CAN's finance and accounting programs are designed to to measurably improve the accuracy, consistency and clarity of financial reporting, thus reducing time and financial costs and improving accountability and public trust in California's nonprofit sector.

Another goal of this program is to promote a dialog and create a community of nonprofit finance professionals so please post questions and comments!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Moving On

Just a quick note to say that I am moving on from the California Association of Nonprofits (CAN). My last day in the office will be this Friday, December 12. After the first of the year, I will continue my work as a consultant and trainer in the area of nonprofit accounting and finance and continue blogging and providing resources as well.

It has been my pleasure to work with CAN for nine years to help the nonprofit sector, to develop and lead the Nonprofit Accounting Boot Camps and other financial trainings (1,300 trainees across the state and nation!) and to speak with thousands of you on our helpline and at our events around the state. I look forward to continuing my relationship with you in the years to come and I want to say thanks to all of you for helping me learn about and grow with this sector over the last nine years. It has been an interesting journey, and I could not have done it without you.

It is hard to believe that this blog has been up and running for over a year and a half, and that we get almost 2,000 readers a month. Thank you for that as well. I'm not sure what the status of this blog will be in the weeks and months ahead but I will continue my interest in the area of nonprofit finance and accounting in another forum for those of you who are interested in reading yet another not-for-profit accounting blog.

I wish you a happy and relaxing holiday season.

Alan J. Strand
Interim Executive Director, California Association of Nonprofits (until 12/31/08)
Principal, Strand Financial Services (starting 1/1/09)
www.notforprofitaccounting.net

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Stop Spam Today!


Join TechSoup's Campaign to Protect Your Organization. Click here for the details on TechSoup's free Mailshell anti-spam software give away on December 10th only. From TechSoup:

Spam is more than annoying — it can be dangerous. Junk emails are often used as a tool to spread viruses and solicit personal information (phishing). Protect your organization by participating in TechSoup's "Stop Spam Today" campaign.


Tuesday, December 02, 2008

News from the IRS

For those of you who don't subscribe to the IRS's Exempt Organization Update here are some highlights:

  1. Nothing revolutionary but they seem to have reorganized some of their existing resources into a new spot. Seems to be a bit better laid out, all in one place.
  2. Commissioner Miller's latest remarks about nonprofit governance can be found here, a PDF of his remarks at the Western Conference on Tax Exempt Organizations in November 2008.
  3. The IRS's 2009 Exempt Organization Work Plan. Read this PDF to find out what the Internal Revenue Service will be up to in 2009 with regards to nonprofits.