Blackbaud

JANUARY 13, 2025

Ask the finance team. Finance teams can help their nonprofit organizations evaluate new revenue streams, enhancing the organizations stability and mitigating risk while intentionally experimenting with varied income sources. Even your IT team suggested selling the research tool they built to other organizations.

Finance 105

Finance Strategic Plan Consultant Consulting 105

Blackbaud

DECEMBER 23, 2024

When your nonprofit is just getting started, your budget for an accounting system is likely very close to $0. Those low-cost tools can be a great way to launch and gain momentum, but there comes a point for every nonprofit when the time it takes to manage your fund accounting workarounds outweighs the cost of upgrading your system.

Finance 105

Finance Budget Organizational Budget Nonprofit 105

Blackbaud

APRIL 7, 2025

Like your K12 private school budget. A well-crafted budget is essential for aligning financial resources with the strategic goals of your private school, and with the right processes and tools, it doesnt have to be stressful. Your school may have multiple budgets, each with a different purpose.

Budget 53

Budget Strategic Plan Template Conference 53

Blackbaud

JANUARY 9, 2025

Find the Right Number for Your Nonprofit Operating Reserves The Nonprofit Operating Reserves Initiative (NORI) Workgroup suggests that the minimum operating reserve ratio at the lowest point during the year should be 25 percent, or about three months of the annual operating expense budget. However, this is not a universal benchmark.

Contracts 103

Contracts Contract Budget Nonprofit 103

Blackbaud

MARCH 3, 2025

But how do you justify spending money on a budgeting tool instead of supplies for an after-school program? Here are a few considerations when advocating for technology investments in your accounting and finance departments. Would this investment speed up budgeting, provide more accurate data, or mitigate risk?

Finance 77

Finance Strategic Plan Proposal Goals 77

Blackbaud

FEBRUARY 13, 2025

As a nonprofit finance professional, you want all your data to be accurate. Maintaining compliance can protect existing funding, as well. The Importance of Accurate Time Allocation for Nonprofits Accurate time allocation is a cornerstone for nonprofit organizations, especially those with grant funding.

Grants 102

Grants Grant Indirect Cost Budget 102

Blackbaud

MAY 6, 2024

Like a good recipe, your nonprofit budget requires high-quality ingredients, easy-to-follow steps, and a knowledgeable cook or two to put it together. But when you have all the pieces—accurate data, a clear process, and a finance team to put it together—you can make a three-course meal look easy.

Budget 118

Budget Strategic Plan Finance Insurance 118

GrantNews

DECEMBER 11, 2024

On average, sources estimate that 1 in 7 applications are approved for funding. 9 Tips to Increase Your Chances of Winning a Grant 1) Target Your Funders There are many different types of funding sources, but which funding source is best for you? What are your chances of winning a grant? GrantWatch is here to help!

Grants 113

Grants Grant Proposal Application 113

Blackbaud

AUGUST 20, 2024

There are several exciting times of the year for nonprofit finance professionals—budget season, audits, year-end close. Whether you want to hear about product updates like automated payments and AI or brush up on fund accounting best practices, you don’t want to miss these bbcon 2024 financial management sessions.

Finance 105

Finance AI Federal Grants Indirect Cost 105

Grant Writing Made Easy

AUGUST 3, 2022

At our most recent Grant Writing Made Easy workshop, we did a deep dive into nonprofit program budgets. Of all the topics I teach inside the course, the budget is the one that students have the most anxiety and confusion around. (By Revenue: All the funding coming in that you’re allocating to the program.

Budget 98

Budget Grant Writing Nonprofit Consultant 98

Get Fully Funded

AUGUST 27, 2023

Nonprofit budget. Yet a budget is a critical tool in managing your organization. A nonprofit budget can bring so many positives: Finances are much easier to manage because you know what expenses and revenue to expect. If you want to grow your nonprofit, a budget is not optional. and no organizational budget.

Budget 98

Budget Finance Organizational Budget Management 98

Get Fully Funded

MARCH 20, 2023

When you’re just getting started, it’s critical that one of your first steps is to create your nonprofit’s first budget to help you manage both your organization and your finances as it grows. Without a budget, you can find yourself in deep water, fast, with more money going out than coming in.

