Information Category: Nonprofits

Have staffers complained because their expense reimbursements are taxed? An accountable plan can address the issue.

Here’s how accountable plans work and how they benefit employers and employees.

Be reasonable

Under an accountable plan, reimbursement payments to employees will be free from federal income and employment taxes and aren’t subject to withholding from workers’ paychecks. Additionally, your organization benefits because the reimbursements aren’t subject to the employer’s portion of federal employment taxes.

The IRS stipulates that all expenses covered in an accountable plan have a business connection and be “reasonable.” Additionally, employers can’t reimburse employees more than what they paid for any business expense. And employees must account to you for their expenses and, if an expense allowance was provided, return any excess allowance within a reasonable time period.

An expense generally qualifies as a tax-free reimbursement if it could otherwise qualify as a business deduction for the employee. For meals and entertainment, a plan may reimburse expenses at 100% that would be deductible by the employee at only 50%.

Keep good records

An accountable plan isn’t required to be in writing. But formally establishing one makes it easier for your nonprofit to prove its validity to the IRS if it is challenged. When administering your plan, your nonprofit is responsible for identifying the reimbursement or expense payment and keeping these amounts separate from other amounts, such as wages.

The accountable plan must reimburse expenses in addition to an employee’s regular compensation. No matter how informal your nonprofit, you can’t substitute tax-free reimbursements for compensation that employees otherwise would have received.

The IRS also requires employers with accountable plans to keep good records for expenses that are reimbursed. This includes documentation of the amount of the expense and the date; place of the travel, meal or transportation; business purpose of the expense; and business relationship of the people fed.

Inexpensive retention tool

Accountable plans are relatively easy and inexpensive to set up and can help retain staffers who frequently submit reimbursement requests. Contact us for more information.

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Not-for-profit organizations don’t lose as much to occupational fraud as for-profit businesses do. According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners’ (ACFE’s) 2018 Report to the Nations, nonprofits lost a median amount of $75,000 during the 21-month study period, compared with $164,000 for private for-profit companies. Yet few nonprofit budgets can afford a $75,000 shortfall or the bad publicity associated with fraud.

Here’s how nonprofits open the door to fraud — and how your organization can shut it.

How thieves slip through

The core of any organization’s fraud-prevention program is strong internal controls — policies that govern everything from accepting cash to signing checks to training staff to performing regular audits. Most nonprofits have at least a rudimentary set of internal controls, but employees bent on fraud can usually find gaps. Nonprofits typically devote the largest chunk of their budgets to programming, and can be stingy about allocating dollars to enforcing internal controls. This can be especially problematic if executives or board members indicate that fraud prevention is low on their priority list.

Nonprofit boards may also inadvertently enable fraud when they place too much trust in the executive director and fail to challenge that person’s financial representations. Unlike their for-profit counterparts, these members may lack financial oversight experience and the knowledge to spot irregularities.

Trust is another Achilles’ heel for many nonprofits. Organizations often regard their staff and dedicated volunteers as family. They may allow managers to override internal controls and let volunteers accept cash donations without oversight — both very risky activities.

Fortify your defenses

Check tampering, expense reimbursement fraud and billing schemes are the three most common types of employee theft found in nonprofit organizations. But proper segregation of duties — for example, assigning account reconciliation and fund depositing to two different staff members — is a relatively easy and effective method of preventing such fraud. Strong management oversight and confidential fraud hotlines are also associated with lower losses due to employee theft. Indeed, when it comes to employees, you should trust but verify. Conduct background checks on all prospective staff members, as well as volunteers who will be handling money or financial records. Also, provide an orientation to new board members to ensure they have a clear understanding of their fiduciary role.

Finally, handle fraud incidents seriously. Many nonprofits choose to quietly fire thieves and sweep their actions under the rug. However, this tends to encourage fraud by telling potential thieves that the consequences of getting caught are relatively minor. If an incident is hushed up, rumors could do more reputational damage than publicly addressing the issue head-on. It’s better to file a police report, consult an attorney and inform major stakeholders about the incident.

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Your not-for-profit has likely grown and evolved since it was founded. Have your bylaws kept pace? Bylaws are the rules and principles that define your organization — and, if you haven’t revisited them recently, they may not be as effective as they could be.

Rules and procedures

Typically, bylaws cover such topics as the broad charitable purpose of an organization. They also include rules about the size and function of the board; election terms and duties of directors and officers; and basic guidelines for voting, holding meetings, electing directors and appointing officers. Without being too specific, your bylaws should provide procedures for resolving internal disputes, such as the removal and replacement of a board member. If you’re not familiar with the bylaws, you should get up to speed fast.

