Olsen Thielen Advisor Blog

Many nonprofits struggle with technology because of smaller staffs and limited IT expertise. For them, "embracing the cloud" is a solution that’s easy to adopt, and could result in better control over technology costs and greater efficiency and productivity.

Are you doing everything you can to educate your financial supporters and their employers about matching gifts? Corporate gift-matching enables donors to make larger contributions than they can manage on their own. Knowing their gift will be matched, they might even bump up the amount. Therefore, do everything you can

The key role of a not-for-profit’s internal auditors was once limited largely to testing financial and compliance controls and reporting their findings to the organization’s leadership. But today, with their cross-departmental perspective, internal audit staff (whether employees or outside consultants) can help anticipate and mitigate a variety of risks, improve

Yet plenty of nonprofits are still hesitating to add employees to the payroll. If your organization is on the sidelines but thinking about hiring in the near future, the following three questions can help you decide.

Not-for-profit boards can vary widely, with different responsibilities and expectations for their members. The structure, for example, can be anything from a less-involved group that takes its direction from the organization’s leader, to a fully functioning, hands-on board that essentially runs the nonprofit, to boards that fit somewhere in between.

Not-for-profit board officers, directors, trustees and key employees must avoid conflicts of interest because it’s their duty to do so. Any direct or indirect financial interest in a transaction or arrangement that might benefit one of these individuals personally could result in the loss of your organization’s tax-exempt status —

An important part of the planning process for a financial statement audit is having quality discussions with clients regarding how their year went.  However, this is just one part of the puzzle when it comes to planning for an audit.

When you do think about your Form 990 tax return, you also probably think about and dread the amount of information your accountant asks you to provide.  But the truth is, all of the information accountants ask for is vitally important to present your organization in the best light for

After a flurry of year-end fundraising, you and your not-for-profit’s staff are probably ready for a little break. Your supporters may be tired, too. At some point, even the most philanthropic individuals experience donor fatigue and start saying “no” — even to their favorite charities.

For-profit businesses understand that it takes a lot more time and money to attract new customers than it does to keep current customers happy. The same can be said for your not-for-profit’s members. But there’s more to retention than cost savings. Long-time supporters help attract new members and are ideal