Financial Management Resources
At Nonprofits Assistance Fund, one of our goals is to provide tools and resources to nonprofit staff and board members to help them realize their organizational vision. Over our 28 year history, we have developed a wealth of resources on nonprofit financial management. You can start using this information right away to manage your nonprofit's finances.
View resources by topic or alphabetically.
Featured Resources
Sustenance in Lean Times is our resource collection to help nonprofits navigate the economic downturn.
It provides reliable and useful advice on ways to manage uncertainty and position your organization for the future.
What's New
- Transforming Nonprofit Business Models
- 990 Decoder - A Guide to Creating Financial Statements and Ratios
- Operating Reserves Overview and Policy Example
- Balance Sheet Cheat Sheet
- White Paper on Cash Flow Challenges for Minnesota Charter Schools
- Charter Schools Cash Flow Template
- Scenario Planning Worksheet
Our new 990 Decoder - A Guide to Creating Financial Statements and Ratios will help you make the most of the 990. This excel tool translates the financial information from the revised 990 into easy to use financial reports and ratios. A great resource for foundation program officers, donors, capacity builders, and others who assess or analyze nonprofits.
To help organizations think through how to prudently manage their reserve funds, we have created an Operating Reserves Overview and Policy Example. This resource will help you assess when using reserves make sense, consider how to replenish reserves, understand different types of reserves, and begin crafting a policy that makes sense for your organization. You can also download word templates of a Sample Operating Reserves Policy and a Sample Policy for Multiple Types of Reserves.
The balance sheet serves as a snapshot, providing the most comprehensive picture of an organization's financial situation. The Balance Sheet Cheat Sheet will help you make the most of this document and understand six key measures that are useful for most nonprofit organizations.
Charter schools face unique financial management challenges, particularly in dealing with the state holdback. To learn more about these issues, read Kate Barr's White Paper on Cash Flow Challenges for Minnesota Charter Schools. To meet the needs of school administrators, we have also created a specialized Charter Schools Cash Flow Template. You can use this tool to manage your school's cash, accounts receivable, expenses, and more.
The Scenario Planning Worksheet is a step by step guide to contingency planning. This resource will help you consider several possible scenarios and get ready to make informed budget and management decisions.
Resources by topic
Nonprofit Finance 101
Dealing with Financial Uncertainty
Budgeting
Cash Flow Planning & Management
Audits, 990s, and other Financial Reports
Financial Policies & Procedures
Working with the Board of Directors
How Bankers can work with Nonprofits
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Additional resources
Our partners and allies also provide a wealth of resources for the nonprofit community. Explore additional resources and helpful links.