Done well, delegation allows not-for-profit executives to focus on their most important tasks, helps to build bench strength and gets staffers out of the office before midnight. But done poorly, it can create more burdens than it eases. Here are five practices all nonprofit leaders should adopt. 1. Choose tasks wisely Always try to devote…

Many businesses struggle to decide whether to use a public cloud computing solution or invest in a private cloud. Why not both? Under the hybrid approach, a company sets up an infrastructure that uses a public cloud for accessing apps and storing less sensitive data while relying on one or more private clouds to store…

Business owners are constantly bombarded with terminology and buzzwords. Although you probably feel a need to keep up with the latest trends, you also may find that many of these ideas induce more anxiety than relief. One example is change management. This term is used to describe the philosophies and processes an organization uses to…

Many people choose to pass assets to the next generation during life, whether to reduce the size of their taxable estate, to help out family members or simply to see their loved ones enjoy the gifts. If you’re considering lifetime gifts, be aware that which assets you give can produce substantially different tax consequences.  …

As we approach the end of the year, it’s a good idea to review your business’s expenses for deductibility. At the same time, consider whether your business would benefit from accelerating certain expenses into this year. Be sure to evaluate the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which reduces or eliminates many…

Is your sales process getting off-balance? Sometimes it can be hard to tell. Fluctuations in the economy, changes in customer interest and dips in demand may cause slowdowns that are beyond your control. But if the numbers keep dropping and you’re not sure why, you may need to double-check the structural soundness of how you…

If you’re age 70½ or older, you can make direct contributions — up to $100,000 annually — from your IRA to qualified charitable organizations without owing any income tax on the distributions. This break may be especially beneficial now because of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) changes that affect who can benefit from the…

Insurance is the cornerstone of any not-for-profit’s comprehensive risk management plan. It can’t protect your organization from every contingency, but it’s critical to protecting the people, property, funds and support you depend on. Must-have policies Many kinds of insurance coverage are available, but it’s unlikely your organization needs all of them. One type you do…

Nonprofit leaders may think they can turn over the logistics of a merger or acquisition to their professional advisors. But executives and board members play a critical role during the five major phases of the merger process.

Most business owners want to grow their companies. And one surefire sign of growth is when ownership believes the company can expand its operations to a second location. If your business has reached this point, or is nearing it, both congratulations and caution are in order. You’ve clearly done a great job with growth, but…

Contrary to popular belief, it’s usually perfectly legal to compensate not-for-profit board members — and sometimes it might even be necessary. But is it right for your organization? Pros and cons Board member compensation comes with several pros and cons to consider. Your organization might, for example, find it worthwhile to offer compensation to attract…

If you’ve done any research into employee benefits for your business recently, you may have come across a bit of alphabet soup in the form of “HSA + HDHP.” Although perhaps initially confusing, this formula represents an increasingly popular model for health care benefits — that is, offering a Health Savings Account (HSA) coupled with,…