Budget 98

Budget Finance Software Liability 98

Blackbaud

JULY 3, 2024

A Director of Finance at a nonprofit shared this sentiment with us during our research on the value of AI in fund accounting. AI in fund accounting has the power to drive deeper analysis and increased efficiency across your nonprofit accounting team, with the right safeguards for accuracy and privacy. Not bookkeeping.

AI 105

AI Finance Funding Training 105

Grant Writer Team

MARCH 27, 2025

The board approves budgets, reviews financial reports, and ensures proper controls are in place to keep finances in check. Risk Management From finances to reputation, the board identifies and mitigates risks. Part of a nonprofit governing board’s job is to secure funding for operation costs and special projects.

Government 64

Government Ethics Proposal Finance 64

Blackbaud

APRIL 4, 2024

Let’s face it—budget planning can cause a lot of stress and anxiety for nonprofits. Do we have the funds this year to maintain our programs? Most organizations face frequent budget cuts, which creates organizational uncertainty and a scramble for new funding options. And what do we do if the answer is “no”?

Finance 119

Finance Budget Indirect Cost Indirect 119

Get Fully Funded

OCTOBER 26, 2022

The following checklist covers the basics of everything you need to get funded , become official, and stay organized: Define your nonprofit’s mission clearly. Getting your programs off the ground, ensuring legal compliance, recruiting staff and volunteers, and correctly managing your nonprofit’s finances can be daunting.

Finance 98

Finance Management Nonprofit CRM 98

Blackbaud

MARCH 31, 2025

But its difficult to drive impact when your grantees cant access their funds, arent sure when the funds are arriving, and dont have a clear understanding of their requirements for using the funds. Start by making it simple for grantees to track the status of fund transfers.

Grants 53

Grants Grant Grant Management Award 53

Blackbaud

FEBRUARY 14, 2025

Its hard to choose to put funds into operating reserves when that could help one more person transition out of homelessness. By tapping into operating reserves, organizations can bridge temporary gaps in funding without compromising their immediate operations.

Management 101

Management Policy Policies Budget 101

Allied Grant Writers

DECEMBER 26, 2024

This funding can help cover various costs, including materials, studio space, and living expenses. For many artists, especially those working independently or within non-profit organizations, grants can mean the difference between a project coming to fruition or being abandoned due to lack of funds.

Grants 52

Grants Grant Grant Writing Application 52

GiveSmart

NOVEMBER 27, 2023

Managing your annual budget—and multiple budgets within it—is one of the most crucial components of running a nonprofit organization. Understanding where your funds go and how they come in allows you to make better decisions that benefit your bottom line and streamline your financial close-out once the fiscal year-end comes around.

Budget 92

Budget Finance Calendar Software 92

Blackbaud

MAY 27, 2024

It’s budget season, and the spreadsheet chaos has begun. You want to document your process to save yourself valuable time next budget season. You want to be able to easily report on budgets in a variety of accurate, clear ways without too much fuss, and know what was approved versus what’s been modified. What if it raises more?

Budget 59

Budget Software Funding Utilities 59

Blackbaud

MAY 3, 2024

With multiple points of accountability and dynamic funding sources, accounting professionals in community health centers face complex challenges. And with that form of funding comes significant compliance requirements. With fund accounting software, you get an extra level of control over grant expense tracking and reporting.

Funding 104

Funding Budget Software Grants 104

Blue Avocado

DECEMBER 17, 2024

Nonprofit Grant Proposal Budget Calculations: A Road Map Whats the best way to make your nonprofits budget stand out on a grant application? Income inequality has forced nonprofits to rely more and more on the wealthy to fund their efforts to fight climate change. Explore the realities and challenges of food insecurity.

Budget 78

Budget Finance Burnout Grants 78

Allied Grant Writers

DECEMBER 25, 2024

The purpose of grants is to fund projects, research, or programs that fulfill specific community needs or advance particular fields of study and innovation. Grant funding can be designated for multiple purposes, such as supporting social initiatives, enhancing educational opportunities, or promoting research and development.

Grant Writing 52

Grant Writing Grants Grant Budget 52

Blackbaud

APRIL 10, 2024

You know how important it is to manage your funds according to their purpose and source. Or do you have to rely on manual workarounds, spreadsheets, and guesswork to track and report on your restricted funds? Without fund accounting software, tracking at that level of detail must be done manually outside the system.

