How does your organization backup data? Information is one of your organization’s most valuable assets. Your organization is required by law to keep certain records. Records are important to document board decisions, how funds were raised, used and how program services ware accomplished. No matter how you store data, there is always risk that data could be lost. A loss of important data could be…
PURPOSE & INSTRUCTIONS Gathering input from the organization’s key leaders, such as board members, key staff, volunteers, partners, and others who are in a position to observe the organization will keep you updated as to how the organization is doing and help inform decisions and annual planning. This is especially helpful in times influenced by crises like COVID-19. Ask key stakeholders such as current and…
PURPOSE Once a budget has been adopted, it is important to monitor revenue and expenses throughout the budget cycle to ensure your organization stays within the budget. If revenue or expenses are significantly different than expected, you may need to make adjustments to your budget in mid-year. INSTRUCTIONS Before your board meeting, ask your bookkeeper or treasurer to prepare a Profit & Loss Statement summarizing…
PURPOSE AND INSTRUCTIONS The purpose of this exercise is to help your board transition seamlessly from one leader to the next by building trust. Whether using this activity with an incoming executive director or board president, identifying ways to capitalize on opportunities and culture changes will keep your board and staff on track to meet their strategic objectives. Distribute a copy of this handout (available…
If you’ve ever wondered about Directors & Officers (D&O) Liability insurance for your nonprofit, Barker-Uerlings Insurance is here to answer your questions. This guest post is from Steve Uerlings. What is Directors & Officers Insurance? Directors & Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance helps cover defense costs and damages (awards and settlements) arising out of Wrongful Acts allegations and lawsuits brought against the members of an organization’s…
Today, we have a guest post from Christine Frazer with HR Any Day. After years of back and forth, the Department of Labor has finalized the new exempt threshold with an effective date of January 1, 2020. Some highlights regarding the final rule: It raises the standard or minimum salary level from $455 to $684 per week (the equivalent of a raise from $23,660 to…
People frequently contact the Center for Nonprofit Stewardship about how to start a new nonprofit. If this is something you’re considering, we’ve written up a few ways to analyze if starting a new organization is necessary and if so, how you can proceed. Consider existing nonprofits that may need your help. You most likely want to start a nonprofit organization because you see a need…
There’s a lot of important information that your board of directors should have easily at hand. A thorough and complete board notebook (also called a board manual or a board binder) will help keep it all organized. What’s more, a board notebook is an excellent tool for orienting new board members! CNS suggests the following table of contents for your board notebook: Tab 1: Board…
Today, we have a guest post from Free Geek, a non-profit organization in Portland, Oregon that refurbishes technology and gives it to our community at no or low cost. Hi there! Our mission is to sustainably reuse technology, enable digital access, and provide education to create a community that empowers people to realize their potential. We are very excited to introduce our Hardware Grants program,…
PURPOSE AND INSTRUCTIONS Most board business is done in meetings and effective meetings don’t just happen, they are made. Ensuring your time together is useful, productive and engaging takes focus and intentional facilitation. Make and distribute a copy of the assessment (available as a PDF here) to each board member at your next board meeting. Take 10 minutes and ask the board to thoughtfully answer…