Making changes

What if you need to change your organization’s bylaws? First, make sure you have the authority to do so. Most bylaws contain an amendment paragraph that defines the procedures for changing them. Consider creating a bylaw committee made up of a cross-section of your membership or constituency. This committee will be responsible for reviewing existing bylaws and recommending revisions to your board or members for a full vote. The bylaw committee needs to focus on your nonprofit’s mission, not its organizational politics. A bylaw change is appropriate only if you want to change your nonprofit’s governing structure, not its operating procedures.

Other considerations

If your nonprofit is incorporated, ensure that any proposed bylaw changes conform to your articles of incorporation. For example, the “purposes” clause in your bylaws must match that in your articles of incorporation. Any new provision or language changes in your bylaws contrary to the objectives and ideals included in your incorporation documents may invalidate the revisions. Bylaw provisions that suggest you’ve strayed from your original mission also can jeopardize your federal tax-exempt status.

So make sure your bylaw amendments are consistent with that tax-exempt purpose. If changes are “structural or operational,” report the amendments on your Form 990.

Know what they contain

Your board and staff need to be familiar with exactly what your nonprofit’s bylaws contain — and what they don’t. If they’re incomplete or don’t reflect your organization’s current mission, it’s time to revise them. Questions? Contact us.

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Is your not-for-profit making the most of its email list? If you send every item to individual donors, corporate supporters, volunteers and the media — regardless of their interests or investment in your organization — you probably aren’t. Email segmentation can help you communicate with everyone more efficiently and effectively.

Keep them tuned in

There are many reasons to think about sending particular emails to only specific slices of your email list. For starters, too many irrelevant emails from your nonprofit will cause some recipients to tune out or unsubscribe. Segmentation can also increase your response rates and strengthen engagement. Recipients will get more information they value and less that doesn’t interest them, fostering greater trust in your organization and its communications. And segmentation lets you experiment with different tones, writing styles, subject lines and visual presentations to determine which work best. You may learn that different groups respond differently based on the message.

Review historical activity

If you already have the data, you may want to begin tailoring emails according to such demographic factors as age, gender, location and income. If you don’t already possess this information, though, gathering it can prove delicate. You need to be careful not to turn off potential supporters with your inquiries. Try segmenting your list on the basis of past activity.

For example, track event attendance, volunteer work, donations or membership renewal. Further narrow the segment by setting a date parameter (for example, activity within the past quarter or year). Or create subgroups based on donation amounts or specific campaigns. “Super donors” whose giving exceeds a certain threshold, “super attendees” who attend a specified number of events in a year and “super volunteers” who donate a certain number of hours in a year might receive every email, while others receive fewer.

Maximize value of assets

Supporter data, including email addresses, is probably one of your organization’s most valuable resources.

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As in the for-profit world, sometimes not-for-profits need to spend money to make money. This is particularly true when it comes to fundraisers. At the same time, you need to resist the temptation to overspend or your special event may not raise the amount you were hoping for.

Here’s how to stay on budget.

Focus on your goal

Start with your total fundraising goal, which should include funds received from event attendees, sponsors and any pre-event appeals. Your financial objective should be realistic, based on your nonprofit’s experience with previous fundraising events. But consider a stretch goal, say from 5% to 20% higher than last year, to energize staff and motivate supporters.

Then, estimate expenses for such items as facility rental, food and beverages, prizes, invitations and decorations, and speaker and entertainment fees. You may also need to pay for permits — for example, to charge sales tax or host a raffle — and might want to buy special event insurance coverage.

Scrutinize expenses

Look closely at your list for expenses that can either be eliminated or cut. Say that you held last year’s event at a luxury hotel. This year you might consider a new venue that’s willing to discount the space for the opportunity to host your community’s movers and shakers. Even if you receive sponsorships and discounts, be sure to include the original expenses in your budget should you need to pay the full amount for a future event. And don’t be afraid to try something different. If you usually host a black-tie affair with a multicourse meal, consider holding a more casual event this year, such as a cocktail party with a silent auction. As long as the event is well planned and publicized, attendees will probably be just as generous.

Importance of sponsors

Good sponsors are critical. Not only can they help defray expenses with donations of goods and services, but they can also raise your nonprofit’s profile by introducing your name and mission to a new audience. But be careful not to promise too much in sponsor benefits, such as free advertising or endorsements of the sponsor’s products — it could lead to unrelated business income tax problems. Target well-known names with a connection to your nonprofit.

For example, a pet food company makes an ideal sponsor for an animal welfare charity. A successful self-empowerment author might be a great fit for an association meeting of salespeople.

