Many nonprofits face new financial challenges and opportunities alongside increased demand for their services in the post-recession era. To respond effectively, nonprofit leaders need knowledge of good financial decision-making practices.
“Solid financial knowledge is critical to sound decision making as nonprofits strive for financial well-being and greater impact,” said Una Osili, Director of Research for the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. “Today’s donors have greater expectations for the financial knowledge and accountability of the organizations they support. Nonprofit executives and boards need a clear understanding of the economic and nonprofit sector contextual factors that affect their financial decisions, as well as their organization’s own financial circumstances, in order to create effective, sustainable financial plans and fulfill their missions.”
Nonprofit professionals and board members are invited to participate in a series of discussions on strategic financial and programmatic decision making in light of the nonprofit sector’s performance in Great Recession.
Conducted in partnership with the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and The Urban Institute’s National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS), this free, three-part webinar series will feature important nonprofit financial issues and context, building on research from the three organizations.
• Lessons for the Future: The Impact of Recession, and Nonprofit Financial Knowledge, September 25, 2014
• Nonprofit Governance and the Role of the Board in Financial Management, October 9, 2014
• Recent Trends in Nonprofit Balance Sheets and Capital Investment, October 23, 2014
To register or for more information, visit the webinars site.
The program is funded by a grant from The Moody’s Foundation as part of its ongoing efforts to support financial education and literacy through programs in mathematics, economics and finance.
“We are pleased to support this program, which highlights key elements of effective governance, strong management and financial health,” said Frances G. Laserson, President, The Moody’s Foundation. “The Moody’s Foundation’s support reflects our strong commitment to financial education, which helps improve the impact and effectiveness of the nonprofit sector.”
Webinar #1: Lessons for the Future: The Impact of Recession, and Nonprofit Financial Knowledge
Thursday, September 25, 2014
1:00—2:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
Presenters:
• Thomas Pollak, Program Director, National Center for Charitable Statistics at the Urban Institute
• Una Osili, Director of Research, Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
Moderator:
Frances Laserson, President, The Moody’s Foundation
This webinar will highlight the impact of the Great Recession on nonprofits and how they responded, nonprofits’ financial expertise, and the strategies they use in financial management. Research-based insights, including many from The Study of Financial Literacy and Knowledge in the Nonprofit Sector by the school, and The Impact of the Great Recession on Charitable Organizations by NCCS, will help nonprofits with their financial management and planning.
Webinar #2: Nonprofit Governance and the Role of the Board in Financial Management
Thursday, October 9, 2014
1:00—2:00 pm EDT
Presenters:
• Thomas Pollak, Program Director, National Center for Charitable Statistics at the Urban Institute
• Una Osili, Director of Research, Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
• Dennis Gephardt, Vice President and Senior Analyst, Moody’s Investors Service
This session will focus on the role of the nonprofit board and governance in nonprofits’ financial health. The discussion will include what nonprofits’ Forms 990 reveal about nonprofit governance, research on whether and how board members are involved in nonprofits’ financial management and the key role financial management and governance play in Moody’s credit ratings for not-for-profit organizations.
Webinar #3: Recent Trends in Nonprofit Balance Sheets and Capital Investment
Thursday, October 23, 2014
1:00—2:00 pm EDT
Presenters:
• Thomas Pollak, Program Director, National Center for Charitable Statistics at the Urban Institute
• Dennis Gephardt, Vice President and Senior Analyst, Moody’s Investors Service
Facilitator:
• Una Osili, Director of Research, Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
This webinar will discuss nonprofits’ financial structure and their use of debt to meet capital needs. This discussion will include new research from NCCS and look at how capital needs and debt structure affect Moody’s ratings of not-for-profit organizations.
To register or for more information, visit the webinars site.
About The Moody’s Foundation
The Moody's Foundation, a charitable foundation established by Moody's Corporation, is committed to supporting education, in particular the study of mathematics, finance and economics. The Foundation also funds specific initiatives in the areas of global economic development, microfinance, civic, health and human services as well as arts and cultural programs. The Foundation supports programs located in select metropolitan areas in the United States, the United Kingdom and elsewhere around the world. For more information, please visit www.philanthropy.moodys.com.
About NCCS
The National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS) is the national repository of data on the nonprofit sector in the United States. Its mission is to develop and disseminate high quality data and research on nonprofit organizations and their activities and on the relationships between the nonprofit sector, government, the commercial sector, and the broader civil society. NCCS research includes the Nonprofit Almanac, the annually updated Nonprofit Sector in Brief, and a wide variety of research reports and briefs about the nonprofit sector. Working closely with the IRS and other government agencies, private sector service organizations, and the scholarly community, NCCS also builds national, state, and regional databases and develops uniform standards for reporting on the activities of charitable organizations. The Center was established in 1982 and has been a project of the Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy at the Urban Institute since July 1996, when it was transferred from the research division of Independent Sector.
About the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
The nation’s first school of philanthropy, the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy is dedicated to improving philanthropy to improve the world by training and empowering students and professionals to be innovators and leaders who create positive and lasting change in the world. The school offers a comprehensive approach to philanthropy through its academic, research and international programs and through The Fund Raising School, Lake Institute on Faith & Giving and the Women’s Philanthropy Institute. Follow us on Twitter @IUPhilanthropy and “Like” us on Facebook.