislation includes capacity building resources specifically designed for small to mid-sized organizations. For more information, read Kate’s thoughts or learn more about the Serve America Act.

Volunteer Management Resources

We know that volunteers provide a great boost to nonprofits, but they also require specific management resources.  Here are some tools to help nonprofits get the most value out of their volunteers:

• Tracking Volunteer Time to Boost Your Bottom Line: A Complete Accounting Guide from Blue Avocado
• Value of Volunteer Time from Independent Sector

Nonprofit Accounting

Speaking of accounting systems, Alan at Not-For-Profit Accounting makes an excellent case for their importance:

We go into the sector because we care about the mission, making a difference, building community, or any other number of reasons.  Not so we can crunch numbers.

But some people are shocked when they realize just how much regulation, filing and paperwork comes with a tax exempt status…The more time it takes to hammer those reports together, the less time you have to do other things like mission and fundraising work.  The harder it is to compile good financial information, the greater the likelihood of it not being as accurate as it should be.  As has been stated more than a few times,  you can’t figure out what you are going to do financially if you don’t know where you stand right now.  Good cash flow planning and budgeting can only be done if you have a system in place that can get you usable information in a timely fashion.

His post, Why You Need an Accounting System also provides resources to help you get you started.  For more ideas on what questions to ask if you need to develop your own system, read Help! We need an accounting system!

This Week’s Harvest

• Two-Thirds of Foundations to Reduce Grantmaking in 2009 from PhilanTopic
• Helping Themselves from the Wall Street
• The Recession Brings Tough Challenges and Opportunities, Say Experts on Socially Run Businesses

If you are looking for volunteer opportunities in the Twin Cities metro area, I suggest visiting HandsOn Twin Cities or MAP for Nonprofits.

Alan at Not-For-Profit Accounting sees a silver lining in the recession – a greater focus on nonprofit operations:

I have read more articles about not-for-profit operations, administration and finance recently than I think I have in the last ten years. And they have been positive. They have spoken of the need for organizations to look at how their finances and operations are handled, to make sure they have the systems in place to be able to figure a) out exactly where they stand financially and b) what to do going forward as far as budgeting, cash flow and capacity.

While I’m not happy about the pain that will be felt by many organizations and the populations they serve I am pleased that these discussions are taking place and that we will end up with a stronger sector once this crisis passes.

Check out his post,  Money Managing in Challenging Times, for a collection of tools and resources to help your organization.

HR Resources

COBRA Updates

• Health Insurance: A Bit of Good COBRA News (Blue Avocado)
• COBRA Premium Reduction in the Recovery Act (MCN)

Ask Rita

A regular Blue Avocado feature is Ask Rita in HR:

Rita in HR is actually two HR attorneys in one: Ellen Aldridge and Pamela Fyfe, both of the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance Group. They advise nonprofits on wrongful termination, wage & hour, discrimination, harassment, and other employment issues.

Recent topics include: 

• Downsizing from Employees to Independent Contractors?
• Nonprofit Layoffs and Furloughs: Do Them Right
• A Family and Medical Leave Act Checklist

Navigating the Revised 990

Form 990 Videos: Understanding the Changes

MCN has uploaded videos from 990s Do Matter, a training designed and conducted by Eve Borenstein.  Nearly 3 hours of video is available on their website, Form 990 Videos: Understanding the Changes:

You’ll want to download the presentation slides (3.06 MB, PDF) and the sample form (2.12 MB, PDF) used during the training prior to viewing. We’ve tried to make each section roughly 10 minutes or less to allow you to learn at your own pace.

Additional Resources

• Not-For-Profit Accounting
• Online mini courses from StayExempt.org (IRS)
  
• What’s New from the IRS: The 2009 Work Plan for the Nonprofit Sector (GuideStar)
• Six Things Every Board Member Should Know About the NEW 990 (Blue Avocado)
• New 990 To Do List

This Week’s Harvest

• Nonprofit News Update from Not-For-Not-For-Profit AccountingProfit Accounting
  
  • Video: Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards (BoardSource)

• Philantopic’s Nonprofit Strategies for Tough Times: Economic Stimulus Act FAQ, including:
  
  • How do I find out which types of programs are eligible to receive funding?
  • Where do the decision-making powers lie?
  • Where can I turn for assistance and counsel?
  • Related resources

• Transcript from Managing in Hard Times: How Nonprofit Leaders Can Make the Right Decisions

• Media Matters for America launches Financial Media Matters

• Foundations comment on the State Budget
  • Foundation group throws out big ideas to shake up state budget talks (MinnPost)
  • Improve Public Services and Spend Less: Foundations Speak (Philanthropy Potluck)