Why Associations Are Implementing Enterprise Risk Management (ERM)
By Melissa Musser, CPA, CITP, CISA | Principal, Risk & Advisory Services For years, associations have taken a siloed approach to risk management, focusing on areas like cybersecurity. More are now widening their nets, using ERM to ensure unexpected dangers don’t derail their association. When it comes to risk management, some may think of areas…
Invest Time and Resources to Improve the Month-End Close Process
By Sharon Carbonell, CPA | Manager, Outsourced Accounting and Advisory Services For many who work in the finance department of a nonprofit or for-profit business, the month-end close process is a constant source of strain. Inefficiency and operational ambiguity are sore spots in particular, generally the result of manual data entry, lack of coordination, deficient…
Anticipating Going Concern Issues Can Save Nonprofits Valuable Time and Effort
By: Omid Mohebbi, CPA | Audit Supervisor Introduction Auditors occasionally come across going concern issues in the course of performing their audit procedures. These issues essentially refer to the ability or inability, as the case may be, of the audited entity to continue operations beyond a certain timeframe, which the standards refer to as “a reasonable…
Unrestricted Net Assets and Key Financial Ratios Help Nonprofits Focus on their Financial Health
By: Michael Shaffer | Nonprofit Audit Manager In my 18 years as an auditor of nonprofit organizations, I have sat in a large number of offices for meetings with my clients. I always enjoy seeing how folks have their offices decorated, but one office stands out to me more than others over the years. This…
Compliance Best Practices for Reporting Fundraising Events on the Form 990
By: Katelyn Miller, CPA | Nonprofit Tax Manager Both exempt organizations and readers of the Form 990 often question the presentation of fundraising events on the return. Because the Form 990 presents revenue and expenses in a unique way on Schedule G, Part II, it is common to report a net loss from such events. Fundraising events…
Keeping Your Nonprofit’s Technology Modern, Safe and Cost-Efficient with an IT Audit
For smaller or start-up nonprofits, infrastructure elements like information technology (IT) are often small and uncomplicated allowing the greatest flexibility and economy. The bad news is that while the organization is saving money, aging IT systems lack critical security features as well as the strategic and functional advantages enjoyed by peers who have prioritized IT…
The Role of the Form 990: Developing a Strategy for Managing Your Charity’s Rating
Just like in business, competition in the nonprofit sector is evolving each year. These days, individuals are continuously solicited over social media to volunteer and support various charities. Would-be donors are encouraged by the media and watchdog groups to be more conscious about how the money they give is ultimately used. Charity Navigator, Great Nonprofits…
Leveraging an IT Assessment Can Protect Nonprofits from Cybercrime
“Cybercrime keeps climbing” was the key finding of the 2016 Global Economic Crime Survey recently completed by PwC. In fact, the survey results show cybercrime “jumping from 4th to 2nd place among the most-reported types of economic crimes.” While organizations are embracing new ways to make their operations digital for efficiency and effectiveness, criminals are…