Short version: Unified Chart of Accounts for NPOs
“Hey y’all, let’s all adopt the Unified Chart Chart of Accounts and save time and energy to focus on our causes!
Long version:
Dear Board of Directors, Executive Director, long time accountant, and major donors. Let’s all adopt the Unified Chart Chart of Accounts and save time and energy to focus on our causes!
Wouldn’t it be better if at least reviewing the financials was simplified so you could focus on your cause? Here is a partial solution:
The big organizations know, but for smaller NGOs, did you know that the National Center for Charitable Statistics has published an open source/free/please-use-it Unified Chart Chart of Accounts JUST FOR YOU!
Like many of the folks reading this blog, living the life of adventure which accompanies working with worldwide NGOs, we serve on a lot of boards and sponsor a lot of activities for the greater good. We love that part of our responsibilities!
OK, maybe we just agree on the need.
A board member must understand their serious and legal responsibility to provide financial stewardship and demonstrate strong fiduciary responsibility to the organization. While not losing site of the goals. Nothing “returns to your soul” like giving of your time and energy. It comes back to us all big time as long as it is fulfilling.
May your organization never again lose a board member to the tedium of going through financials printed out of Excel that have evolved from double entry accounting as fast as Moore’s law to quantum accounting for no reason at all. Simplify with the Unified Chart of Accounts. Even if the rules are constantly changing on you.