Webinar: Can Nonprofits Raise Money With Social Media?

It's the age-old question for nonprofits: Can you raise money using social media? While studies done over the last three years show that the answer is generally "no," that doesn't mean organizations should abandon ship.

The NonProfit Times, in partnership with the Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN), is proud to present "Can Nonprofits Raise Money With Social Media?" This webinar, which is happening on October 25th at 1:00 p.m. EST, will show how social media is a great way to deepen relationships with your community and eventually turn them into donors, featuring expert opinions by Allyson Kapin of Rad Campaign, Lindsey Twombley of the Human Rights Campaign, and Danielle Brigida of the National Wildlife Federation.

Here is just some of the information you will take away from this special event:

• Strategies that can help you move from single to multi-channel ways to engage and fundraise;
• A suggestion of tools that help you move agilely in a rapidly changing environment; and,
• Information about future trends to help keep your marketing mix fresh and innovative.

This special premium webinar event puts you directly in conversation with expert panelists. Take advantage of our advance registration discount: purchase your registration at our online store by October 20th to receive the early-bird rate of just $49. Full registration after October 20th will be $69.

Register today at the best rate so your organization can be on top when it comes to social and digital engagement.

Webinar: Social Media, #GivingTuesday and End-of-Year Fundraising

UPDATE: The webinar begins today but it's not too late to register! Sign up today to learn about this important topic.

Every nonprofit wants to be a part of the social media scene. Not only will it increase your organization's visibility, it could potentially lead to an increase in donations. But beware: Being popular on social media doesn't automatically mean you will be seeing improved fundraising.

Join us along with Salsa Labs for "Social Media, #GivingTuesday and End-of-Year Fundraising," a free webinar on September 26 at 2:00 p.m. Roz Lemieux, CEO of Attentive.ly, Drew Bernard, founder and CEO of ActionSprout.com, and Christine Schaefer, VP of Community and Marketing at Salsa Labs, will be speaking about how your organization can turn your social media success into guaranteed donations.

Whether it's on #GivingTuesday or end-of-year fundraising, these three speakers will walk you step-by-step through how even with just a small team and some technology tools you can easily plan, execute and measure to segment and target the right people with the right message at the right time.

This webinar might not be for another three weeks but it's never too early to register. Sign up for free today so you can learn how to turn online popularity into dollars.

Webinar: Has Your Nonprofit Outgrown Quickbooks?

Update: Missed today's webinar? Not to worry, you can view the complete slides and recording on our online library.

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Over the last year or so, Intacct Corporation has worked with us on a number of informative webinars on the current world of nonprofit financials. They are joining us for another session on one of the more popular accounting programs available: QuickBooks.

"Has Your Nonprofit Outgrown QuickBooks? Taking Financial Management to the Next Level" is the latest in our series of free webinars with Intacct. Many organizations use QuickBooks because it's easy, well known, and it simply works. But as your organization moves beyond the entry level, QuickBooks may hold you back -- slowing growth and draining productivity. Change is hard but this webinar will help you start the transition of moving to a new accounting system.

Here's what you will be learning during this webinar with speaker Joan Benson, Sr. Product Manager, Nonprofit Industry at Intacct:

• Why you need a true nonprofit accounting solution.
• Five signs your organization has outgrown its small business accounting solution.
• How to evaluate the true costs of staying with QuickBooks (hint: it's not just the software).
• How the cloud makes it easy to move to a true fund accounting system.

Register today to get your nonprofit financials back on the right track. The webinar begins on Sept. 19 at 2:00 p.m. EST.

Free Webinar: #GivingTuesday in July: Get Ready for December Now!

Update: Thanks to everyone who attended yesterday's webinar! It was a blast. If you missed the event for any reason, you can see it in its entirety here

Online giving is one of the more popular methods of fundraising these days, and last year's debut of the Twitter-based campaign #GivingTuesday was just another example of the power of fundraising on the Internet. Although the campaign won't be starting again until December, your organization can still make preparations for it now.

