The core of Blue Fox’s philosophy is the synergy between technology and humanity – that’s why our tagline is Agile Accounting for Impact. We serve our clients with the best solutions and virtual tools to run their nonprofit organization’s back office with efficiency and excellence.

We listen to the nonprofit buzz every day and understand that tax compliance is a major pain point for many organizations. Queue a new #foxtastic partnership with Avalara. 

The team at Avalara lives and breathes tax compliance so your nonprofit can sit back and relax without having to be a tax expert in every state [especially with donors living all over]. Even better, their platform automates the major steps of tax compliance — all in the cloud. 

There are so many misconceptions about tax compliance in the nonprofit space. Here are three major areas of confusion: 

• Which nonprofit organizations are exempt from paying sales tax?
• How do nonprofits prove they’re tax-exempt?
• Can nonprofits be audited for sales tax compliance?​

Avalara answers all of these questions in their Nonprofits and sales tax questions answered whitepaper. 

So, why did our team at Blue Fox partner with Avalara? That’s simple: their services take care of nonprofits by limiting tax risk and building efficiency through automation and integration with Quickbooks.
​
If you’re interested in learning more, let us introduce you to the tax experts at Avalara. Send us an email at hello@yourbluefox.com email. 

Want to learn more about who benefits from sales tax automation and how it can save time and money? Check out the free guide below with answers to your most important sales tax automation questions.

Fundraisers certainly have their work cut out for them this year. Coronavirus. Racism. Unemployment. Riots. Business closures. Natural disasters. A contentious election year. All of these make for a super challenging fundraising environment. So, what’s a fundraising organization to do with giving season right around the corner?
 
Here’s our CEO’s most recent article addressing this issue: Raise More Money - 4 Financial Secrets for Fundraisers. And, here are a some of our favorite resources from social impact leaders we trust:

• (VIDEO) Power Prospecting in a Pandemic and Beyond
• (STATS) 22 Statistics About #GivingTuesday Donors Worldwide
• (HOW TO) How to Encourage Recurring Gifts Online: 4 Actionable Tips
• (RESOURCE PAGE) Classy’s Refreshed Giving Tuesday Resource Center
• ​(CHECKLIST) Ultimate Financial Checklist for Giving Season

 
Keep in mind that fundraising is just the first step to grow (and these days sustain) your nonprofit. It’s what you do with those funds (how you manage and leverage them) that’s key to organizational sustainability. That’s where our team at Blue Fox comes in handy. We’re like a swiss army knife – each service we offer designed to streamline your back office and manage your financials in the most effective way possible.
 
Please enjoy these resources and if you’re interested in hearing more from us, subscribe to our newsletter today! 

So, you received PPP funds. 
What do you do now? 
How do you make sure your loan is forgiven? 
If you're asking these questions, you're not alone! 
 
What we know: 

• If passed, Senate Bill 4321 will allow all PPP borrowers that received $150,000 or less to automatically have their loan forgiven if the debtee “signs and submits to the lender an attestation that the eligible recipient made a good faith effort to comply with all requirements. 

What we advise:

• If you received PPP funds for under $150,000 and want to apply for forgiveness - JUST WAIT! The current application is complicated and looks like a mini tax form. You may not need to complete this form if Senate Bill 4321 is passed. We'll keep you updated.

As always, our team is happy to answer questions and help your organization navigate current financial challenges. Give us a call at (321) 233-3311 or email hello@yourbluefox.com. ​

​Raise your hand if you love being audited.
Anyone? Anyone?
We didn’t think so.
 
At most companies, audit time causes anxiety and panic. And, the pressure doesn’t stop there. As a financial services and advisory firm, we’re under the microscope too.
 
For many nonprofit organizations an audit is an annual occurrence (often mandated in the bylaws or by state law). From a fundraising perspective, a clean audit can demonstrate sound financial stewardship and pave the way for increased donor trust and giving. That’s why our team at Blue Fox views a client audit as a management and marketing opportunity, as well as an important financial management exercise.
 
