Invest Time and Resources to Improve the Month-End Close Process
By Sharon Carbonell, CPA | Manager, Outsourced Accounting and Advisory Services For many who work in the finance department of a nonprofit or for-profit business, the month-end close process is a constant source of strain. Inefficiency and operational ambiguity are sore spots in particular, generally the result of manual data entry, lack of coordination, deficient…
Becoming a Great Place to Work: It is Not About the Money
“It is easy to understand why companies have focused on… pay, parking, cafeteria discounts, etc.” when trying to attract, retain and motivate workers, stated Gallup in introducing its research on its Management Journal website. Why? Because it’s usually fairly easy to tinker with those variables. The problem is, “these factors do not really make a difference to the best,…
Payment Card Industry (PCI) Compliance and Your Nonprofit Organization
By Mac Lillard, CPA, CITP, CISA, CFE | Audit Senior Accountant According to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Council (PCD DSC) any organization that stores, processes, and/or transmits cardholder data is required to be compliant with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). There is a common misconception that use of a third-party provider…
Why is Preparation of a Complete and Accurate SEFA so Imperative?
By Laura Malcom, CPA | Audit Manager The schedule of expenditures of federal awards (SEFA) is the “meat” of any Uniform Guidance audit. Often it is one of the first pieces of information that a CPA firm will request when designing and planning the audit. The total expenditures reported in the SEFA is the determination…
How to Approach Succession Planning
Does your organization have a succession plan in place? And, if it does, is it well documented? Some not-for-profits delay detailed succession planning, thinking of it as a project they’ll get to “someday.” But that’s a mistake. Like making future plans in your private life, creating a succession plan for your organization is a necessity. And…
Implement Effective Internal Controls with Built-In QuickBooks Online Tools
Financial professionals understand the critical role internal controls play in preventing fraud and helping the organization run efficiently. While some control activities are more difficult to implement, the QuickBooks Online accounting software offers a number of often overlooked built-in tools that will help your organization easily establish strong financial internal controls. Join GRF for an…
Achieving Proper Segregation of Duties with Limited Nonprofit Resources
By: Alejandra Jensen, CPA, CFE | Nonprofit Audit Manager Although they recognize the importance of maintaining proper segregation of duties (SOD) as a risk management best practice, many nonprofits still struggle because of limited staff, scarce resources and tight budgets. These organizations are under pressure to cut costs, increase revenue, and identify additional funding streams…