All posts by Mike Sperling

Is it time to hire a CFO?

newsletterLet’s face it: Most nonprofits are founded on a passionate belief in service. This doesn’t always include a passion for numbers. To fill this gap in financial expertise, nonprofits often hire chief financial officers (CFOs). But do all nonprofits — including small organizations — need one?

CFO defined

Generally, the CFO (or “director of finance”) is a senior-level position charged with oversight of an organization’s accounting and finances. This person works closely with the executive director, audit/finance committee and treasurer and serves as a business partner to program heads. In general, the CFO reports to the executive director and board of directors on the organization’s finances, analyzes investments and capital, develops budgets, and devises financial strategies.

Continue reading Is it time to hire a CFO?

SECURE 2.0 opportunities — Take advantage of 2024 and 2025 updates

newsletterPresident Biden signed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) 2.0 Act into law in late 2022, but much of the wide-reaching retirement legislation is being phased in over time. There are some significant changes in 2024 and 2025 that may help nonprofit employers recruit and retain employees. Here’s what you need to know.

New for 2024

Several changes took effect January 1, 2024, including:

Matching for student loan repayments. Younger employees can sometimes miss out on their employers’ matching contributions to retirement plans because of their student loan obligations. SECURE 2.0 allows employees to receive matching contributions to retirement accounts based on the qualified student loan payments that they have made.

Nonprofits can make matching contributions to a 403(b) plan, 401(k) plan or SIMPLE IRA if contributions based on student loan payments are available to all match-eligible employees.

Continue reading SECURE 2.0 opportunities — Take advantage of 2024 and 2025 updates

NEWSBYTES

Watchdog launches campaign to measure equitable funding

Candid, the nonprofit evaluation organization that resulted when GuideStar and Foundation Center merged, has announced a new data-driven campaign to encourage equitable funding practices. “Demographics via Candid” is designed to provide a standardized benchmark measurement, reduce inefficiencies and cut down on duplicate information requests from funders.
Continue reading NEWSBYTES

What nonprofits need to know about alternative investments

With today’s economic uncertainty, businesses, including nonprofit organizations, are increasingly considering the use of alternative investments. But these investments can have unexpected tax implications for nonprofits. Here’s what you need to know before your organization moves ahead.

Continue reading What nonprofits need to know about alternative investments

Understanding internal controls Why nonprofits need both preventative and detective policies

The median loss for nonprofits that fell victim to fraud was $60,000, according to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners’ (ACFE) Occupational Fraud 2022: A Report to the Nations. The average loss for nonprofits was $851,000. Such losses could prove devastating for many organizations. But with strong internal controls to prevent and detect fraudulent activity, organizations can reduce this risk.

The ACFE report found that almost 30% of the victim organizations lacked adequate internal controls to prevent fraud from occurring. In addition to minimizing fraud, comprehensive internal controls also help ensure accurate accounting records and financial statements. And strong internal controls are essential for compliance with relevant laws, regulations and grant requirements.

Continue reading Understanding internal controls Why nonprofits need both preventative and detective policies

What’s the magic number? — Some guidelines for determining your board’s size

PSNsu23_3
Recruiting and retaining committed board members is a never-ending process. For many nonprofits, determining an appropriate-sized board takes time. Although state law typically sets the minimum number of directors a nonprofit must have on its board, it’s up to each organization to determine how many board members it needs. Both small and large boards come with perks and drawbacks — and once the board size meets its state requirement, the article reviews what nonprofits should consider.

Continue reading What’s the magic number? — Some guidelines for determining your board’s size

Be prepared for IRS audits of COVID-19 ERC claims

PSNsu23_2
The availability of Employee Retention Credits (ERCs) during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic — particularly the ability to claim advance payments of the credits — played a critical role in keeping many nonprofits afloat. Now, however, the IRS has begun to subject some employers that claimed ERCs to audits. Given the extended five-year statute of limitations for such audits, nonprofits that claimed the credits need to prepare. This article highlights what nonprofits should do to prepare for a possible ERC audit.

Continue reading Be prepared for IRS audits of COVID-19 ERC claims

How an energy-efficient building tax deduction could pay off for nonprofits

PSN
Much of the Inflation Reduction Act signed into law in late 2022 contains provisions intended to combat climate change, largely through tax incentives. Such tax breaks aren’t usually relevant to the work of nonprofits. But for organizations constructing new facilities or adding improvements, the Act’s changes to one tax deduction could benefit them. This article reviews the benefits available under the Act. In addition, a short sidebar covers how the Act allows eligible organizations to receive certain tax credits — which otherwise would be of little use to nonprofits that pay no income tax — as direct payments from the IRS.

Continue reading How an energy-efficient building tax deduction could pay off for nonprofits