Blog.

Most Recent Posts

TEMPLATE: Liability Waiver and Release Form [SUBSCRIBERS-ONLY]

This template liability waiver and release form is intended to provide some limited measure of liability protection to organizations that organize events or activities with inherent risks of personal injury and/or property damage. The template includes basic language regarding assumption of risk, waiver of liability claims regardless of negligence, and applicability to the heirs and beneficiaries of the participant (but be aware that particular state laws vary significantly on the enforceability of these provisions)

Read More
Subscribers-Only, Video Q&As, Videos A. Michael Gellman (CPA, CGMA) & Benjamin Takis Subscribers-Only, Video Q&As, Videos A. Michael Gellman (CPA, CGMA) & Benjamin Takis

VIDEO Q&A for Subscribers: October 2026

Ben and Mike answer questions from subscribers about managing cash flow and capacity challenges from grant funding, whether t-shirt and merchandise sales are exempt from unrelated business income tax (UBIT), adjusting KPIs for shorter-term planning, and amending Articles of Incorporation and/or Bylaws to move away from a voting membership structure.

Read More

TEMPLATE: Board Resolutions to Authorize Dissolution of a Nonprofit [SUBSCRIBERS-ONLY]

This template provides a basic set of Board resolutions to authorize the final steps of dissolving a nonprofit organization. These sample resolutions are intended for relatively straightforward dissolutions and include language authorizing actions such as carrying out the plan of dissolution, filing Articles of Dissolution, filing the organization’s final Form 990, and more.

Read More
Subscribers-Only, Video Q&As, Videos A. Michael Gellman (CPA, CGMA) & Benjamin Takis Subscribers-Only, Video Q&As, Videos A. Michael Gellman (CPA, CGMA) & Benjamin Takis

VIDEO Q&A for Subscribers: September 2026

Ben and Mike answer questions from subscribers about why depreciation should be included in a nonprofit organization’s budget, the viability of consultants forming a new nonprofit to pursue grant opportunities to fund their work, the pros and cons of taking out a line of credit, and who is authorized to sign the final Form 990 for a dissolving organization.

Read More
Subscribers-Only, Resources, Budget and Finance Tools A. Michael Gellman (CPA, CGMA) Subscribers-Only, Resources, Budget and Finance Tools A. Michael Gellman (CPA, CGMA)

TEMPLATE: Budget Assumptions Spreadsheet [SUBSCRIBERS-ONLY]

The purpose of this template budget assumptions spreadsheet is to help nonprofit organizations to document and reflect on the assumptions for individual revenue and expense items that make up their annual budgets. This spreadsheet includes space to show individual departments and accounts within multiple-entity or single-entity structures, compare amounts used in past budgets (projected and actual numbers), a monthly breakout for budget planning, notes to capture details about assumptions and future plans, and more.

Read More
Subscribers-Only, Video Q&As, Videos A. Michael Gellman (CPA, CGMA) & Benjamin Takis Subscribers-Only, Video Q&As, Videos A. Michael Gellman (CPA, CGMA) & Benjamin Takis

VIDEO Q&A for Subscribers: August 2026

Ben and Mike answer questions from subscribers about navigating the instability of fundraising and donations, options for newspapers and journalistic organizations that are exploring 501(c)(3) status to access donations and grants, whether a new nonprofit organization should change its fiscal year when formation process has been slower than expected, and addressing indemnification language in an organization’s Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws.

Read More

TEMPLATE: Media Consent and Release Form [SUBSCRIBERS-ONLY]

This template media consent and release form is intended to document the permission and license granted by a participant to a nonprofit organization to use the participant’s name, image, likeness, and intellectual property for programmatic, fundraising, and other purposes. The template includes basic language granting these permissions for no compensation, a license for using additional materials (such as photos or videos) that the participant may also provide, a release and waiver of claims based on the right to privacy, the right of publicity, copyright, and other rights, and more.

Read More
Subscribers-Only, Video Q&As, Videos A. Michael Gellman (CPA, CGMA) & Benjamin Takis Subscribers-Only, Video Q&As, Videos A. Michael Gellman (CPA, CGMA) & Benjamin Takis

VIDEO Q&A for Subscribers: July 2026

Ben and Mike answer questions from subscribers about when a new 501(c)(6) trade association or chamber of commerce should start a related 501(c)(3) organization, how to address challenges locating official copies of an organization’s Bylaws and governing documents, whether nonprofits should raise capitalization thresholds to expense more equipment items more quickly, and legal issues to consider before expanding fee-for-service programs.

Read More
Subscribers-Only, Resources, Budget and Finance Tools A. Michael Gellman (CPA, CGMA) Subscribers-Only, Resources, Budget and Finance Tools A. Michael Gellman (CPA, CGMA)

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.

Read More
Subscribers-Only, Video Q&As, Videos A. Michael Gellman (CPA, CGMA) & Benjamin Takis Subscribers-Only, Video Q&As, Videos A. Michael Gellman (CPA, CGMA) & Benjamin Takis

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.

Read More

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."

Read More
Video Q&As, Videos, Subscribers-Only A. Michael Gellman (CPA, CGMA) & Benjamin Takis Video Q&As, Videos, Subscribers-Only A. Michael Gellman (CPA, CGMA) & Benjamin Takis

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.

Read More

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.

Read More
Videos, Video Q&As, Subscribers-Only A. Michael Gellman (CPA, CGMA) & Benjamin Takis Videos, Video Q&As, Subscribers-Only A. Michael Gellman (CPA, CGMA) & Benjamin Takis

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.

Read More

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.

Read More