Contents

• Caught in Fundraising Squeeze, Nonprofit Boards Need to Prove Their Mettle to Win Donations
• Contact SC&H Tax & Advisory Services

Not-for-Profit Services

We specialize in providing not-for-profit organizations a variety of comprehensive solutions for their accounting and consulting needs.

At SC&H, we know that not-for-profit organizations are unlike any other type of business. From uncertain budgets and lean accounting staff, to board relations and unusual tax issues, your goals and challenges are unique. Only a service provider with a complete grasp of these issues and a strong commitment to serving not-for-profit organizations can provide the responsiveness and quality of services that will exceed your expectations.

Many of our partners and managers are active on not-for-profit boards, which provide us with a first hand understanding of your needs. This understanding is why SC&H has become the CPA and management consulting firm of choice for many not-for-profit entities including educational and healthcare institutions, associations, religious organizations and foundations.

Services include:

• Financial statement audits and reviews
• A-133 audits
• Employee benefit audits and consultation
• Internal auditing
• Evaluation of internal controls
• Tax compliance
• UBIT studies and FIN 48 analysis
• Strategic planning
• Change management
• Organizational development

Testimonials

"SC&H has the breadth of a national firm while providing personalized local service in an efficient and customer friendly manner. I highly recommend this firm." - CFO of a not-for-profit organization

"I am pleased to share my thoughts regarding my association with SC&H. They have provided tax preparation and advisory services to my organization for over ten years. I find the professionals at SC&H to be very knowledgeable of the issues facing not-for-profit organizations. I highly recommend this firm." - CFO of a not-for-profit organization

Caught in Fundraising Squeeze, Nonprofit Boards Need to Prove Their Mettle to Win Donations

Charitable giving has taken a big hit during the economic downturn, putting more pressure on nonprofit boards to prove their organizations are well run and meeting their mission. Yet many board members lack the ability to read a financial statement or shrink from firm oversight of management, according to the authors of a new book from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

The guide, “The Best of Boards: Sound Governance and Leadership for Nonprofit Organizations,” was written by Marci Thomas, a CPA who advises nonprofit boards, and Kim Strom-Gottfried, a University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill professor who specializes in change management.  It offers a primer on the legal and ethical aspects of serving on a board, the rudiments of financial analysis and internal controls, and useful strategies for leading change within nonprofit organizations.

Tips from the authors include:

• In an era of scarce resources, boards need to redefine their notions of risk. A narrow view of simply meeting compliance standards won’t cut it--if fraud occurs on your watch, the real victim could be your group’s reputation. A decade ago, the executive director of the United Way of the National Capital Area was charged with defrauding the Washington, D.C., charity of more than $500,000. The organization had raised $90 million in 2001, the year before the improprieties came to light. By the time the official pleaded guilty in 2004, annual fundraising had sunk to $19 million. “Without checks and balances on a chief executive, really bad things can happen,” Thomas says.
• Fraud can occur anywhere, but the right controls can be a powerful deterrent. The Ponzi scheme operated by Bernard Madoff took a big chunk out of many nonprofit endowments, and fooled even sophisticated investors. Yet most accounting scandals are carried out by a single person, and well-defined internal controls can reduce those opportunities for mischief.
• Best practices for accountability and transparency are a selling point. Board members that are well-versed in their group’s mission and finances can serve as ambassadors to the donor community, providing assurance that money will be well spent

For More Information

For more information about SC&H's services with regard to risk management, governance, and establishing sound internal controls contact:

Joe Freiburger
Director
(703) 287-5989

Unsubscribe