How-To Guides

The choice between Form 990 and Form 990-EZ comes down to gross receipts and total assets. This guide explains the IRS thresholds and filing tradeoffs.

AI tools can shave 30-50% off the time it takes to draft a grant proposal - but only if you use them on the parts of the work where they actually help. This

An honest assessment of AI tools for nonprofits - where they genuinely help, where they're overhyped, data privacy considerations, and what AI features in

A working annual fund calendar - fall appeal, year-end push, spring renewal, summer stewardship, mid-cycle upgrades, and how to slot major gifts and grants

What an annual fund is, why it matters for nonprofit sustainability, and how to build one with a calendar, donor upgrade strategy, and the right metrics.

A practical guide to nonprofit board financial reports-what statements boards need, grant-specific supplements, how often to report, and how to make reports

Board give-or-get policy guide: set the right amount, structure flexible options, communicate expectations, and enforce accountability fairly.

Capacity building grants fund organizational infrastructure, not programs. This guide covers eligible activities, funders, applications, and reporting.

How to plan a capital campaign - feasibility study, gift range chart, quiet phase, public phase, staffing, and the financial controls a multi-year campaign

A practical guide to building a nonprofit case for support that holds up in grant applications, major gift conversations, and board presentations.

A practical CDBG grants guide for nonprofits covering HUD funding flow, local government pass-throughs, eligible activities, and the public services cap.

What the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funds, who qualifies, how nonprofits apply through Grants.gov, and the Uniform Guidance plus 45 CFR Part