Keeping It in Reserve: Grantmaking for a Rainy Day
Many nonprofits know that they should be building reserves over time, but find it hard to do so without hobbling their work. Perhaps with a better un…
Archives: Resources
The Looking-Glass World of Nonprofit Money: Managing in For-Profits’ Shadow Universe
Take this true/false test—but be careful; it is more difficult than it seems. Then, read for yourself how our shadow universe compares to the “r…
How to Think Differently about Your Money: Capital Explored
When you use the word “capital” in the nonprofit sector, you must take the time to define your terms, because so far there is no thorough unders…
Why Funding Overhead Is Not the Real Issue: The Case to Cover Full Costs
Big strides have been made recently in the acknowledgment that overhead ratios are poor indicators of an organization’s impact or financial efficien…
StrongNonprofits Budgeting Toolkit
A budget is your organization’s strategy expressed in dollars. A strategic and collaborative budget process is essential to ensure that resources are being used most…
Proactive, Not Perfect, Scenario Planning: A Short Guide for Our Times
Whether the effects of the coronavirus pandemic have been immediate for your nonprofit or you’re bracing for what’s to come, you should be proacti…
Should Your Budget Balance? No!
We’ve long argued at Propel Nonprofits that break-even budgets are not only not required, but they are the biggest barrier to building reserves an…
Financial Management Models of a Great Nonprofit Dashboard
A well-designed dashboard is like a good sheepdog. It helps to keep conversations with boards, staff, and funders on point and attentive to the right …
Balance Sheet Cheat Sheet
The balance sheet reports an organization’s assets (what is owned) and liabilities (what is owed). The net assets (also called equity, capital, reta…