Watch expenses

As you plan your special event, the most important thing is to keep a laser focus on costs. Although you want your fundraiser to be fun and memorable, the real purpose of the event is to raise money. And you probably won’t do that if you lose track of expenses.

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Most not-for-profits are intensely focused on present needs, not the possibility that disaster will strike sometime in the distant future. But because a fire, flood or other natural or manmade disaster could strike at any time, the time to plan for it is now.

You likely already have many of the necessary processes in place — such as evacuating your office. A disaster or continuity plan simply organizes and documents your processes.

Identify specific risks

No organization can anticipate or eliminate all possible risks, but you can limit the damage of potential risks specific to your nonprofit. The first step in creating a disaster plan is to identify the specific threats you face when it comes to your people, processes and technology. For example, if you work with vulnerable populations such as children and the disabled, you may need to take extra precautions to protect your clients.

Also assess what the damages would be if your operations were interrupted. For example, if you had an office fire — or even a long-lasting power outage — what would be the possible outcomes regarding property damage and financial losses?

Make your plan

Designate a lead person to oversee the creation and implementation of your continuity plan. Then assemble teams to handle different duties. For example, a communications team could be responsible for contacting and updating staff, volunteers and other stakeholders, and updating your website and social media accounts.

Other teams might focus on:

Safety and evacuation procedures,

IT issues, including backing up data offsite, Insurance and financial needs, and Recovery — getting your office and services back up and running.

Planning pays off All organizations — nonprofit and for-profit alike — need to think about potential disasters. But plans are critical for some nonprofits. If you provide basic human services (such as medical care and food) or are a disaster-related charity, you must be ready to support victims and their families. This could mean mobilizing quickly, perhaps without full staffing, working computers or safe facilities. You don’t want to be caught without a plan.

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A not-for-profit can have many strengths — a prominent board of directors, dedicated volunteers, committed staff members and effective programs — and still struggle to meet fundraising goals. Often, such nonprofits lack a strategic fundraising plan. Here’s how to develop one that can get better results.

Get the committee rolling

The first step is to form a fundraising committee consisting of board members, your executive director and other key staffers. You may also want to include major donors and active community members.

Committee members should start by reviewing past sources of funding and past fundraising approaches, and weighing the advantages and disadvantages of each. Even if your overall fundraising efforts have been less than successful, some sources and approaches may still be worth keeping. Next, brainstorm new donation sources and methods and select those with the greatest fundraising potential that are also likely to succeed.

As part of your plan, outline the roles you expect board members to play in fundraising efforts. For example, in addition to making their own donations, they can be crucial links to corporate and individual supporters.

Set it in motion

Once the committee has developed a plan for where the funds will hopefully come from and how to ask for them, it’s time to create a functional budget that includes operating expenses, staff costs and volunteer projections. Then, after the plan and budget have board approval, develop an action plan for achieving each objective and assign tasks to specific individuals.

Most important, once you’ve set your plan in motion, don’t let it sit on the shelf. Continually evaluate the plan and be ready to adapt it to organizational changes and unexpected situations. Although you want to give new fundraising initiatives time to succeed, don’t be afraid to cut your losses if it’s obvious an approach isn’t working.

Planning pays off

Developing a strategic plan for successful fundraising can take time and effort. However, it’s been said that every hour in effective planning saves three to four hours of work. Just remember that planning doesn’t replace doing.

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What would happen if one of your managers was suddenly forced to take long-term disability leave? Or an accounting staffer quit without notice? It’s possible that your not-for-profit’s work could come to a standstill — unless you’ve cross-trained your employees.

Problem and solution

Cross-training employees — teaching them how to do each other’s jobs — can help protect your organization from an absence in the short or long term. The potential reasons for an absence are almost countless: An employee may suddenly die, become sick or disabled, have a baby, take a vacation or military leave, be called to jury duty, retire or resign.

Having someone else on staff set to jump in and take the reins can keep your nonprofit up and running without much of a hitch.

Your organization benefits

Cross-training involves teaching accounting department and other staffers the basics of one another’s jobs. With cross-trained employees, you can temporarily shift people to fill an empty seat until the missing staffer returns or you’re able to hire someone. Cross-training can also provide relief when certain departments go through busy periods and need extra help.

For example, let’s say your accounts receivable function is hectic in the fall when annual membership dues are processed. Cross-training could enable you to, for example, move a development or admin employee to help out for a few weeks.

There’s also the value of a fresh pair of eyes. An employee who’s temporarily filling in for another person will bring a new perspective to operations and may be able to come up with process improvements. Cross-training can also help prevent fraud because potential thieves know that another employee may view their files at any time.

