Nonprofit Management
QuickBooks vs Excel: Which Should You Use for Your Books? (And a Third Option)
If you’re exploring tools to help you manage your books, Excel and QuickBooks are probably on your radar. Both can help you manage income and expenses, but they work in very different ways. Excel is a widely used, general-purpose spreadsheet tool that can be a good option for basic bookkeeping, budgeting and financial tracking. QuickBooks,…
HOA Year-End Checklist (+ Free Guide & Webinar)
Why HOA year-end feels different For most HOA treasurers, year-end and the annual meeting arrive together. In the same few weeks, you’re closing the books, presenting next year’s budget, setting assessments, and possibly handing everything to a newly elected treasurer. Homeowners are paying close attention, too. It’s their money, and many of them will read…
Should Your PTO, PTA, or Booster Club Be a 501(c)(3)?
Most groups that raise money in their own name, hold their own bank account, and accept donations should eventually become a 501(c)(3) — the IRS designation for a federally tax-exempt charity. But “eventually” is the key word. Quick answer: For most groups that raise money in their own name, yes. 501(c)(3) status exempts your revenue…
990-N Filing in MoneyMinder is Now Free
Announcing Free 990-N Filing for MoneyMinder Users! Filing your nonprofit’s 990-N (e-Postcard) is now included in the price of MoneyMinder. Same tool, same workflow, same place you already keep your books. A $50 savings, every filing year. What is a 990-N? The 990-N, also called the e-Postcard, is the annual return the IRS requires from…
QuickBooks Alternatives for Nonprofits: The Right Software by Size and Stage
QuickBooks is usually the first name that comes up when a nonprofit outgrows its spreadsheets. For staffed organizations with accounting experience on the team, it can be a strong fit. But plenty of nonprofits sign up and hit friction fast — usually around one of four things: None of that makes QuickBooks a bad tool…
15 Reasons Spreadsheets Don’t Work for Nonprofit Accounting
Imagine you’ve just stepped into the role of treasurer for a small nonprofit organization (think school group, service club, or animal protection organization). At first, you’re excited about the opportunity to make a big impact on a cause that means a lot to you. But then, the outgoing treasurer hands over the spreadsheet they’ve been…
Stuck on Audit Findings? Try This Three-Tier Framework
You volunteered to help with the annual financial review. You’re two hours in, coffee’s gone cold, and then you spot it: a deposit on the treasurer’s report that never showed up at the bank. Or a check that doesn’t trace back to anything. Or a vendor name you’ve never heard of, paid three times in…
A Volunteer Treasurer’s Guide to Audit Findings Letters
Stepping into a volunteer leadership role with a PTA, PTO, booster club, or other nonprofit is a great opportunity to make a major impact in your school or community. But with that opportunity comes certain financial responsibilities, which can feel like uncharted territory for busy volunteers who don’t have an accounting background. Throughout your leadership…
How to Find the EIN Number for Your School Group (PTA, PTO, Boosters)
If you’re serving in a leadership role for a PTO, PTA, booster club, or some other school group, you’ll likely need your group’s EIN at some point. But with everything involved with running a school group, it’s common for that number to get lost somewhere along the way. The good news is that finding it…
A Treasurer’s Guide to HOA Contact Management
Number-crunching is an important part of an HOA treasurer’s job, but it’s not the only part. HOA treasurers also handle financial communications, like sending dues statements, coordinating contractor payments, and processing homeowner reimbursements. A contact management system makes this part of the job a lot easier. When we talk about “contacts,” we’re referring to all…