Using the right tools and technology, we’ve reduced the tedious audit process from an average 10 hours down to just 2. That’s an entire workday saved – you’re welcome! How did we do it? One app: Bill.com.  
 
We’re such big fans of Bill.com’s audit effectiveness that Bill.com asked our CEO, Chantal Sheehan to write about it on their blog.
 
In the full article, How to Help Your Clients Get a Clean Audit, she highlights 3 key features at Bill.com that help our clients get clean, fairly painless audits each year:
 
(1)  Digitized, paperless records
(2)  Enforcement of internal controls
(3)  Audit trail feature
 
The full article gives specific details and examples. It’s a must read!
 
Is your organization looking for nonprofit audit preparation services? Give us a call at (321) 233-3311 or email. We’ll get you sorted! Then you can focus on what really matters: your mission and serving your community.
 
Related Articles
5 Tips to Get You A Clean Audit Every Year
Nonprofits - It's Time to Automate Your Back Office
10 Reasons to Outsource Your Nonprofit Accounting

Fundraisers certainly have their work cut out for them this year. Coronavirus. Racism. Unemployment. Riots. Business closures. Natural disasters. A contentious election year. All of these make for a super challenging fundraising environment. So, what’s a fundraising organization to do?
 
Chances are, you’re already making lemons out of lemonade. We applaud all of you nonprofiteers for a quick pivot to digital fundraising, virtual events, and redirecting your focus on personal donor communication strategies. Strong relationships are more important than ever. And, our team at Blue Fox would like to offer: “What if those relationships are paired with strategic financial knowledge? How much more effective could your fundraising team be?”
 
Our CEO, Chantal Sheehan recently wrote a guest feature article for Bloomerang addressing this exact question: 4 Finance Secrets to Help You Raise More Money.
 
(1)  Know Your Burn Rate
(2)  Be Transparent and Fluent in Financial Data
(3)  Demonstrate Financial Resilience
(4)  Understand How to Frame Overhead as Programmatic Support
 
The full article gives specific details and examples. It’s a must read!
 
If your team could use guidance implementing these suggestions, our friendly team at Blue Fox is here to help! Give us a call at (321) 233-3311 or email. We’ll get you sorted! Then you can focus on what really matters: your mission and serving your community.
 
Related Articles
6 Step Guide to Build Donor Trust
Our Favorite Resources for Nonprofit Fundraisers
Kindness Leads to More Profit and Productivity
​

​In the nonprofit world, nirvana is achieved through financial sustainability. We’re talking about a level of sustainability that most organizations only dream about: fully funded operating reserves, available lines of credit, multiple revenue streams, and a full understanding of when the money flows in, how to leverage it, make it grow, and how it is best spent.
 
Financial sustainability creates its own beautiful cycle. It breeds proactive leadership, strategic direction, and organization growth. Why? Because social impact leaders with a comprehensive understanding of their financial operations can confidently communicate, empower and build trust with their stakeholders. And, trust leads to increased financial support. [6 Step Guide to Build Donor Trust]
 
This high-performing type of organization is 100% possible! We know because we’ve seen countless organizations transform, including many of our clients.
 
So, where does a nonprofit start?
 
Here’s a model of the 4-part system that our CEO, Chantal Sheehan uses to help nonprofits achieve financial sustainability. It’s a cycle. It’s a system. The flow creates continuous improvement and continuous analysis.
 
Let’s break it down… 

​Simply put, stewardship is nurturing, supporting, and taking care of something. Its time spent thinking, planning, talking, and taking action to ensure long-term viability.
 
Ask yourself. Does your team steward your financial operations as much as other organizational activities? Think about how much time your team spends each week on fundraising? How much time do you spend cultivating donors? How much of your time is spent chasing donations and grant money? 50% of your week? 70%? Maybe even 90%?
 
