A complete guide to leveraging the power of Sarbanes-Oxley--specifically for nonprofits The first book to discuss the implications of Sarbanes-Oxley legislation as it relates to nonprofit organizations, Sarbanes-Oxley for Nonprofits is an essential guide for all nonprofit executives and boards who want to know how the new legislation can enhance their organization's mission. By establishing a "platinum standard" of operations and governance within nonprofit organizations, executives and board members will be better equipped to attract high-quality staff and board members, as well as the attention of donors and other potential funding sources. Sarbanes-Oxley for Nonprofits presents the best practices that have emerged from the Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act (Sarbanes-Oxley) in a manner that explains their source and value to the nonprofit organization. Written for both small and large nonprofits, Sarbanes-Oxley for Nonprofits includes: * Practices intended to establish a "platinum standard" of operations and governance within the nonprofit * Coverage of audits, financial statements, board activities and decision making, how to teach board members to read and interpret financial statements, conflicts of interest, whistle-blower protection, and how to leverage these standards to gain a competitive advantage * Sarbanes-Oxley best practices and the organizational culture * Sample documents, forms, and checklists to introduce these best practices into any nonprofit organization * And much more!

Is your nonprofit organization ready for increased scrutiny, reporting requirements, regulations, and increased expectations from donors? This combination reference/workbook prepares you and shows you how Sarbanes-Oxley best practices can benefit your organization. It includes: A structured description of Sarbanes-Oxley and its implications for nonprofits Detailed discussions on governance, including financial literacy for board members, new standards of accountability for boards, and best practices for nonprofit management Sample documents, procedures, and frameworks to help you implement best practices Worksheets, forms, and resource materials in each chapter A "walk-through" of typical financial statements and sample documents such as a Conflict of Interest policy, board orientation curriculum, a Whistleblower Protection policy, a Document Preservation policy, and a fundraising plan. Implementing proven best practices stemming from Sarbanes-Oxley can diminish organizational dysfunction, promote a solid infrastructure, and propel your organization to the platinum standard of operations and governance, giving your organization the competitive advantage in today's demanding nonprofit environment.

Written for directors of nonprofit organizations and practitioners, this guidebook provides a complete overview of the major reforms enacted or triggered by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, including governance reforms promulgated by the SEC and the Stock Exchanges.

The Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) bar has been raised-is your nonprofit board up to the task? Nonprofit boards are in a fishbowl of scrutiny much like their private sector counterparts. With recent media focus on investigations of false charities, and more disturbingly, of household-name nonprofits that have abused donor trust by misdirecting donations, the heat is on the nonprofit board to rehabilitate its organizational profile. Encouraging boards to reclaim their role as the ultimate authority within their nonprofit, nationally recognized nonprofit expert Dr. Peggy Jackson supplies tips for leveraging the power and value of SOX requirements within the nonprofit organization. Containing sample documents, forms, and checklists to introduce best practices into any nonprofit organization, this complete guide is a practical, hands-on tool for equipping your nonprofit's board toward a higher quality of control. Relevant for both the large and small nonprofit organization, this must-have book effectively brings pragmatic clarity to a complex topic, and explains how to blend Sarbanes-Oxley requirements into the nonprofit organization, with topics including: Common factors that contribute to nonprofit board dysfunction Moving nonprofit governance into the twenty-first century Intervention techniques for moving your board forward Establishing strategies for lasting change Creating a platinum standard for governance Helping your nonprofit board understand and implement SOX requirements, Sarbanes-Oxley for Nonprofit Boards will be indispensable as a guide and will reinforce your nonprofit's financial structure and reputation.

Praise for Nonprofit Strategic Planning Leveraging Sarbanes-Oxley Best Practices "A robust nonprofit sector is a vital part of a civil society. Keeping the sector strong through effective strategic planning and implementation is a critical assignment. As a thought leader in the nonprofit sector, Dr. Jackson's book on the relationship of Sarbanes-Oxley best practices with strategic planning is an invaluable resource for nonprofit governing boards and employees. Her step-by-step, practical approach is easy to read and, more important, provides a specific road map to effective planning." -Larry Brewster, Dean, College of Professional Studies University of San Francisco "Dr. Jackson's practical and straightforward approach to creating a strategic plan is quite refreshing. I believe that more and more nonprofits understand that they need to be run just as any business needs to be run-with focus, clarity, and purpose. The ideas and methodology stress the importance of sound risk management and the rewards of having such a plan in place. I can assure you that the executive director of every nonprofit I represent will receive a copy of this book." -Joseph L. DeLucchi, Vice President CAL Insurance & Associates, Inc. Get Nonprofit Strategic Planning: Leveraging Sarbanes-Oxley Best Practices and * Examine if your nonprofit has the right people on board to achieve its strategic goals * Establish important control mechanisms * Learn how the legal and legislative environments have changed over the last five years * Discover the direction in which your nonprofit needs to go and why Required reading for anyone leading a nonprofit organization, Nonprofit Strategic Planning: Leveraging Sarbanes-Oxley Best Practices prepares your organization to engage in meaningful strategic planning and equips you with the practical tools to navigate it through today's competitive environment.

