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Operating Reserve Policies are a Perfect Vehicle for Targeting Your Budget’s Bottom-Line
Nonprofit organizations will greatly benefit from adopting a policy for strategically targeting and managing their annual budget bottom-line. There is arguably no greater safety net for overall financial health than having a formal, Board-approved policy that links budgeting goals and objectives with building and maintaining adequate operating reserves.
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TEMPLATE: Multi-Entity Budget Spreadsheet [SUBSCRIBERS-ONLY]
To realize the full potential of structures with multiple nonprofit entities, Board members, management, and staff must see how resources, programs, and activities are gathered and deployed across both organizations. This template multi-entity budget spreadsheet displays the budgets of two related entities (for example, a 501(c)(6) chamber of commerce or membership association and a 501(c)(3) educational foundation) in an easy-to-view grid showing how resources are allocated and shared, providing a starting point that can be easily expanded and reformatted to meet the needs of your organization.
VIDEO Q&A for Subscribers: June 2026
Ben and Mike answer questions from subscribers about budget preparation during periods of transition, policies prohibiting Board members from accepting personal gifts from vendors, writing off old inventory, and whether a Form 1099 must be issued for expense reimbursements that are lacking receipts.
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TEMPLATE: Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement [SUBSCRIBERS-ONLY]
This Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement template is intended to provide a short, simple, and effective questionnaire to ensure transparency and compliance with your organization’s Conflict of Interest Policy, and includes basic instructions with a broad definition of “related parties."
VIDEO Q&A for Subscribers: May 2026
Ben and Mike answer questions from subscribers about how often nonprofits should consider changing investment advisors, the distinction between Board and officer positions, helping your Board and staff to focus more on future planning, navigating state employment laws with remote employees, and the narrow benefits of 501(c)(3) status for foreign NGOs.
![TEMPLATE: Conflict of Interest Policy [SUBSCRIBERS-ONLY]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e6ccadfb4659c1d51df14d5/c8da5ec7-e2a7-46ab-87c2-f2fef2556c90/pexels-jakubzerdzicki-17284804.jpg)
TEMPLATE: Conflict of Interest Policy [SUBSCRIBERS-ONLY]
This Conflict of Interest Policy template is intended to help your organization establish disclosure and review processes consistent with best practices and the private inurement and excess benefit transaction rules applicable to 501(c)(3) public charities. The language in this template is a modified version of language recommended by the Internal Revenue Service, with provisions defining “Interested Persons,” “Financial Interests,” and “Disinterested Directors,” governance procedures for managing for potential conflicts, documentation requirements, and more.
VIDEO Q&A for Subscribers: April 2026
Ben and Mike answer questions from subscribers about addressing audit findings related to funding concentration risks, whether to address ownership of intellectual property in employment agreements, improving compliance with rules for using corporate credit cards, and whether the Board of Directors has responsibilities after an organization’s dissolution.
How Collaboration Improves Technology Integration
Technology delivers better results for nonprofit organizations when it is considered and implemented through an organizational culture of collaboration. This is particularly true for customer relationship management (CRM) platforms and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, which impact a variety of different nonprofit staff and departments and raise unique integration challenges.
![TEMPLATE: Interest-Free Loan Agreement (to Nonprofit from Board Member) [SUBSCRIBERS-ONLY]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e6ccadfb4659c1d51df14d5/db357da5-a5f1-4b04-8ee5-1fa6d7e3ee4c/money-knack-E0sZxhBH8Ck-unsplash.jpg)
TEMPLATE: Interest-Free Loan Agreement (to Nonprofit from Board Member) [SUBSCRIBERS-ONLY]
This template loan agreement provides basic terms and conditions that are generally recommended for nonprofit organizations receiving an interest-free loan from Board members, officers, or founders. This sample document includes provisions describing the amount and repayment (maturity) date of the loan, the interest-free and unsecured nature of the loan, the approval by independent directors, and more.
VIDEO Q&A for Subscribers: March 2026
Ben and Mike answer questions from subscribers about addressing the perception accumulating too much in operating reserves, whether it’s a conflict of interest for a Board member to make an interest-free loan to the organization, the risks of relying too heavily on deferred income, and the risks of agreeing to indemnification obligations in a contract.
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CHECKLIST: Change of Nonprofit Office Address [SUBSCRIBERS-ONLY]
This checklist is intended to help nonprofit organizations understand and organize the key steps related to changing the organization’s principal office or headquarters address. The list includes compliance and operational steps such as filing notifications to satisfy IRS federal tax, state corporation, and charitable registration solicitation requirements, updating the organization’s registered agent address, notifying banks, insurance carriers, and vendors, and more.
VIDEO Q&A for Subscribers: February 2026
Ben and Mike answer questions from subscribers about transitioning from cash basis to accrual basis accounting, the ideal Board size for a new nonprofit organization, how to avoid falling behind in the budget preparation process, and tips for keeping the Board of Directors focused on strategy rather than minutiae.
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TEMPLATE: Board Confidentiality Policy [SUBSCRIBERS-ONLY]
This Board Confidentiality Policy template is intended to help your organization communicate to the Board of Directors the importance of non-disclosure and proper use of a nonprofit organization’s sensitive information. This template includes basic essential provisions such as the definition of “Confidential Information” (with common exceptions), and provisions for the use, safeguarding, and return of documents containing Confidential Information.
VIDEO Q&A for Subscribers: January 2026
Ben and Mike answer questions from subscribers about the pros and cons of receiving a modified audit opinion vs. delaying completion of the audit, whether the Board of a membership organization owe fiduciary duties to the members or to the mission, the use of non-disparagement language in severance agreements, and how better understand an organization's finances.
Q&A #180 – Does Form 1099 reporting use cash basis or accrual basis?
The Treasury Regulations and Form 1099 instructions provide that the 1099 reporting requirements apply to payments made “during the calendar year.” This guidance strongly suggests that nonprofits should issue Forms 1099 to their vendors and service providers based on when the payments were actually made (cash basis), even if the organizations otherwise use accrual basis for tax and accounting purposes.