Now, how much time do you spend analyzing how those hard-fought dollars are used? Do you have regular meetings with your team about finance? Do department or program heads talk about budget in real-time and regularly? In most cases, the time spent on financial management (stewardship) is not even close to the time spent raising the funds. It’s time to change that dynamic and take one huge leap closer to financial sustainability.
 
“Sustainability starts with a commitment to apply the same principles and stewardship to finance as we apply to fundraising and donor relationships.” – Chantal Sheehan, Blue Fox CEO

The use of modern financial technology is a critical support mechanism for financial stewardship. Tech platforms have come a long way in the last decade. They are more cost-effective and affordable than ever, and it’s time for nonprofits to get on board. Using financial technology appropriately is no longer just a plus for nonprofits… it’s a must. FinTech or bust! [Our Favorite Back Office Technology Solutions]
 
Some reasons why social impact organizations should adopt or seek out best of breed financial technology:

• Built for ease of use
• Automation of monotonous and error-prone accounting data entry
• Transition to a new platform is much less painful than it used to be
• Cross-platform integration is widely available
• Cloud-based* platforms provide access to data anywhere, anytime (and no down-time when disasters strike)
• Cloud-based* platforms offer continuous updates and improvement at no additional cost
• Digitized audit trails
• Enhanced internal controls

 
* Side note on “cloud-based”: Let’s get coffee if you think we’re talking about actual clouds here :)

​Data. It’s not just a word for nerdy back-office folks crunching numbers. Data is a word used by proactive smart leaders. Data is what gives nonprofit executive directors, CEOs and board members the ability to make reasoned, educated decisions. Data is the pencil that draws the blueprints for strategic planning. If your last organizational decision was made by intuition, why not generate some data to check yourself and provide evidence? Data breeds buy-in too.
 
When it comes to collecting data, our CEO always says, “Garbage in, garbage out.” If your FinTech is working for you the way it should be, avoiding bad data should be straightforward. But here are some operational decisions for your team to consider to ensure your data is squeaky clean:

• What data needs to be measured?
  • Accounting data
  • Donor data
  • Member retention
  • Sponsor satisfaction
  • Program participation
  • Program impact
• What’s the right frequency to measure and discuss data?
• Accountability: who is in charge of producing the data?
• Accuracy: How can you check it? 

​Now that your data gleams, it’s time to use it to generate insights. Data tells you what happened. Insights tell you why something happen, why something failed to happen or what might happen next. Insights result from analysis and discussion. One of the best ways to analyze and discuss data is to make it visual whenever possible.
 
Here are some tools that make financial data visual and encourage your team to generate insights to aid in organizational decision making:  

• Comparative financial statements
  • This year vs last year
  • This month vs last month
  • This month vs last month vs this month last year
• Ratios (Click to Download Blue Fox’s Magical Nonprofit Financial Ratio Matrix)
  • Current Ratio
  • Months of Cash
  • Reliance
  • Fundraising Efficiency
  • Self-Sufficiency
  • Program Efficiency
• Dashboard style reports
• Infographics
• Simple charts

 
Once you’ve taken your data from snooze-fest to wow-fest, you’ll notice a fairly immediate shift in how your team discusses it. Insights will begin to reveal themselves, giving you the capacity to make informed decisions and strategic moves as needed. 

It’s time to close this loop of continuous improvement and analysis. Let’s talk about, plan for and become proactive (a.k.a. steward) about your financial situation to put your organization in a more sustainable position.
 
Data and the insights they reveal show you what financial risks and opportunities exist. Now, relate those to your external and internal environments. Determine what changes you can make now so that your organization is stronger and better able to mitigate risks. Think about how these new insights should inform changes to your current fundraising initiatives, revenue goals, operational plans, and program strategies. Then plan for a rainy day. Shore up any potential cash flow weak spots by acquiring a line of credit and creating an operating reserve (5 Key Elements Your Operating Reserves Policy Needs). Do this year after year, and you will watch your organization shift from reactive to proactive, and sustainability will follow.
 
