Lesson 3 of 4
In Progress

Lesson 3: Government Funded

August 10, 2023

Government Funded is the third lesson in the series of seminars on the 5 most common Nonprofit Business Models. This lesson will walk participants through an examination of government funding’s risks and costs relative to other revenue sources. These include overriding stage setters that are routinely passed on by funders like:

  • High administrative costs
  • High compliance requirements
  • Contracts that do not pay full cost and/or are delayed

Mix these ingredients together and you often get a series of ongoing capital problems that must be carefully managed. In this lesson, we will review all of these in detail and NFC unveils new original research that illuminates how the capital problems of nonprofits evolve with the accumulation of government funds.

Instructors:

Hilda Polanco
Managing Partner, BDO FMA

John Summers
Managing Director, BDO FMA

Corey Smith
Chief Financial Officer at KOOTASCA Community Action

Ethan Evans, PhD

Dana Britto
Moderator at Nonprofit Financial Commons

Instructor Bios

On October 8, 2025, Join Us for a National Town Hall on the Financial State of the Nonprofit Sector

Nonprofit GPS is a new, action-based community designed to help nonprofits navigate today’s disrupted revenue landscape. Built in consultation with organizations nationwide, it focuses on the real financial challenges nonprofits face — business model risks, capital management, budgeting, governance, and more. Together, we’ll share practical strategies and highlight bright spots of practice that strengthen missions, even in the most disruptive times.

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