Funding 111

Funding Management Software Finance 111

Blackbaud

NOVEMBER 6, 2023

It is just as important for partners to be good stewards of user data and comply with the same standards as your fund accounting software. Having the bandwidth, skills, and budget to create a custom software solution is not something nonprofits often have the privilege of doing. Customization without the price tag.

Funding 104

Funding Software Finance Utilities 104

Blackbaud

APRIL 2, 2024

To meet those requirements, you’ll need to be able to successfully track and manage your grants and effectively report on how you allocated these funds. If you are a grant-funded organization, it will be important to manage spending restrictions and meet reporting requirements. Tracking: Cut Out the Spreadsheets!

Indirect Cost 115

Indirect Cost Indirect Software Funding 115

Peak Proposals

APRIL 3, 2023

Grant proposals have at least two parts: the project narrative and the budget (aka cost proposal). There may not be a division of responsibilities between the cost and narrative proposals at a small nonprofit, leaving the project lead (or the grant writer) to both write the proposal narrative and prepare the budget.

Budget 69

Budget Grants Grant Proposal 69

Blackbaud

DECEMBER 30, 2024

Coffman stated in their GuideStar article : Theres no question that nonprofit organizations have an obligation to manage their finances responsibly. Unfortunately, philanthropies are typically (and problematically) judged by the first two criteria. As Chuck McLean and Suzanne E.

Metrics 111

Metrics Finance Management Goals 111

Blackbaud

JULY 24, 2024

Having multiple people working on your organization’s finances helps ensure accuracy—not only by delegating tasks efficiently, but also by allowing for additional review of records and reports. What practical steps can we take to get this organization where it needs or wants to be with its finances? Analyzing budgets.

Finance 105

Finance Strategic Plan Budget Nonprofit 105

Blackbaud

JANUARY 24, 2025

It helps you better understand your donors, keep them engaged, and work more efficiently with your finance, marketing, programs, and leadership teams. Integrating finance and fundraising makes reconciliation easier and helps improve donor stewardship. Volunteer management platforms: Keep all your volunteer information in one place.

CRM 95

CRM Software Nonprofit Readiness 95

Blackbaud

APRIL 8, 2024

All in unrestricted funds with no reporting necessary. While nonprofits will hopefully see an increase in unrestricted funds—and a decrease in burdensome reporting requirements—as part of this and other movements, good nonprofit accounting principles still apply. What Are Restricted Funds? What are Unrestricted Funds?

Funding 111

Funding Indirect Cost Pass-Through Donation 111

Blackbaud

FEBRUARY 4, 2025

If losing tags is putting you one step closer to finding a new fund accounting softwareor you are just scrambling to figure out how to track restricted revenue in QuickBookshere are some tips for what you can do in the short term, and what you need to look for in the long-term. There is a better way.

Software 74

Software Nonprofit Finance Management 74

Allied Grant Writers

DECEMBER 25, 2024

To be successful in securing grant funding, individuals must grasp the basic components involved in the grant application process, including eligibility criteria, application procedures, and evaluation metrics. Grant Type Description Government Grants Funded by federal, state, or local government agencies.

Grant Writing 52

Grant Writing Proposal Grants Grant 52

Blackbaud

NOVEMBER 8, 2023

Grant funding looks beautiful in your income statement, but if you’re not careful, the reporting requirements can be prickly. In our webinar with Rachel Werner and James Spencer from RBW Strategy, they covered steps to help nonprofits that receive—or are looking to start receiving—government grant funding.

Government 116

Government Indirect Cost Indirect Grants 116

Assel Grant Services

DECEMBER 8, 2024

While board members play an important role in assuring agency finances and grant funds are treated ethically, they are also partially responsible for resource development that is, ensuring their organization has the resources needed to fulfill its mission. Understand the issues that could impact their nonprofit agencys finances (e.g.,

GPC 40

GPC Grant Writing Indirect Cost Ethics 40

Blackbaud

SEPTEMBER 28, 2023

Your food bank needs accounting software that can help you manage a variety of funding sources while also helping you make strategic, data-driven decisions based on inventory and forecasted community demand. Provide clear stewardship for restricted funds. Improve transparency by communicating the status of your restricted fund balance.

Funding 97

Funding Award Budget Pass-Through 97