Nonprofits nationwide are increasingly considering shared workspace arrangements to lower rising facility costs. These arrangements are particularly appealing in areas where nonprofits are being priced out of the real estate market and to those determined to cut operating costs. Continue reading What to Consider Before Teaming Up
All posts by Mike Sperling
Avoid These 4 Common Finance-Function Mistakes
When President Trump signed the massive federal income tax overhaul into law on December 22, 2017, much was made of nonprofits’ understandable concern that the higher standard deduction would reduce incentives for charitable giving. The concern is, of course, extremely important, but the new law also includes several other provisions that could affect nonprofits. Continue reading Avoid These 4 Common Finance-Function Mistakes
Nonprofits Get a Bag of New Rules from Tax Overhaul
When President Trump signed the massive federal income tax overhaul into law on December 22, 2017, much was made of nonprofits’ understandable concern that the higher standard deduction would reduce incentives for charitable giving. The concern is, of course, extremely important, but the new law also includes several other provisions that could affect nonprofits. Continue reading Nonprofits Get a Bag of New Rules from Tax Overhaul
Newsbits
Online nonprofit revenue in 2016 grew by 14%, and email revenue grew by 15%, according to a new study by nonprofit consultants M+R. Based on input from 133 nonprofits, “Benchmarks 2017” found that Web traffic, email list size, Facebook fans, and Twitter and Instagram followers were all on the rise in 2016, while most individual email metrics were down. For example, the emails opened per number delivered fell 7% overall, for an average just under 15%. Continue reading Newsbits
Make the most of your fundraising by measuring ROI
Donors and other stakeholders continue to look for more accountability and transparency from nonprofits, especially regarding fundraising. Not only is the sum of money raised in campaigns meaningful, but how efficiently you’re able to raise it, too.
Interested parties look beyond total dollars raised to also consider associated costs in fundraising efforts. Cost ratios that present fundraising costs as a percentage of funds raised (also known as cost-per-dollar) focus on the expense of fundraising, while return on investment (ROI), importantly, focuses on the returns. It makes sense to track both. Continue reading Make the most of your fundraising by measuring ROI
Is board member compensation a good idea?
Overheard in a nonprofit’s office: “It’s so hard to find good board members. It’s going to be really difficult to fill these board openings.”
If your organization struggles each time it needs to fill a board vacancy — and doesn’t always come up with the candidates it desires — it may be time to consider creating a board compensation program. Continue reading Is board member compensation a good idea?
All charitable deductions aren’t created equal
With the end of the year on the horizon, your supporters may be thinking about making charitable contributions they can deduct on their 2017 federal tax returns. If you want to keep those supporters on your side, though, you need to explain that different types of donations can carry different tax benefits — and some donations aren’t deductible at all. Continue reading All charitable deductions aren’t created equal
Newsbits – Donors say messaging affects their giving
Seventy-two percent of respondents in software provider Abila’s Donor Loyalty Survey say their decision to give is affected by an organization’s messaging. In February 2016, Abila surveyed 1,136 U.S. donors of all ages who had made at least one donation during the previous 12 months. Continue reading Newsbits – Donors say messaging affects their giving
Your nonprofit’s bylaws – Those golden rules may need more than polishing
Has your organization outgrown its bylaws? Sometimes, as a nonprofit expands and matures, the guiding rules set when it was just a twinkle in its founders’ eyes need to be revisited and brought up to date. Continue reading Your nonprofit’s bylaws – Those golden rules may need more than polishing
Nonprofit life cycle – Challenges and opportunities mark growth stage
Nonprofits generally mature along a standard life cycle. An organization’s first steps are typically followed by a period of growth, which, ideally, is less eventful and stressful than those early years. The growth stage — beginning two or three years after “birth” and continuing until “maturation” at around age seven — isn’t without challenges. But this period also comes with a sense of accomplishment and the opportunity to diversify and bring in new staff and donors as the organization comes into its own. Continue reading Nonprofit life cycle – Challenges and opportunities mark growth stage