Most nonprofit organizations don’t review their finance systems until something starts to feel off. Reports take longer than they should. Payroll feels clunky. Important information lives in spreadsheets instead of the system. Only one person really understands how everything works. The finance team spends more…
In many nonprofit boardrooms, the same pattern plays out again and again. Financial reports are circulated in advance of the meeting. During the meeting, someone walks through the numbers. A few clarifying questions are asked. The board votes to receive the…
Many nonprofits are facing budget cuts - not because programs are failing, but because funding models have not kept pace with rising costs. Staff salaries, benefits, rent, insurance, and program delivery costs have all increased. At the same time, many grants and…
Most nonprofit financial policies fail quietly. Not because they’re wrong, but because they were written for a version of the organization that no longer exists. Over time, leaders fill the gaps by making judgment calls and approving exceptions as they come up…
Most nonprofits technically have financial policies. What’s less clear is whether those policies are actually doing any work — or whether people are quietly filling in the gaps with judgment calls, workarounds, or “just checking with one person.” When that happens, decisions slow down, risk…
You’ve Made Your Budget. Now What? Most nonprofit budgets fail for one simple reason: they’re treated like an approval document, not a management tool. Strong nonprofit budget management starts after the board votes yes—because the budget is only “right” on the day it’s approved. After that,…
Every year, nonprofit boards are asked to approve the organization’s budget. It’s one of the most important votes they take — yet often one of the least discussed. Too many boards treat budget approval as a checkbox exercise: the treasurer presents…
When our CEO Cherry joined the PhilantroThink Podcast, the conversation quickly shifted into the real pressures nonprofits are carrying right now — shrinking funding, rising expectations, exhausted teams, and leaders trying to make long-term decisions in an environment that only…
Canada’s Budget 2025, “Meeting the Moment, Building Canada Strong,” emphasizes fiscal restraint, efficiency, and modernization. For nonprofits and charities, this means navigating a landscape where funding, compliance, and workforce practices will all evolve significantly over the next few years. While much of the budget focuses…
There’s a quiet tension in almost every nonprofit and association boardroom right now. Membership is flattening. Costs are rising. Teams are stretched thin. And the question hanging in the air isn’t about the next event or member survey — it’s…