Posts Tagged ‘nonprofits’

How Much Can You Afford to Give?

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

It’s that time of year.  From now until December 31, you’re likely to receive tons of requests for charitable contributions from nonprofits.  Though you’d like to give something to all (or at least most) of them, it’s not practical.  Besides… do you even know how much you can afford to give?

It’s a great (and difficult) question, isn’t it?

The fact is that there are many ways to get something from your giving, but you have to know how much you can (or should) give first.  And that’s where a CPA and/or CFO can help you analyze your books.  For instance, someone with financial expertise can help you evaluate how much you can reasonably afford to donate to local, national or international nonprofits.

Never forget that it’s customary for businesses to give back to their communities in some form, even in difficult economic times such as those we’ve been experiencing in 2009.  Make sure you work with a CPA or CFO so you don’t wind up hurting your cash flow as you’re trying to help others.

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  • Are You Planning Your Giving or Just “Giving”?

    Thursday, August 27th, 2009

    ben-franklin-billWe all receive requests for donations from local, national and international nonprofits.  Some, we throw away.  Others, we consider.  A few receive checks.

    It’s a fantastic idea to maintain a philosophy of corporate giving; after all, hundreds of thousands of organizations are partially or fully dependant on the monies raised through annual or occasional drives.  However, as a small or mid-sized business owner, you need to be pragmatic about where contributions are going and how they are working for you.

    This is where a knowledgeable CFO can come into play.  If he or she has the proper credentials and training, your CFO can assist you in planning your quarterly or annual contributions.  Doing so will accomplish a number of objectives, including:  a) keeping you from spending too much… or too little… on nonprofits you want to support; b) giving you and your employees a practical reason to say “no” to some donation requests; and c) enabling you to take advantage of the tax-related benefits of corporate giving.

    While “giving” is great, planning your giving is better all-around.  Ask your CFO about how you can establish a contribution strategy today.