Not-for-profit news and resources - Journal of Accountancy

TOPICS

April 1, 2026

How to protect nonprofits from hidden fraud risks

CPAs can help not-for-profits spot the red flags of common schemes, so they can take steps to tighten controls and reduce exposure.

February 1, 2026

Built on purpose: CPA’s 6 steps to starting a not-for-profit

Learn how to launch a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit by covering key areas such as IRS compliance, governance, board structure, financial systems, and transparency.

August 29, 2024

Chasing the right things: Keynote speaker’s keys to contentment

A keynote speaker explains why wanting to win an argument is a losing proposition and why he looks forward to speaking to a government and not-for-profit audience Oct. 28. Listen to the podcast episode or read the Q&A.

August 1, 2024

What not-for-profits need to know about UBIT

CPAs can help not-for-profits understand what revenue is subject to the unrelated business income tax (UBIT) and navigate the rules surrounding the tax.

July 1, 2024

Guiding not-for-profits through post-pandemic challenges

Experts examine how CPAs can help clients meet increasing demand in a difficult fundraising and staffing environment.

July 1, 2024

How CPAs can benefit from not-for-profit board service

Volunteering to serve as a board member for a not-for-profit can be a career-changer. Follow these strategies to make it work.

July 1, 2024

What to know to avoid deficient not-for-profit audits

Most recent peer review insights suggest that insufficient or inadequate documentation was the most common problem in not-for-profit audits, but better planning could prevent deficiencies.

April 15, 2024

A&A Focus recap: A&A risk, not-for-profit update, SQMS, and ERC

The April installment of the monthly newscast series covered topics ranging from current practitioner risks and the quality management standards to ERC considerations and a not-for-profit industry update.

April 10, 2024

Creating a not-for-profit accounting course

A practitioner-turned-professor explains what’s wrong with not-for-profit accounting education and what she did to fix it.

February 22, 2024

The clean-energy direct-pay election for not-for-profits and governmental entities

Under the Sec. 6417 direct-pay election, tax-exempt organizations, including not-for-profits and governmental agencies, can claim certain energy credits on their federal income tax returns, but to claim them for 2023, the direct-pay election must be made on a timely filed 2023 federal income tax return.

August 1, 2023

Peer review findings in audits of not-for-profits: What auditors need to know

Experts suggest ways to prevent common problems such as inadequate planning and risk assessment and insufficient documentation.

May 6, 2022

Accounting for employee retention credits

Companies that received financial assistance during the pandemic have questions about which standards to apply related to accounting for the ERC.

April 26, 2022

Hard at times but also rewarding: A CPA’s career leap to India

A CPA from North Carolina shares the story of her move to India — the advance planning, the learning curve, and why she gave herself permission to fail.

March 25, 2022

3 ways NFPs can adapt online to the new economic climate

Telling compelling narratives online by leveraging influencers, TikTok, and freelancer platforms can increase opportunities for not-for-profits.

March 24, 2022

Lease accounting urgency ramps up for not-for-profits

After numerous effective date delays, not-for-profits are running out of time to implement the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s new lease accounting standard.

March 18, 2022

The state of US not-for-profits: More demands, fewer resources

A new survey by BKD CPAs & Advisors finds that most US not-for-profits are adding new services to meet increased demand despite facing shortfalls in funding and staffing.

March 17, 2022

Not-for-profit audits in a remote world, plus IRS news

Learn how the abrupt shift to remote work affected not-for-profit audits and how they’re coping now, plus the latest news, in this podcast episode with transcript.

March 16, 2022

SBA again extends deferment period for EIDL payments

Small businesses and not-for-profits that received funding through the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan program won’t have to begin payments on the loan until 30 months after the loan was made, the US SBA announced.

March 10, 2022

The power of technology to change how CPAs think about value

A CPA technology expert shares what the future holds for client advisory services, how training should be tailored, and what she learned about her grandfather’s CPA practice.

March 9, 2022

How not-for-profits can emphasize their advantages in a tight labor market

Recruiting and retention are difficult in an environment where employees have lots of options. Not-for-profits can emphasize their mission and use many other strategies to stay fully staffed.

FROM THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

4 ways solo practitioners can stand out

Five years ago, a grieving Angel Zhen started his own CPA firm with no clients and no revenue. Today, he has 300 clients, $600,000 in revenue and 12 weeks of annual vacation. In this JofA article, he shares how he set up his firm and how you could do the same.