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Often a small non-profit’s most overlooked business function is accounting. In many circumstances, a small non-profit is created as a result of volunteers wanting to solve a solution. It is usually not created by business professionals. Since these workers are volunteers, it is difficult to get the right person setup and to follow in the established accounting processes.

Getting a Certified Public Accountant is your first step in establishing an accounting system. This is one consultant that you need to spend the money to establish the right system. Finding a CPA that specialized in non-profit businesses will be another task. An accountant that specializes in non-profit small businesses will be harder to find than a regular CPA. Usually the Yellow Pages can highlight the accounts that specialize in non-profits.

Once you hire a CPA, and before the books are actually created with this accountant, you will need two more additional items. The first is a bookkeeping program like QuickBooks. Many non-profits can qualify for greatly reduced software by purchasing through a non-profit software discount company like Techsoup.org. The next item is lining up a person that will actually perform the day-to-day or week-to-week bookkeeping functions. In other words you need a dedicated bookkeeper.

Once these three components are in place (CPA, Software, and Bookkeeper), then you need to establish your system. The CPA will need to work with the bookkeeper to design a system together that will be efficient and easy to understand. Once this system is working for a few months, then the accountant will need to review the processes again to make sure the bookkeeper is following their direction.

The last component of a good accounting system for a small-business non-profit is to close out the books and submit your IRS 990 form. The accountant will work with the bookkeeper to resolve the end of the year reporting. Finally, you need to establish a system so your books will be audited by the accountant every 2 or 3 years. All of these costs need to be budgeted in the accounting system so the fees will not be a surprise every couple of years.

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