Learning the Ropes of Nonprofit Accounting

Nonprofit professionals play a crucial role in advancing the mission and goals of their organizations. While your focus may primarily be on delivering impactful programs and services, understanding basic accounting and financial management is essential for your—and your organization’s—success.

Mastering the basics of nonprofit accounting will help you ensure financial accountability to your donors and stakeholders, maintain transparency and accountability, and operate in accordance with legal requirements. Sound financial management is essential for making informed, strategic decisions and allocating your resources wisely. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a nonprofit newbie, take this opportunity to learn the ropes of nonprofit accounting!

Learn the basics of nonprofit finance and the essential items you need to know! These topics include:

• Essential Nonprofit Financial Statements
• Nonprofit Accounting Terminology
• Internal Controls
• Preventing Fraud
• Required Filings – Form 990s: N, EZ, Full Form; 990-T and UBI
• Donor Requirements and Restrictions
• Financial Audit, Review, Compilation — when, why, how?
• Required Policies and Best Practices
• Bookkeeping Essentials
• Areas of Caution
• And more!

Who Should Attend?
Executive Directors, CFOs, Accounting and Finance staff, Development staff, HR staff, administrative staff, and anyone else who would benefit from learning about nonprofit accounting and financial management.

Registration Instructions: Use code 2023NPAVT to register at the discounted rate.

Register Here

About the Speakers:

Steven W. Sauer, CPA

Steve is a member of the Nonprofit, Education and Public Sector Practice. For more than 15 years, he has served a variety of domestic and international nonprofits. He leads Colorado’s nonprofit attestation practice and Colorado’s nonprofit advisory practice, which includes services such as outsourced CFO and controller engagements, grants management, internal control and operational assessments, peer-to-peer benchmarking, best practice reviews, software selection, and on-demand training/educational/governance resources.

He is a frequent presenter, trainer, and panelist for a variety of nonprofit industry groups. Steve is a regular author and instructor for FORVIS’ nationally acclaimed FORsights™ as well as FORVIS’ annual nonprofit and public sector seminars. He has served on a variety of FORVIS internal office inspections as well as firmwide task forces to research and implement significant standards changes, including FASB’s Revenue from Contracts with Customers and Presentation of Financial Statements of Not-for-Profit Entities and the AICPA’s Group Audit standards.

Steve is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and COCPA. He currently serves as treasurer for Village Seven Presbyterian Church and for Disabling Barriers (a Colorado Springs grant-making foundation), as well as a member of the COCPA’s nonprofit industry resource panel. Steve is a 2013 graduate of the Leadership Pikes Peak Leadership NOW! program, which is designed to train participants in leadership and civic-minded skills.

He is a 2007 magna cum laude graduate of University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, with a B.S. degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting.

David (Stedman) S. Lowry, CPA

Stedman is a member of the Nonprofit Practice. For the last three years, he has served a variety of nonprofit organizations in several different capacities, including in-house as an accountant, as an auditor and preparer of 990s at a public accounting firm, and now as a consultant on the Nonprofit Practice team.

He assists clients in many ways, including outsourced chief financial officer and controller type engagements, grants management, peer-to-peer benchmarking, audit and Single Audit preparation, and best practice recommendations. He helps with various assessments, including internal control, operational, financial, and policies and procedures. He also possesses expertise in several different accounting systems including Sage 100, Microsoft Dynamics, QuickBooks, and MIP, and assists clients with various technical issues with their systems.

Stedman is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and COCPA. He is a 2018 graduate of Hillsdale College, Michigan, with a B.S. degree in accounting.

Evan T. Sheehan

Evan is a member of the Nonprofit Practice. For more than five years, he has provided accounting services to a variety of local municipalities and nonprofits. Evan now passionately serves his clients over a range of financial, accounting, and compliance consulting projects.

He has accumulated experiences not only as an outsourced accountant at a national CPA firm, but also working within the industry serving one of Denver’s largest and longest-standing nonprofit organizations. He possesses noteworthy skills in accounting information system implementation, utilization, policy, and training, in addition to various aspects of the accounting, auditing, and budgeting cycles.

Evan is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and COCPA. He is also a member of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network, formerly serving as treasurer and executive committee board member for more than two years.

He is a 2017 graduate of Metropolitan State University of Denver, Colorado, with a B.S. degree in accounting, and a current accounting master’s degree student at Regis University, Denver, Colorado.

FORVIS is built upon the strong legacies of BKD and DHG, which are reflected in a name that represents our unique focus on preparing our clients for what is next. With more than 5,400 dedicated professionals who serve clients in all 50 states, as well as across the globe, FORVIS will offer comprehensive assurance, tax, advisory, and wealth management services. Learn more about FORVIS.