With all the volatility in the stock markets as of late and the recent Fed rate cut, we thought it important to review investment philosophy. Whether you are a nonprofit managing a board-designated fund, cash reserves or an endowment or you are an individual investor, the investment philosophy is the core foundation of how you manage your investments. Do you know your investment philosophy? Do you know your advisor’s Read More
4 Budget Rules for the 21st Century
For organizations managing to a calendar year, January told you how effective you were as a financial forecaster. Did it bring good news or bad? Is it what you expected? Does one month even matter? How organizations develop and use budgets has changed over the past decade and it’s essential that leadership reflect the new thinking toward financial strength. Twelve Month Budgets Are Arbitrary An annual budget is a Read More
Can Financial Planning for Nonprofit Employees Reduce Stress?
There was a moment as a college kid when I realized I had no money in my checking account, and I owed $300 on my Mastercard. That might not seem like a lot to anyone nowadays when you can spend that much in a weekend at restaurants and bars, but to a college kid with a part-time job back in the 90’s, it was a lot of money. My stomach and my head hurt every time I looked at the bill on my dresser. And I wasn’t Read More
Ten Essential Ingredients for a Powerful Form 990
At our last Social Impact Advisory Group round-table discussion held at Thrive Alliance, Karen Hahn of Karen A. Hahn CPA shared her perspective on why the IRS Form 990 matters many to nonprofit stakeholders so nonprofits should take heed. To emphasize that fact, Fairlight Advisors asked Karen to guest blog her Top Ten essentials to completing a powerful Form 990. -------------- Here is a fun fact, the Internal Read More
5 Questions for the Expert: Cash and Cash Management
In previous posts, we’ve discussed how nonprofits should strive to hold enough cash to take advantage of unexpected opportunities or unplanned losses. To hammer home the point, we asked Aron Chazen, CEO of Treasury Curve, for his perspective about cash reserves. Among Treasury Curve's clients are public sector institutions, looking to manage pools of taxpayer money and other public funds to ensure cash is deployed Read More
The Network Gap: Impact on Nonprofits and Their Financials
Having a powerful network can bolster a nonprofit’s donor base and open access to additional funding sources. But what happens when the Executive Director and Board Members do not have a powerful network? I attended a half-day summit at LinkedIn’s San Francisco headquarters in November on The Network Gap. As LinkedIn defined it, “The network gap is the advantage some have based on where they were born, where Read More
Won the Lottery? Don’t Do This.
Your adult son is asking you for money again. He wants $100,000 to open a second restaurant to expand into a new market. You’re inclined to gift him the money since his first restaurant has been a great success. But here’s the thing: he’s sitting on $44 million after winning the lottery a few years ago. He invested the proceeds prudently so that the performance gains alone have amounted to almost $3 million a Read More
VIDEO: 3 Reasons You Should Care About Purchasing Power
Like What You've Seen? Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. We respect your privacy. Talk to the financial experts at Fairlight Advisors to learn more about managing your nonprofit’s investments. Schedule a free consultation today! Talk to the financial experts at Fairlight Advisors to learn more about managing your nonprofit’s investments. Schedule a free consultation today! Talk to Read More
Can You Afford the Zombie Apocalypse?
Debbie, a successful businesswoman, informs her new boyfriend that she keeps a duffel bag with eighty thousand dollars in cash hidden in her closet for an unexpected need. “Might come in handy for the zombie apocalypse,” she adds. This scene from a gripping crime drama I watched the other night made me of think of purchasing power. Let’s set aside the wisdom of leaving cash in a duffel bag and then telling a guy you Read More
Are My Charitable Donations Having An Impact?
Levi XU Stock market investments are measured by returns, philanthropic investments by outcomes – the latter is far more complex. As one of the most philanthropic nations, the U.S. has had a long history of charitable giving and yet, in the past few years, there has been immense discussion about the impact of those gifts. We’ve already covered how you can give strategically in a previous Read More