As the number and size of nonprofit organizations continues to grow, NFPs are coming under ever-increasing government scrutiny. Soon Congress will require that nonprofits comply with rigorous accounting and governance standards very similar to those set forth for for-profits in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. If you work for a nonprofit and are concerned about meeting impending changes to tax and finance standards governing NFPs this book is for you. In simple, straight-forward language, this guide demystifies the often perplexing world of nonprofit governance in the age of Sarbanes-Oxley. Author, Jill Gilbert Welytok, an attorney who heads the Sarbanes-Oxley division of a major Midwest law firm, walks you step-by-step through the process of evaluating your governance structures. She arms you with tips and strategies for adopting uniform standards under current governance and tax laws, while preparing you for any upcoming changes. She shows you how to protect your tax status and reassure donors and volunteers while staying true to your organization’s mission. And she fills you in on what you need to know to: Comply with state laws and regulations Get and keep tax–exempt status Avoid lawsuits and other legal landmines Handle the media Anticipate future trends Make sense of the Sarbanes–Oxley act Including sample nonprofit bylaws and a complete audit committee report, Nonprofit Law & Governance for Dummies, Second Edition is an indispensable survival tool for 21st century nonprofits.

Nonprofit Governance Law, Practices & Trends Governance seems to be the subject that is perched atop every nonprofit lawyer's worry/wish list, despite the fact that there is not much law on the point, particularly at the federal level. This ascension in importance is largely due to the various organizations propounding best practices and principles for public charities and other forms of nonprofit organizations, the IRS's redesigned Form 990, the agency's aggressive push of certain good governance principles in the tax-exempt organizations' setting, and scandals brought to light by the Senate Finance Committee staff. Stemming from the authors' endless hours of meditating over the new Form 990 and sifting through the many (and often inconsistent) best practices principles, Nonprofit Governance fills the need for some cohesion in the realm of nonprofit governance by providing in-depth coverage and explanations of the laws, practices, and trends in this volatile area. An invaluable resource for nonprofit executives, officers, directors, nonprofit lawyers, accountants, members of boards of directors, and consultants, legal experts Bruce R. Hopkins and Virginia Gross's Nonprofit Governance brims with detailed documentation and references to regulations, rulings, cases, and tax literature (which includes current articles and tax law review notes). Here, readers will find a wealth of clarifying information on: Federal and state law fundamentals Board member responsibilities and liability Nonprofit governance principles Nonprofit governance issues Application of the private benefit doctrine Governance and the redesigned Form 990 Recommended polices and procedures Governance case studies Governance legal audit A law primer for nonprofit board members And much more The book includes an exhaustive index, Internal Revenue Code citations and numerous case studies, tips, forms, and checklists to round out the authoritative coverage. Nonprofit Governance is an indispensable guide to, and through, all of the governance policymaking that is unfolding, to improve the management of nonprofit organizations as well as to help organizations be in compliance with nonprofit governance law.

In the wake of the corporate scandals of the Enron era, Congress delivered the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) to bolster confidence in our nation's financial system. To save the system and protect the investing public from corporate abusers, Congress created a capable “toolkit” within SOX to fight fraud and enhance disclosure. Sarbanes-Oxley has been effective in stemming the tide of corporate malfeasance. Currently, only for-profit, publicly traded companies are subject to SOX. But corporate fraud does not stop at the door of the nonprofit world. Fraud within nonprofit corporations is a widespread problem, and nonprofits - particularly large public charities - share many similarities (the good and the bad) with their for-profit cousins. By drawing a parallel comparison between large public charities and publicly traded companies, this Article makes the case that the strong governance principles encapsulated by Sarbanes-Oxley should also be imposed on large public charities.While others have either argued against applying SOX to nonprofits or have cautiously advocated this approach because of the diverse and varying missions of nonprofits, this article particularly singles out large public charities and demonstrates that SOX is an ideal regulator for this group. While state governments and the IRS both engage in nonprofit regulation, the current regime suffers from a lack of resources and enforcement measures to be truly effective. This is where SOX can help. So much of what Sarbanes-Oxley accomplishes is self-reporting and a governance structure that promotes independence and transparency. Because of this, Sarbanes-Oxley is considered best practices for large entities, and is voluntarily followed by many public charities.Extending SOX would not be as large a leap as previously imagined. The parallel to large public charities is this: there is a disconnect between the stakeholders of a nonprofit and its directors and management. Within this gap lies the great potential for abuse and fraud. The economic impact of the nonprofit sector upon the American economy is no small thing, much less its social impact. To protect this vulnerable system and combat nonprofit abuse, this Article contends that Congress should take notice of the problem and address it using the same “toolkit” it already created when it addressed fraud among publicly traded companies.

THE HANDBOOK OF NONPROFIT GOVERNANCE From BoardSource comes The Handbook of Nonprofit Governance. This comprehensive resource explores the overarching question of governance within nonprofit organizations and addresses the roles, structures, and practices of an effective nonprofit. The Handbook of Nonprofit Governance covers the topics that are of most importance to those charged with creating and sustaining effective leadership, including building a board; succession planning; policies; financial oversight; fundraising; planning; strategic planning processes; risk management; and evaluation of the board, CEO, and organization. Praise for The Handbook of Nonprofit Governance "This is the first book I've found that covers the topic of governance from A to Z. I know what I'll be assigning the students in my governance class as a textbook next semester!" —TERRIE TEMKIN, founding principal, CoreStrategies for Nonprofits, Inc. "BoardSource has prepared an exceptional resource for nonprofit boards and leaders. This comprehensive volume offers timely and relevant information about board work and governance, including practical tools and resources that will be valuable to all types of nonprofits." —DAVID O. RENZ, chair, department of public affairs; Beth K. Smith/Missouri Chair in Nonprofit Leadership; and director, Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership; University of Missouri, Kansas City "If you are involved in nonprofit organizations, and if you ever have doubts about how they are best run, this is the book for you-and BoardSource is the place to turn." —FISHER HOWE, consultant, Lavender/Howe & Associates, and author, The Nonprofit Leadership Team BoardSource (formerly the National Center for Nonprofit Boards) is the premier resource for practical information, tools and best practices, training, and leadership development for board members of nonprofit organizations worldwide.