[Quinn]

To me, this essay makes a fair point. When a smaller group of very wealthy donors carries an increasing share of the fundraising burden, it can be difficult to sustain over the long term. There is value in finding ways to make giving feel accessible and meaningful to a broader range of people. A healthier giving culture should ideally include everyday donors alongside major supporters.

[Quinn]

What an interesting discussion. In my experience, choosing the right finance stack comes down to separating the essential features from the nice-to-have ones. The best combination will depend on the organisation’s size, budget and technical capacity. For many small to medium nonprofits, tools such as QuickBooks Online, Divvy and Martus could provide a useful starting point. Peer communities can also be valuable for practical advice and shared experiences.

[Quinn]

One thing I’d add is that ratios are most useful when you track them over time, rather than treating a single number as a verdict on the organisation. For example, LUNA can tell you quite a bit about short-term financial flexibility. I’d also be cautious about judging overhead without considering what the organisation actually delivers.

[Quinn]

I’d say yes, you can fundraise specifically for an event, but the wording of the appeal matters. If donors are told their gifts must fund that event, I’d treat those amounts as donor restricted and track them separately. If it’s simply the organisation’s chosen use, they’re generally unrestricted.

[Quinn]

Yes, that could potentially be a condition, but the wording of the grant agreement matters. Under ASC 958-605, specific requirements around qualifying expenses can create a barrier to entitlement, particularly where funds must be returned if those requirements aren’t met.
If it is conditional, I’d generally expect revenue to be recognised as the conditions are met, rather than booking the entire award immediately. For a multi-year grant, that could mean recognising amounts as each year’s qualifying requirements are satisfied.

• This reply was modified 1 week, 1 day ago by  Quinn.