Be Kind to In-Kind - Or it won't be kind to you

Leslie Wilson and Troy Lindsey of BKD presented some hard truths about accounting for In-Kind goods and services on Tuesday, May 27, 2008. Some basic take-away points:

• Record contributed goods and services at fair market value. The general rule of thumb for determining fair market value is to ask what the npo would pay upon purchasing the goods or services. However, FAS 157 will change that determination to this: what would the npo receive upon selling the contributed item?
  
• Record in-kind services (also known as Contributed Services) only if they create or enhance a nonfinancial asset
  or
  The services would typically need to be purchased by the organization if not contributed AND the services are provided by individuals with specialized skills
  
• In-Kind goods and services should be acknowledged with a written letter stating the donor's name, the date and location of the donation, and a description of the item received along with a statement that no goods or services were provided by the npo in exchange for the contribution, or a description and good faith estimate of the value of the goods or services that the npo provided in return for the contribution. Send the acknowledgement no later than January 31 of the calendar year following the donation.
  
• The fair market value of a donated auction item should be stated in the acknowledgement letter to the donor who purchased the item at the auction.
  
• The IRS 990 requires special event revenue to be divided up between the FMV of items donated to the event, revenue that was raised to support the event, and revenue that was contributed in exchange for value received in the form of food, beverages, entertainment, advertising, or auction/raffle/drawing items.

Be Kind to In-Kind - Topic for May 27, 2008

Ever get confused determining which goods and services your nfp should accept? Uncertain about the proper way to acknowledge the goods and services your nfp has accepted? And then there is the whole question of whether or not to book the gifts, and at what amount.

If you have been faced with any of these challenges, then please join us at our next meeting, Tuesday May 27, when Leslie Wilson of BKD will discuss the confounding and complicated not-for-profit creation: In-Kind contributions.

2007 not-for-profit Salary Survey - Survey Says....!

This afternoon, Greg Works, presented the results of the United Way 2007 not-for-profit Salary Survey. The survey analyzes data collected during 2007 from 10,612 individuals working at 282 nfp agencies in 85 positions. Any St. Louis nfp was welcome to participate and provide compensation data.

The 2007 survey shows that compensation for St. Louis area nfp finance professionals has increased almost 20% from the 2003 survey. Also, more than 75% of St. Louis area nfp's absorb 70% or more of medical insurance premiums for their employees. So it appears that wages and benefits in the St. Louis nfp sector are remaining competitive with the commercial one.

You can view the full study here.

2007 not-for-profit Salary Survey - Topic for April 22, 2008

Join us at our next meeting, Tuesday April 22, 2008, when we will hear all about how well we in the nfp accounting sector are being compensated! Greg Works of United Way will discuss results of the 2007 nfp Salary Survey that he developed and conducted. You can view the survey here.

Greg not only will discuss the 2007 Salary Survey, but also will compare it with the results from the last Salary Survey conducted in 2004. He'll also compare not-for-profit salaries with those in the commercial sector, and give a preview of forthcoming reports on nfp executive compensation and nfp fringe benefits.

Accounting Software: Trends, Truths & Troubleshooting

On March 25, Kathy Brand, Jim, Snider, and Jonette Mathews of RubinBrown provided the nfpFMA members with much information related to accounting software. Here are some accounting software industry trends they addressed: Web-based software, Improved financial reporting capabilities, HR module additions, and Industry consolidation.

They also discussed useful ways to compare software programs. These included drawing up a needs analysis, evaluating the needs, deciding if a fund accounting software program is necessary, and then searching for and evaluating software programs. Some evaluation criteria are Features & Functionality, Price vs. Overall Cost, Installation, Software Set-up, and the Stability of the software firm offering the software.

Kathy, Jim and Jonette then discussed troubleshooting the software conversion process. Jim recommended we evaluate the chart of accounts and how each segment influences financial reporting capability. He also recommended cleaning up data and getting accounts in balance prior to import, and then checking that all the data did indeed import properly. Finally, the RubinBrown team suggested drawing up a project plan to better manage the entire accounting software conversion process.

Accounting Software: Trends, Truths & Troubleshooting - Topic for March 25, 2008

Join us at our next meeting, Tuesday, March 25 when Jim Snider, Kathy Brand, and Jonette Rodriguez-Mathews of RubinBrown reveal future accounting software trends, offer tips for comparing software programs, and discuss pitfalls related to converting from one accounting software program to another.

990, Is this an IRS Form or What? - Yes, the 990 is indeed an IRS Form

On Tuesday, February 26, 2008, Jen Vacha and Janet Ramey of Brown Smith Wallace presented valuable information about the new 990 form the IRS has developed for 2008. It is 59 pages in its entirety and full of accounting exercises all of us will have great fun doing.

Some areas that may need your attention are Schedule J (from question 23 on Part IV of the 990); Part VII of the 990 (which was formerly Schedule A); and Schedule D, (which is a new schedule and includes the reconciling item lines that were formerly on the basic 990 form).

Schedule J's data must tie back to W-2's and 1099's. Therefore, Schedule J is based on a calendar year, even though all the other information pertaining to the 990 is based on your nonprofit's fiscal year.

Part VII of the 990 also factors into Schedule J, and must tie to W-2's and 1099's.

Schedule D, "Supplemental Financial Statements" is triggered if you answered "Yes" to lines 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 on Part IV of the 990.