The purpose of the funding pipeline worksheet is to help your organization conduct regular periodic assessments of funding and revenue streams, consider changes to anticipated and past funding patterns, and assess whether there is a risk that budgeted funding might not be realized in the near-term and intermediate-term future. Complete this worksheet in collaboration with your development office, senior management team, and staff to help with operational planning and stress test your organization’s anticipated funding sources.

Operating reserves are one the most important components of financial health for a nonprofit organization and a key indicator for long-term fiscal and financial sustainability. Providing regular reports on the status of an organization’s operating reserves is essential for monitoring an organization’s financial health as well as compliance with its operating reserve policy.

Balance sheets are part of standard nonprofit organization financial reporting, but are intimidating to most individuals and often misunderstood. This 3-step checklist uses easy-to-understand “Yes” or “No” questions to help you to work through a new balance sheet and make a quick assessment of an organization’s current financial position and changing financial health trends.

This checklist outlines 19 key steps that apply to most new organizations to form a nonprofit corporation, apply for 501(c)(3) status, and stay in compliance with the rules governing tax-exempt organizations. The steps covered include drafting governing Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and basic corporate policies; obtaining a tax ID number, submitting the Form 1023 or Form 1023-EZ; and more.