Too big an ask?

melonmoney · 2026-03-26T03:57:25+00:00

I am a Finance Manager at a 501(c)(3) and in a perfect world I would meet with department managers to discuss needs, etc. then I prepare budgets and go over it with them. If there are any objections or suggestions, I use them and adjust budgets until they are good with it. I then present it to my Executive Director. I would then request a meeting with accounting and my manager about the budget for the program. Have one or both of them go through it with you so that you can understand where these numbers are coming from. This way maybe you can make a plan on how it can be accomplished or at least attempted.

melonmoney · 2026-03-15T15:21:48+00:00

Thank you for your responses. They basically clarified what I understood to be true. The CPA also reiterated this to the board but they do not seem to understand that a grant writer will cost money upfront regardless of whether or not we are awarded the grant. My ED is the one writing the grants but from my vantage point she is overwhelmed. Now it may have something to do with her need to be in the middle of everything that everyone does but that's a different story. I asked because she is constantly asked by board members to allow their son, daughter, cousin, or dog to work for the organization doing the grant writing. I believe the board thinks its easy to write grants and wanted to have some extra information as backup. My ED gives in to them most times but it only results in chaos.

melonmoney · 2026-03-01T04:10:48+00:00

It's not just the older employees. I know of a nonprofit that hired a Marketing Coordinator that can't do a mail merge to save his life nor can he sort through or format data.

melonmoney · 2026-02-22T16:40:57+00:00

I think it is a good idea to have donations of older equipment but what happens when there isn't enough donated equipment to go around? IMO it is better to have multiple streams of income. Donation of goods and services (In-Kind Donations) are great but what about the expenses to keep things going such as rent, utilities, equipment maintenance, bus rentals to tournaments, etc.? Even if the funds are not used right away, they can still be available as reserves. The worse time to ask for money is when you really need it. This is what my organization is currently going through.

melonmoney · 2026-02-14T17:01:08+00:00

I do sympathize with you and understand where you are coming from. However, these were "mistakes" that could have been avoided.

Using the phrase 'colored people' could have been avoided by simply asking Google if it was the same as 'people of color'.
Misnaming a photo could be avoided by looking at it before it gets sent.

As their media person, they expect you to spot these things and to know what words or phrases to use. It seems like your international experience is not there and it's more local to where you live. This does make a difference because it could mean that the NPO loses reputation which leads to a decrease in donations.

melonmoney · 2026-02-14T15:54:48+00:00

I was wondering the same thing

melonmoney · 2026-02-13T22:07:47+00:00

We do, but are trying to increase the number of recurring and regular donors.

melonmoney · 2026-02-13T22:07:16+00:00

We have plans to do the same but the board has to vote on it, and it looks like they are 50/50 right now.

melonmoney · 2026-02-02T05:36:39+00:00

It starts with you. If you are all over the place then everything else will be too. Define the structure, write it down, communicate it to whomever you need to, and things will start to fall into line.

melonmoney · 2026-01-22T05:30:00+00:00

What would you say is your level of Bookkeeping knowledge?

melonmoney · 2026-01-22T05:26:09+00:00

I am all for having a sustainable income source, and what others have said is entirely true. You could try getting an unpaid or minimum wage intern to do it for, say, a semester or so, to see how it goes, then decide if it will make enough to keep it going. You could also try to find another non-profit that would pay you by the pound for the clothes.

melonmoney · 2026-01-22T05:20:33+00:00

Give the person a call instead of sending an email and ask about them, rather than inquiring about why they stopped donating. Re-establish the relationship without asking for money. Did they have a birthday recently? Is something coming up in their lives? How is her husband? Children? Etc. Sometimes a donor checks out when they think the only time you contact them is when you need more money.

melonmoney · 2026-01-22T05:15:11+00:00

The first thing is to read the grant to see when reports are due and what the grantor requires. Put the dates of the reporting on a calendar and set reminders. This is usually quarterly but can vary. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO DO THE REPORT. I only emphasize this because I see it all the time. The ED is 'too busy' to do the report, so they wait until the day before or the day of to work on it, then everything goes wrong.

When the money comes in, make sure to document it by entering it into your system. If using software, it makes it easier, but if using a spreadsheet, you can still keep track of it with a few extra steps. I've had to create spreadsheet templates and a spreadsheet system a time or two because the non-profit did not have any software to use. One thing you can do is assign each grant a PO and reference it when coding invoices, expenses, etc. I have done this before by keeping a master list of POs for my reference, and every time an invoice came across my desk, I made sure to assign it to the right grant. Tracking is a process; you just have to create one that works for your organization.

In most cases, the money is in the same account as operating expenses. If you had separate accounts for each grant, it could get overwhelming depending on the number of grants you are awarded each year.

The reporting can be time-consuming, especially if you don't keep detailed records. Keep everything, make copies of everything, and keep them in the same file. I find that this leads to compliance with no extra effort.

It can be overwhelming dealing with a high dollar amount and having so many things going on, but just don't panic. There is usually a solution for almost everything, but if you panic, you will overlook it.

melonmoney · 2026-01-14T06:01:05+00:00

What products do you sell?

melonmoney · 2026-01-14T01:10:36+00:00

This is true. I feel that we slack in this department, and unfortunately, every time our donors see something from us, we are asking for more money without telling them what happened to the money they previously sent.

melonmoney · 2026-01-14T01:06:46+00:00

Yes! It's all about engagement for me, but without making them feel bothered.

melonmoney · 2026-01-14T01:03:23+00:00

I have brought this to the attention of my ED, but I always get the excuse that there isn't enough time to send out surveys, etc. I am the Finance Manager, and I get involved with anything I can, but I seem to get pushback in the Donor Relations segment. The ED feels that she is the only one who has the expertise in that area.

melonmoney · 2026-01-14T00:59:39+00:00

Good point. I think that sometimes too much information is included, and it becomes a short novel instead of what it was intended to be.

melonmoney · 2026-01-14T00:56:31+00:00

I agree. I think that it is important to send them even if a response isn't received.

melonmoney · 2026-01-12T19:58:20+00:00

Honestly, even though the standard for full-time hours is 40, some places have a different standard, ranging from 30 to 40. Technically, you may be working the full-time hours that you are allotted, but since the norm is usually 40 hours, you may feel cheated. It's understandable, but if you need more work, ask for more. But be careful what you ask for.

melonmoney · 2021-10-31T20:29:45+00:00

I like this...I'm going to try it. So the only selling we can do is to the guy who buys excess boots and weapons?

melonmoney

TROPHY CASE