Nonprofit Financial Planning Made Easy (Wiley Nonprofit Law, Finance and Management Series)

By admin • Jul 8th, 2008 • Category: Finance

Nonprofit Financial Planning Made Easy (Wiley Nonprofit Law, Finance and Management Series)

Nonprofit Financial Planning Made Easy (Wiley Nonprofit Law, Finance and Management Series)
By Jody Blazek

Publisher: Wiley
Number Of Pages: 234
Publication Date: 2008-03-03
ISBN-10 / ASIN: 0471715271
ISBN-13 / EAN: 9780471715276
Binding: Hardcover

An essential primer of the basics of nonprofit financial planning

This Second Edition of Nonprofit Financial Planning Made Easy presents easy-to-implement strategies to make financial management a more streamlined, effective process in nonprofits of all types and sizes. Addressing five key areas of financial planning, it provides practical forms and checklists to aid nonprofit managers in managing their organizations’ financial resources.

Filled with numerous checklists, worksheets, and forms to guide nonprofit professionals step-by-step through the financial planning processes, this straightforward book avoids technical financial language and trendy business terms in favor of simple, down-to-earth advice filled with examples of proven financial planning strategies based on the author’s firsthand experience advising nonprofits.

Jody Blazek (Houston, TX) is a partner in Blazek & Vetterling, LLP, a Houston-based CPA firm providing tax-compliance and auditing services to tax-exempt organizations as well as tax consulting services to other accountants and lawyers who serve nonprofits. She worked with the 1023 Revision Task Force, is currently on the 990 Revision Task Force, and is past chair of the AICPA Exempt Organization Resource Panel.

Summary: By getting a copy of this book the nonprofit executive can get a good handle on her organization’s financial planning req’ts.
Rating: 5

[This review is actually for the Second Edition of this book which I read at B&N on Saturday, February 09, 2008. See ISBN 0471715271.]

This is a gem of a book. I have a financial background, so it was a pretty easy read for me. Like the author I too hold the CPA designation. But unlike the author I don’t use that designation professionally any longer. The book has the following 8 chapters:

1. Introductory concepts
2. Structuring the organization for fiscal strength
3. Financing the dream
4. Budgeting
5. Asset management
6. Nonprofit accounting
7. Special financial tools
8. Obtaining and maintaining tax-exempt status

For two years not too long ago I worked as a consultant to nonprofits that needed help with multi-million-dollar capital campaigns. The nonprofit world was new to me then, except for the time I spent in Washington DC a number of years ago as a staff auditor auditing trade associations for E&Y. As a result of my fundraising experiences I found it necessary to read lots of books about aspects of nonprofits. I read books on nonprofit management, nonprofit fundraising, nonprofit capital campaigns, nonprofit endowment campaigns, major gifts, grant proposals and writing, and nonprofit strategic planning.

I didn’t read nonprofit books on nonprofit accounting, bookkeeping, or financial planning since I basically knew that stuff. But some people who are not well versed in such subject matter would do themselves a favor to get a copy of Ms. Blazek’s book on nonprofit financial planning if they want a well written and well outlined book on the subject. CEOs and CFOs of nonprofits should be adept at their organization’s (1) operations, (2) financial planning, and (3) fundraising efforts and abilities. By getting a copy of this book the nonprofit executive can get a good handle on the second leg of the three-legged stool. 5 stars!

Free Download Links

http://rapidshare.com/files/98926762/0471715271.rar