Fundamentals for Nonprofits

Fundamentals for Nonprofits

Our tools and resources are designed to help you navigate change and opportunity. You can follow the content below as a progressive curriculum, or you can pick and choose among topics that are most relevant for you. We’ve also gathered some common questions and where you can look to find answers: 

 

Where do I start?  

 

How do I assess the financial health of my nonprofit? 

  • Our Financial Management Training section offers an overview of core concepts plus templates to help you evaluate and strengthen your organization’s financial health. 

 

How do I communicate my financial situation to staff, board, funders? 

 

 How do I plan for longer-term balance-sheet needs?

Start Here: Budget & Cash Flow (Level 101)

Cash Flow Projection Template

Excel tool to organize and plan cash flow throughout the year

Nonprofit Budgets: How to Get Started

Mini video series about building your first budget, including a sample budget template

An Exploration of Nonprofit Budgeting

Comprehensive blog series that guides you through the ins and outs of budgeting

Nonprofit Budgeting Scenario Planning Tool

Excel tool to predict risks and plan for scenarios beyond your current budget

Equitable Budgeting for Nonprofits

10 tips for incorporating equity into your organization's budget

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Financial Management Training (Level 201)

Nonprofit Financial Management Webinars

Videos with companion workbooks that provide practical knowledge on core concepts and principles

Financial Self-Assessment Worksheet: Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses

Prompts to assess strengths, weaknesses, and actions to course correct if needed

How to Craft Your Organization's Financial Story

Guide to telling the story of your nonprofit's history, present impact, and future goals

Thinking Through the Business Model

Worksheet to determine if your organization is balancing mission, capacity, and capital while covering costs

Managing through Economic Uncertainty

Articles and practical tools to help you navigate a turbulent economy

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Bonus Topics

Fundraising Guide for Nonprofits

Resources to build a fundraising strategy that supports your financial goals

Best Practices for Nonprofit Boards

Tips on how nonprofit boards can help their organizations stay strong and healthy, especially during times of crisis

FASB Accounting Standards Update

Clarity about 2016 FASB updates and how to use them in financial storytelling

Board-Designated Reserves vs. Endowments

Blog detailing the benefits of board-designated reserves for greater flexibility and control

Issues Facing Small Nonprofits

Advice on core issues facing small nonprofits – and how funders can address them

Place-Based Partnership Toolkit

Resources for building, staffing, funding, and maintaining place-based partnerships

Pay for Success Questionnaires and Tools

Collection of materials to help organizations, investors, and government agencies tacking PFS initiatives

Audits vs. Reviews vs. Compilations

Blog post for for nonprofits that wish to verify their financials through a CPA

Recession Tips for Nonprofits

How to assess and address risk in times of financial crisis

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Nonprofit Healthcare Partnership Resources

Nonprofit Readiness for Health Partnership

Identify capacity and/or investment needs

Partnership Assessment Tool for Health

Explore benchmarks for effective partnerships

PATH Addendum: Advancing Health Equity

Additional benchmarks for partnerships working to advance health equity

Strategic Cost Allocation

Core concepts and guiding questions for nonprofit leaders

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Arts & Culture Resources

Building a Culture of Capitalization in Your Organization

Practical tips to strengthen balance sheets by making a capitalization plan

Critical Steps Toward Capital Health in the Cultural Sector

Step-by-step guide to for cultural organizations to build financial resilience

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