Posts by Stephen Weir
3 Essential Views of Nonprofit Finances: Past, Present & Future
Most nonprofit leaders didn’t come up through finance. They came up through programs, fundraising, or advocacy. And somewhere along the way, they became responsible for an organization’s financial health without ever getting a clear picture of what that actually involves. One of the most useful things I’ve found when working with nonprofit leaders is to…
Read MoreThe One Thing New Leaders Forget: Contracts
Starting a new role as an executive director (ED) is a lot. There’s an organization to understand, a team to meet, a board to build trust with, and usually a backlog of decisions that have been waiting for new leadership to arrive. The first few weeks are a blur, and everyone wants a piece of…
Read MoreWhat Changes Financially When a Nonprofit Crosses $1 Million in Revenue
There’s a moment in almost every nonprofit’s growth story when the energy shifts. The early years feel lean and scrappy. A handful of staff, a few reliable donors, a budget that fits on a single spreadsheet. Then revenue climbs past $1 million, and suddenly the organization feels different. Bigger. More complex. And in many ways,…
Read MoreSo, What Should My Finance Committee Be Doing Again?
It’s a fair question. And more nonprofit leaders ask it than you might expect. Finance committees can drift in a lot of directions. Sometimes they become a de facto management layer, getting into the weeds of decisions that belong to staff. Sometimes they swing the other way and function mainly as a rubber stamp, reviewing…
Read MoreFinancial Clarity for Executive Directors, Part 2: How to Prepare for Financial Uncertainty
(This is the second in a two-part series on Financial Clarity for Executive Directors. In the previous post, we outlined the core financial questions every Executive Director should be able to answer.) Those questions help you understand where things stand today. The next step is preparing for what could change. Nonprofits operate in an environment…
Read MoreFinancial Clarity for Executive Directors, Part 1: The 4 Finance Questions Every ED Should Be Able to Answer
(This is article is part one of a two-part series on Financial Clarity for Executive Directors.) Executive Directors are responsible for a wide range of priorities. Fundraising, programming, staff management, and community engagement all compete for attention. Financial oversight is part of that responsibility, but it often gets less focus than it should. You don’t…
Read MoreWhat Most Nonprofit Boards Misunderstand About Financial Clarity
Nonprofit boards carry a significant responsibility. They are stewards of the mission, responsible for ensuring resources are used wisely and the organization remains financially healthy. Yet most boards are made up of individuals with very different levels of financial experience, and they are often asked to oversee something they do not fully feel equipped to…
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