Did you know Avizo has niche expertise in providing services to not-for-profit organizations? From tax and bookkeeping, to audit and specialized consulting, we work directly with not-for-profit organizations to help them succeed.
Being involved in a non-profit organization can be one of the most uplifting events of a person’s life. Whether you are a volunteer, or an employee, it is a wonderful feeling to know you are involved in something that is making a difference. However, because active volunteers and employee circles are often small, with that wonderful feeling also comes quite a bit of work, and sometimes some stress. Alongside the charitable goals, there are many areas of coordination that need attention: ensuring you’re meeting rules and confusing regulations, the vital role of fundraising, budgeting money, and also enjoying your time.
My Not-For-Profit Experience
I have served as an advisor for the Fairhope Volunteer Fire Department Explorer Post 5058 for over 13 years. The Explorer Post is a group of young men and women between the ages of 14-18 who want to learn about firefighting and first aid. Many of our participants continue to volunteer as adults and even pursue careers in firefighting and in the medical field. It’s amazing to witness, and it’s also a lot of effort to keep teenagers engaged. Here are a few areas we’ve had to learn to balance.
To be considered tax-exempt, there are Federal regulations you have to follow, which includes filing an annual return, maintaining your mission statement, and sharing records publicly. In addition to that, most charitable groups have specific rules to follow - for instance, we have to maintain safety standards, gear up-keep, and meet training hour requirements.
One of the most time-consuming efforts for volunteers is to host events to raise money. For us, fundraising helps with the cost of equipment, uniforms, and trips to places that provide training. Fundraising must be reported and budgeted correctly. It's important to maintain records and report fundraising event income and expenses separate from the activities from regular program operations.
Your budget helps set the pace for the year. We use our budget to guide current spending decisions as well as save for the future. Monthly financial statements play a crucial role in ensuring we stay within our budget.
Though training is fun in itself, it's also important to have team-bonding time outside of the work. We love going bowling to bring in the upcoming school year!
Avizo Group offers many services that can help remove the stress from some of these tasks. For instance, our team can help you with reporting requirements, such as filing a 990 and monthly bookkeeping to ensure your financials are up -to-date and correct. Avizo can also help in more consulting-based areas such as creating your budget and evaluating your processes. Scroll over the boxes below for a little more information.
If you see services you think would help, reach out! Let us help make a difference in your organization so you can continue making a difference for the world.
Not-For-Profit Consulting Services
Form 990 as Required by the IRS
Maintenance of Records with Multiple Locations or Departments
Outsourced CFO
Consultation on Budget Preparation
Internal Controls Evaluations
Quarterly Consulting
Amanda Green
16 years ago, Amanda started right in the middle of a tax season and decided to stick around. That was lucky for us! She makes sure your problems are resolved while providing support to our team. She also serves our team dedicated to assisting non-profit groups.
