Every organization is different, but most nonprofits follow a somewhat predictable life cycle.  And just as they are for a child, the early years for organizations are full of important milestones. A nonprofit’s first steps can make the difference between a sustainable organization with the capacity to fulfill its mission and a floundering failure that fades out fast.
Continue reading The nonprofit life cycle – Start-ups face challenges, opportunities →

Dividends, interest, rents, annuities and other investment income are generally excluded when calculating unrelated business income tax (UBIT). But tax law provides two exceptions where such income will indeed be deemed taxable. And with IRS scrutiny of unrelated business income intensifying these days, nonprofits need to know about these potential pitfalls.
Continue reading When investment income counts as UBI →

Microsoft offers nonprofits free cloud services

Microsoft’s philanthropic arm has announced that it’ll donate $1 billion in cloud computing resources over the next three years to nonprofits and nongovernmental organizations worldwide. The donation is part of an initiative that includes providing a suite of Microsoft cloud services, expanding access to cloud resources for 900 faculty researchers at universities and reaching 20 underserved communities in 15 countries with broadband connectivity and cloud services.
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Minutes of your board’s meetings may seem like a mere formality, but they’re much more than that. Board meeting minutes reflect on your board of directors and your organization’s actions. Savvy nonprofits don’t bunt their way through creating these documents — they try to hit them “out of the park.”
Continue reading How to score a home run with your board meeting minutes →