Through funds received from individual contributors, foundations, and other sponsors, the Washington Square Community Health Foundation made a $180,000 loan at a below-market rate of interest to be repaid in full by the Lake County Council Against Sexual Assault (LaCASA). Howard Nochumson, the foundation’s executive director, also worked closely with LaCASA’s executive director and board,... Read More
Foundation board members are expected to: Set and adjust the direction for the foundation: its mission and goals. Establish principles, policies, and procedures that govern the foundation’s operation and advance its mission. Oversee the foundation to ensure that it operates effectively and efficiently in support of the mission, and that it complies with legal rules.... Read More
You can find red flags in a nonprofit’s Form 990 or in its financial statements, as well as in conversation—and many do not require technical knowledge. ShoreBank, a community development bank serving Chicago, Cleveland, and Detroit, provides the following list of red flags. Red flags in financial statements Decrease in annual revenue Decrease in net... Read More
Most funders ask grantees—prospective and current—to customize their budgets and financial information to fit the funder’s requirements. Project Streamline, a collaboration of grantmakers and grantseekers working to improve application and reporting practices, recommends a different way: Make requests for nonstandard information the exception rather than the rule. Consider the real costs to nonprofits of customizing... Read More
“Few tasks in the foundation world prove as interesting, rewarding, and exhilarating as the site visit,” write the authors of Grantmaking Basics: A Field Guide for Funders. “Site visits can lift your spirits and enliven your day by reminding you precisely why you chose to work in the foundation world.” Make the most of your... Read More
A fairly simple review using any of the following sources will give you information about a nonprofit’s finances. As you get more comfortable with financials or seek detailed information about particular organizations, you can examine financials more extensively: Charity rating services—These Web-based rating services are great starting points for information about nonprofits you are considering.... Read More