Staffers also gain

Employees also benefit from cross-training. If the task the cross-trained person learns is vertical — it requires more responsibility or skill than that employee’s normal duties — the cross-training will likely make the employee feel more valuable to the organization.

If the task is lateral — with the same level of responsibility as the employee’s routine duties — the cross-trained employee still gains by getting a better understanding of the department as well as a change of pace.

Getting started

You can start the cross-training process by appointing a small task force to 1) determine which positions should be cross-trained, 2) segregate the duties of those positions and 3) create an implementation plan. Make sure you reassure staffers that cross-training doesn’t mean that their jobs are in jeopardy. In fact, everyone in your organization is likely to benefit from the process.

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Directors and officers (D&O) liability insurance enables board members to make decisions without fear that they’ll be personally responsible for any related litigation costs. Such coverage is common in the business world, but fewer not-for-profits carry it. Nonprofitvolunteers and board members may be exposed to litigation risk if they do not carry this insurance.

Asked and answered

Here are several FAQs to help you determine whether your board needs D&O insurance:

Whom does it cover? A policy can help protect both your organization and its key individuals: directors, officers, employees and even volunteers and committee members.

What does it cover? Normally, D&O insurance covers allegations of wrongful acts, errors, misleading statements, neglect or breaches of duty connected with a person’s performance of duties. Examples include:

• Mismanagement of funds or investments,
• Employment issues such as harassment and discrimination,
• Self-dealing,
• Failure to provide services, and
• Failure to fulfill fiduciary duties.

Are there coverage limitations? D&O policies are claims-made, meaning that the insurer pays for claims filed during the policy period even if the alleged wrongful act occurred outside of the policy period. The flip side of this is that D&O insurance provides no coverage for lawsuits filed after a policyholder cancels — even if the alleged act happened when the policy was still in place.

What if we need to make a claim after our policy has been canceled or expired? You might still be covered if you bought extended reporting period (ERP) coverage. It generally covers newly filed claims on actions that allegedly occurred during the regular policy period.

How do we file a claim? When a legal complaint is filed against your nonprofit, contact your insurer to determine whether the matter is insurable and includes defense costs. Most policies reimburse the insured for reasonable defense costs, in addition to covering judgments against the insured.

How can we keep costs down? Think seriously about the people and actions that should be covered and the amount of protection you need — and don’t need. For example, you probably don’t need coverage of bodily injury or property damage because these claims usually are covered by general liability and workers’ compensation insurance. As with most insurance coverage, D&O premiums are likely to be lower if you opt for higher deductibles.

Making the decision

Not every organization needs D&O insurance. In some states, volunteer immunity statutes provide limited protection for negligence. Such protection, however, doesn’t extend to federal statutes.

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Whistleblower policies protect individuals who risk their careers — or take other kinds of risks — to report illegal or unethical practices. Although no federal law specifically requires nonprofits to have such policies in place, several state laws do. Moreover, IRS Form 990 asks nonprofits to state whether they have adopted a whistleblower policy.

Adopting a whistleblower policy increases the odds that you’ll learn about activities before the media, law enforcement or regulators. Encouraging stakeholders to speak up also sends a message about your commitment to good governance and ethical behavior.

Be inclusive

Your policy should be tailored to your organization’s unique circumstances, but most policies should spell out who’s covered. In addition to employees, volunteers and board members, you might want to include clients and third parties who conduct business with your organization, such as vendors and independent contractors.

Also specify covered misdeeds. Financial malfeasance often gets the most attention, but you might also include violations of organizational client protection policies, conflicts of interest, discrimination and unsafe work conditions.

And how should whistleblowers report their concerns? Must they notify a compliance officer or can they report anonymously? Is a confidential hotline available? Whom can whistleblowers turn to if the designated individual is suspected of wrongdoing?

Investigate thoroughly

Covered individuals and other stakeholders need to know how you’ll handle reports once they’re submitted. Your policy should state that every concern will be promptly and thoroughly investigated and that designated investigators will have adequate independence to conduct an objective query.

Also describe what will happen after the investigation is complete. For example, will the reporting individual receive feedback? Will the individual responsible for the illegal or unethical behavior be punished? If your organization opts not to take corrective action, document your reasoning.

Stress confidentiality

Don’t forget to stress confidentiality. Explain in your policy that it may not be possible to guarantee a whistleblower’s identity if he or she needs to become a witness in criminal or civil proceedings. But promise you’ll protect confidentiality to the extent possible. Finally, be sure to have your attorney review your whistleblower policy.

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