As always, if your team could use support implementing this system at your nonprofit, Blue Fox is her to help! Give us a call at (321) 233-3311 or email hello@yourbluefox. Feel free to learn more about our philosophy, clients, services and our team before you make that call. Now, let’s get to work!

By: Blue Fox CEO, Chantal Sheehan and Marketing Guru, Chelsea Clementi

I’m over it.
 
COVID-19.
The deaths.
The sickness.
The fear.
The grief.
The politics.
The injustice.
The media.
The government screw ups.
The lockdowns.
The conspiracy theories.
The economy.
The unemployment rate.
The PPP.
The food supply.
The feeling of loneliness.
The worry. About everything. All the time.
The hoarding.
The sickness.
The deaths.
Oh look, murder hornets.
WTF.
 
I’m so over this s#!t. I know you are, too.
 
That’s why I’ve decided it’s time to break up with COVID-19.
 
As leaders and business owners, we have a job to do. Yes, we must acknowledge and accept the reality we now find ourselves in, but we can’t afford to lose touch with each other and perhaps more importantly, ourselves. We can’t afford to sacrifice today and tomorrow’s opportunities because a virus just gave the world a horrible, epic swirlie and we’re glued to a device watching things fall apart.
 
It’s time to break up with COVID-19.
 
This is a defining moment in time, no doubt. How will this moment come to define you?
 
Remember: we have work to do. We must get up every day, lead our teams, take care of our families, and provide services and support to communities and people who rely on us. (And hopefully, find toilet paper somewhere in between.)
 
Need inspiration, or a reminder of why your work matters? Here’s a sample of the amazing things our clients have been up to – also known as why we get out of bed every day:

• STARability, Naples, FL: A quick, effective pivot to virtual programming for adults with developmental challenges gets picked up by the news [VIDEO]

 

• Zawadisha, Kenya: 12 women make 1,500 masks for their community in 2 weeks [INSTAGRAM]

 

• Together Bay Area, Berkeley, CA: A simple survey of their members – land trusts, conservation organizations, natural resource managers, and indigenous groups – turns into huge advocacy leverage. Their 24 members estimate Together’s coalition could advance investments in green infrastructure to the tune of 10,500 new jobs across 10 Bay Area counties, improving the environment and access to nature for 7.7 million people [PDF]

 

• Nyaka, Michigan/Uganda: Releases first full-length documentary – award winning, truth-telling, INSPIRING, and streaming free [VIDEO-40 min]

 
What are you up to? Let us know and we’ll give you a shout out, too. We’re in this together.
 
Still in bed? Still feeling blue?
 
Let’s throw all the damn clichés in here at once and snap the hell out of it:
 
Stay positive.
Breathe.
Just keep swimming.
Be in the moment.
Enjoy the little things.
Hug someone.
Or tell someone you wish you could.
Fix something you can fix.
Clean something you can clean.
Make a good meal.
Then give it to someone else.
Rethink your career.
Consider your long-term plans for your business.
(Make a long-term plan for your business.)
Plant a garden.
Plant a tree.
Talk to your neighbors.
Walk.
Run.
Cycle.
Breathe again.
Dream big.
Innovate.
Cogitate.
Adapt.
Improvise.
Thrive.
 
You’ve got this.
 
Here are some of our favorite resources right now for moving on and moving out of crisis mode.
 
Those of us who successfully break up with COVID-19 and end our internal toxic relationship with all that it brings will be better for it in the end. I know that sounds trite, naïve even. But it’s a hallmark of human experience that when disaster or tragedy strikes, we evolve in response. The exceptional among us turn horror into beauty, discord into order, and brokenness into wholeness.
 
Join me. Say sayonara to this stupid virus.
 
Become a stronger, better, more flexible, adaptable, sustainable person, and then empower and support those around you to do the same.
 
I’m with you.
 
Virtual Hugs,
Chantal

​Be transparent.
Build trust.
Strengthen relationships.
Raise more money.
Repeat.
 
There you have it: the secret to nonprofit success!
 