Join The NonProfit Times and Salsa Labs for a FREE webinar on July 24th: "#GivingTuesday in July: Get Ready for December Now!" Henry Timms, founder of #GivingTuesday, and Christine Schaefer, VP Community and Marketing, Salsa, will discuss how your organization can use #GivingTuesday (which begins on December 3rd), as part of a wider online and offline campaign to help increase your end-of-year funding. We’ll offer tips for building your campaign and share insights from other non-profits who got a boost thanks to their #GivingTuesday participation last year.

Organizations should know that end-of-year fundraising doesn't just happen when the calendar flips to December; it takes months of planning including building lists and cultivating donors. That's why every fundraiser and nonprofit manager should attend this webinar so they are prepared when December 3rd rolls around. Register today!

Free Webinar: Turning Nonprofit Regulations Into Opportunities

UPDATE: The webinar is in two days but there is still time to register. Sign up today!

Nonprofit regulations are constantly changing and this year has been no different. From disclosure about credit worthiness to meeting the standards set forth by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) many nonprofit managers find themselves asking the following question: How do I ensure accountability and compliance in all facets of my financial management?

In our upcoming free webinar with Intacct Corporation, "Turning the Challenges of Meeting Nonprofit Regulations into Opportunities," you will get the answer to that question and many more. Joined by financial experts Jackie Tiso of JMT Consulting Group and Kirk Danilson of Intacct, this webinar will show how nonprofits can leverage their accounting systems to effectively meet and comply with ever evolving regulations and standards.

You will also learn:

• What key new regulations and standards you need to worry about;
• How to implement internal controls to ensure accountability;
• How to provide transparency into NonProfit effectiveness to the donor community; and,
• Why cloud financials makes accountability easier than ever with lower cost and increased ease of use.

Sign up for this free webinar today and turn the challenges of these regulations into opportunities to advance your nonprofit.

Webinar: Catching the Attention of the Smartphone Generation

UPDATE: Missed this webinar? You can view the event in its entirety by clicking here.

Should your organization really care about (and value) a Like, a Tweet, or a share? It may not seem like much right now, but these activities could be worth a fortune in the future.

In partnership with Avectra, The NonProfit Times is pleased to present a free webinar -- "Catching the Attention of the Smartphone Generation" -- on the value of social giving on June 6 at 2:00 p.m. EST. John F. Clese of Avectra, along with Dennis Chyba, president and founder of Adcieo, and Brittany Flower, communications and marketing manager at Susan G. Komen's Maryland affiliate, will discuss how your organization can reach the Millenial generation. Although they aren't in their prime donation years, it doesn't mean they aren't supporting your organization.

Here is some of the things you will learn from this webinar:

• Why your organization's future depends on engaging the next generation of donors known as the Millenials -- a group larger than the influential baby boomers. 
• Strategies to engage Millenials and attract them to your cause. 
• How micro-project fundraising and crowd-contributing are ready-made for the way this generation likes to engage and participate. 
• A case study on how to run a successful peer-to-peer fundraising campaign and leverage peer networks in the new digital giving landscape.

Register today so you can get your organization on the right track for the future.

Webinar: Nonprofit Accounting Software Experts Live

Update: Missed yesterday's webinar? You can view it in its entirety online.

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It can be very difficult at time to keep up with the latest advances in nonprofit accounting software. It seems like new trends emerge everyday, making for major headaches when deciding which program to use. That's why anyone who is having trouble with these issues should attend The NonProfit Times' latest webinar with Intacct.

"Nonprofit Accounting Software Experts Live," presented by nonprofit accounting software experts Taylor Macdonald of Intacct, and Susan Campbell, vice president of Soft Trac, will lay out the right direction for those who are having trouble choosing a new accounting system. Using there many years of experience in the field, Macdonald and Campbell will show you how to simplify the process of selecting new software.

