Discussion:Non-Profit Accounting Software?

I am helping out a non-profit organization thats just starting out, and was wondering does anyone know any good software that is also cheap, that is specifically tailored for non-profits? I know quickbooks has one, but its a bit pricy @ 500, and they are just starting out, actually a bunch of college kids. Currenlty doing everything on excel, but I dont want to have to help them set up financial statements at the end of every year to put onto the 990. Excel works fine, but looking for something a little better.

Anyone know of anything?

I would grealty appreciate any help.

• Discussion:Nonprofit tax return
• Discussion:Exempt_Org._bookkeeping?

Remember what your daddy told you when you were a kid, if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right <the first time>. Measure twice, cut once and all that other hokey crap.

If they don't pay for the right software, then they will pay an accountant at year end to do the work necessary to produce the tax returns. If they have an accountant who doesn't know what they are doing, they will pay a competent one big dollars to fix the screw ups.

In simple terms, get software.

If $500 is too much, go to Intuit and download the “simple start” program. It is free. If this is a start up non profit, then you don't need much sophistication. If it is a multi-funded organization, then it should have enough admin dollars built in to purchase decent accounting software.

Non profits don't really need specialty software unless they are using the non accounting parts of the software. You could use regular quickbooks as long as you are knowledgeable enough to set the chart of accounts up properly.

If this is a start up done by college kids, have they even applied for nonprofit status with the IRS? Just because they say they want to be a charitable/social organization doesn't make it so.

All of the above advice is good, of course. But this sounds like a really tiny start-up. I work with quite a few of those. Some of them even end up with $50,000 to $100,000 in contribution and program service revenue after a few years. None of them has any accounting expertise. They own no property other than cash. I put them all on Quicken. It's all they need and it's better than Excel. They know how to keep a check register and reconcile the bank account. Works out great. By the time they outgrow Quicken they can afford to buy a better package and hire a part-time bookkeeper.

Heck, I've got a client with nearly half a million in contributions (mostly a couple of large ones) every year that uses Excel and a shoebox for receipts, although I insisted that he have a bookkeeper come in every quarter in 2009.

Yes, they have filed with the state and with the federal govt for 501c3 status. Not many general/adm expenses (related to man power) as All work is done by volunteers from Admin to accounting to field operations.

Will check out simple start, I'm just trying to get them set up right, and make sure they are in with compliance with everything, so any lightly trained volunteer can come and handle the bookkeeping and documenting fund support and disbursement.

On another note - For all in-kind contributions (property, specialized services, etc), I understand how to record these contributions. But how do you generally show these as being "disbursed" or "expensed"? For example, you have someone volunteering specailized accounting services, do you just "expense" these inkind contributions under the general adm expense account? What about things like picking up furniture from donors and giving it to the needy, how do you expense/disburse this item? (under the related contribution/expense bucket?)

Again very thankful for the help.

I was over thinking it.

Best of luck!