If only it were that simple, right?! The most successful development professionals and their nonprofits spend years building trusting relationships with their donors. Trust is not easily earned and it’s as fragile as glass. But did you know that new research shows that financial transparency is key in the trust-building process? Donors who see the financial impact that their funds make on your mission are more likely to give again.  So, why do so many nonprofit organizations only share financial data internally? Did you know that sharing financial data with donors can change the fundraising game for your organization?
 
Here’s the research to back it up: the Give.org Donor Trust Report and research by GuideStar prove a positive correlation between organizational transparency and donor giving.  When the first goes up, so does the other.
 
So, what does it mean to be transparent? What can you do to infuse transparency into your organization?
 
Our team at Blue Fox created a step-by-step guide to guide you through this transformative process. And our recommendations are not as abstract as you might think.
 
Here’s what we know: Donors want to see the impact of their dollars. They need to know each and every penny (hey, that’s our mascot’s name!) is leveraged to its fullest. They want all the feel goods that come from giving to their passion. So, let’s show them!
 
Here’s what you do…
 
6 Steps to Build a Transparent Nonprofit Organization:
 
Step 1:
ORGANIZE: Your Financial Systems & Information
Honesty is the best policy. This is especially true when it comes to the financial data you share with your board members, staff, committees, donors and the community as a whole. Only share financial information if you’re 100% sure it’s accurate. Start here:

• Make sure your books are up to date.
• Streamline processes to ensure anyone with access to financial information is entering data in a consistent and accurate way.
• Consider hiring an outsourced accounting firm (like us) to seamlessly manage your back office or to simply complete an comprehensive review of your financials (You can bet that GuideStar’s team will be doing a deep dive review of your financials if/when you apply for their Seal of Transparency).

 
Step 2:
TEACH: Educate Your Staff & Board
Whether you realize it or not, your entire internal team (staff and board members) are walking, talking promoters and fundraisers for your organization. It’s time to educate them on the innerworkings of how the organization operates, the current state of the financials and future needs. Educated employees are empowered employees. Now that your financials are squeaky clean, use them to mobilize your team:

• Review financial statements at staff meetings (you’ll be shocked how this can motivate people)
• Use dashboard style reports at board meetings to get their attention.
• Analyze financial information with your team to reveal what the data is telling you

 
Step 3:
PROVE: Your Credibility, High Standards & Stewardship
You’re on the way to financial stewardship excellence and it’s time to prove it. Disclaimer: this step may take some time but it’s worth it. Keep your eye on the prize and remember that checking these boxes will build the foundation for your new level of transparency. This is the step where you generate the powerful content for your future public relations efforts (steps 5 and 6).
 
(1) Certifications, accreditations and memberships are a sure-fire way to boost your credibility and legitimacy (a.k.a. trust) in the eyes of donors.

• GuideStar Seal of Transparency
• Mission-aligned accreditations
• Memberships with professional alliances
• Personnel certifications (Ex. Nonprofit Leadership Alliance NCP)

 
(2) Schedule a brainstorming and analysis session with your team. It’s time to build a financially data-driven list of your organization’s accomplishments and future goals. What do we mean by data-driven? Use your financial data to frame your story (percentages, numbers, benchmarks). Some of these might seem basic, but many organizations overlook them:

• Our fundraising events cost $____ per attendee
• We are 85% funded to launch XYZ new program
• Our overall budget grew by X% last year allowing us to serve X# of more…
• If we want to bring in $____ in money next year, it means either raising program fees to ____ or getting XX donors to give at $____ level or higher

 
Step 4:
ALIGN: Your Funding Needs & Systems
Okay, so you’ve got ducks in a row internally. You know where you’ve been and are excited to tell the world where you’re going, with data to back it up! But, wait! There’s one more step before you can package the information and shout it from the roof top. Make sure to coordinate your fundraising efforts with your marketing messages. Ask yourself these questions:

• What are your most pressing funding needs based on your data?
• What funding requests in the pipeline will appreciate your new transparency-based communications? Do not miss this opportunity to ask for support!
• Do your donors receive follow-up communication after making a contribution and how can you integrate transparency-related messages?

