07.12.12

VOW to Hire a Veteran
Jeffrey Chiles

Having just recently celebrated both Memorial Day and Independence Day, it seems like an appropriate time to discuss the government’s initiative to help employ veterans of the Armed Forces while incentivizing employers at the same time.

06.20.12

Volunteers and Your Organization – A Helpful Contribution
Harry Fox

Every non-profit loves a volunteer. From the ticket taker at a fundraiser to the accountant who reviews your books once a month to the lawyer who helped you incorporate, volunteers are a welcome addition to any non-profit as they provide valuable services that the non-profit would otherwise need to pay.

06.06.12

Making a Difference: The World of Giving
Lisa Dietlin

Summer has arrived in Chicago! It seems as if every weekend you can participate in an “-athon” type fundraiser for a nonprofit organization. Many of these endurance events are fundraisers to benefit health related organizations such as the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure (breast cancer) or Easter Seals’ Walk with Me (for autism). Such contests raise both funds and awareness about an organization’s cause.

05.23.12

Taking Donations Online: Making Your Website Do the Work for You
Emily Lonigro

If you’re a nonprofit organization, you probably already take donations on your website. Once you’ve cleared that hurdle, it’s important to know what makes that donate button work hard for you. The big ideas are: Make it Obvious, Make it Relevant and Make it Flexible.

05.09.12

Why Preparing for Your Annual Not-For-Profit Audit is Like Planning a BBQ
James Quaid

With the Cubs and White Sox playing ball, kids looking forward to summer break and the weather warming up outside, we know that BBQ season has arrived. Summer is also the time when most not-for-profit organizations begin planning for their annual audits. In the spirit of summer, this blog is devoted to two of my favorite topics and the similarities that they share.

04.11.12

Raising Awareness During Child Abuse Prevention Month
Char Rivette

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This month we set time aside to focus on the prevention of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse and neglect of children within our communities by fostering education and collaborating on programs that facilitate awareness.

03.28.12

An Ounce of Prevention for Non-Profits
Kenneth Tornheim

You don’t need to look hard to find an example of a company that has been victimized by employee theft. Just pick up the newspaper, scan the Internet or watch the news and you will likely find a story or two about a business being victimized by fraud. Charitable organizations are no exception, especially smaller ones, which can be frequent targets because they often lack the appropriate number of personnel in the finance area to segregate responsibilities.

03.21.12

Tips to Avoid an IRS Audit: Real Estate
Thomas Kosinski

Many IRS audits are designed to be focused on basic tax issues, but real estate deals can be complicated and confuse the basic facts and key issues of your tax situation. Here are five common tax issues that frequently get audited in the real estate industry:

03.03.12

Trends in Exits for Start Ups

The article below is written by Jeff Carter, co-founder of Hyde Park Angels, which is one of the most active angel groups in the US. He specifically does a great job at identifying how family offices approach angel investing differently than other investors. Jeff  states that family offices are sometimes more interested in receiving on-going […]

03.02.12

Federal Grants: What’s the Catch?

Great news! You just found out your organization is going to get a grant from the Federal government. Now you need to spend some time making sure you understand what the requirements of this grant are. Oh, by the way, does this mean you’re now receiving at least $500,000 from the government? If so, you also better call your auditors and let them know.