 
 
Step 5:
DEVELOP: Your Key Messages & Marketing Collateral
It’s time to call in the marketing team! (If you don’t have one, consider trading sponsor visibility with a local agency.) This is when you compile your data-driven information, accomplishments, accreditations and certifications in an easy-to-digest manner (everything from step 3). Here are some suggestions:

• Write a press release
• Create an infographic
• Create graphics
• Write blurbs and summaries
• Create a visually-appealing annual report

 
BRING IT HOME: Your primary messaging goal is to show that you’re a financially responsible, trustworthy organization that uses every dollar raised to provide services to your community. Always bring your messages back to how donors are making an impact. Use the data to tell a story and don’t be afraid to pull some heart strings.
 
Step 6:
PROMOTE: Publish, Send, Schedule, Post, Share, Spread the Word!
It’s time to publicize the whole kit-and-kaboodle. You’ve prepared all of your data-driven key messages and connected them to fundraising appeals. Now it’s time to spread the word:

• Share information on your website
• Send your press release
• Communicate with email subscribers
• Integrate your messages into event announcements
• Hold an event to celebrate a major accomplishment
• Schedule social media posts
• Weave messages into fundraising collateral
• Update signage (for high traffic and even-based nonprofits)

 
If you’ve read this far, congratulations! It takes massive effort and commitment from the very beginning to become a more transparent nonprofit. But the reward is worth the work. Take these steps one-by-one. Eat that elephant in bite size pieces. And, when you’re finished, donors will see your organization as a highly trustworthy and impactful place to invest.
 
And remember, our team of nonprofit financial gurus can provide back office support along your journey. The best time to ask us for help is the very beginning (step 1). Whether you need bookkeeping services or help with financial analysis, Blue Fox is here to help.
 
Your financials have a story to tell. Let’s start listening and telling that story!
 
Authors:
Chantal Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Blue Fox
Chelsea Clementi, Director of Marketing, Blue Fox

Nonprofits everywhere equate fundraising with tireless event planning, digital crowdfunding, relationship building, and writing grants. But we would offer that before your staff gets to work, the finance and development teams should have a solid understanding of the organization’s financial position. That information can help light a fire with the staff and board, shape your giving goals, and inform the messaging of your appeals.
 
So, we put together this handy checklist to help you get your financial house in order before you launch your next fundraising initiative. We’re pretty sure this is the first list of its kind – so enjoy and let us know how we can help!

CLICK HERE to download the goods!

If you’re like us, your daily inbox is jam-packed with newsletters and educational opportunities from like-minded social impact leaders. These spectacular humans work around the clock to foster positive change in their communities. Then, somehow, find time to share their story with fellow nonprofit enthusiasts. We tip our hat to them!
 
Here are just a handful of our favorite nonprofit resources this month:
 

• (TRENDS) The Top 5 Fundraising Trends in 2020
• (WEBINAR) 5 Ways to Transform Your Year-End with a Donor Management System
• (ARTICLE) Why January Is the Most Important Time for Donor Retention
• (WEBINAR) Let’s RAP – Creating a MAJOR GIFT Relationship Action Plan
• (MYTH BUSTER) 3 myths about creativity that are probably holding you back

 
 
Thanks for stopping by to read our picks for top nonprofit news this month! If you’re interested in hearing more from us, subscribe to our newsletter today!
 
About Blue Fox: Our team provides customized, boutique financial and back office services for social impact organizations. Services range from standard bookkeeping and payroll services, to coaching and consulting, to comprehensive virtual CFO services. Our mission is to disrupt the traditional accounting model through technology, innovation, and a radically client-focused approach that truly empowers nonprofits and social enterprises. For more information call (321) 233-3311, email hello@yourbluefox.com, and visit www.YourBlueFox.com.