This free webinar will also teach you how to:

• Determine what you need from a new accounting system;
• Make sure the system you select maximizes financial transparency and accountability to the board;
• Find the right vendor by following five best practices;
• Take advantage of new options made possible by cloud computing; and,
• Calculate the return on investment (ROI) you can expect from a new cloud financial management and accounting system.

The webinar will begin on March 21 at 2:00 p.m. EST. Register for free today to help your nonprofit take the next step in the world of accounting.

Webinar: The Nonprofit CFO’s Survival Guide

Being a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of any business has its challenges, but it's even more difficult to be a CFO of a nonprofit. These individuals are under constant pressure to achieve various tasks -- automate processes, improve productivity, create greater levels of transparency and visibility -- making life very difficult for them.

Luckily, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Join The NonProfit Times and Intacct Corporation on Dec. 6 at 11:00 AM PST for a free webinar: The Nonprofit CFO’s Survival Guide. Joined by a panel of experts, Abraham Matthew, manager at CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, will bring his 10 years of experience of working with nonprofits to help CFOs better succeed at their craft. Matthew and the panel will be discussing the following topics:

• Fund Accounting: Supporting separate, balanced sets of books.
• Multiple Locations and Entities: Addressing centralized and local requirements.
• Controls and Cash Management: Distributing responsibilities while keeping tight controls.
• Grants: Tracking general vs. restricted dollars.
• Reporting and Visibility: Achieving transparency, accountability, and trust.
• Cloud Computing: Taking advantage of cloud computing to meet nonprofits' toughest challenges.

Any nonprofit CFO who is currently having trouble with any of the above topics should mark the date for this webinar on their calendar. Registration is free so sign up today!

Webinar: Streamlining Finances And Preventing Fraud With Cloud Computing

UPDATE: Thanks to everyone who attended today's webinar. If you missed the event, you can view the slides and recording on our online library.

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Along with the American Marketing Association, Intacct Corporation, and Bill.com, The NonProfit Times is inviting you to attend a free webinar on October 5 at 12:00 PM CDT: "How to Streamline Finances and Prevent Fraud with Cloud Computing."

Are you struggling with financial reporting and analysis? Are excel driven manual processes draining your accounting team’s productivity? Learn how organizations like yours are streamlining their finances and preventing fraud by migrating to cloud-based solutions.

Rene Lacerte, founder and CEO of Bill.com, and Vijay Ramakrishnan, director of product marketing at Intacct, will share their expertise on this topic with attendees. Together, they will explain how cloud-based financial systems will:

• Reduce overhead in your finance and IT department;
• Increase transparency and accountability; and,
• Protect your organization from fraud.

All you have to do to attend this webinar is visit the sign-up page and register; there is no fee associated with the event.

Webinar: Is It Time To Change Your Accounting Software?

What are the top accounting issues facing your organization today? Answer our quick two-question survey on this subject, the results of which will be revealed during the webinar on Wednesday.

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Are you struggling with financial reporting and analysis? Are excel driven manual processes draining your accounting team’s productivity? It’s time to consider new accounting software for your nonprofit, but for what should you be looking?

In The NonProfit Times' latest webinar with Intacct Corporation, all the information you need to decide what type of accounting system your organization needs will be discussed. Speaking during the event will be Bob Blake, founder of Xanergy, and Lisa White, senior channel executive at Intaact. Both individuals have decades of combined experience in the accounting software industry for nonprofits, and their tips will be valuable to showing how to simplify the process of selecting new software for your organization.

Here are a few of the topics that Lisa and Bob will be touching on during the webinar:

• Determine what you need from a new accounting system.
• Make sure the system you select maximizes financial transparency and accountability to the board.
• Find the right vendor by following these 5 best practices.
• Take advantage of new options made possible by cloud computing.
• Calculate the ROI you can expect from a new cloud financial management and accounting system.

As always, it is completely free to register for this webinar, which will begin on September 26 at 2:00 PM EST. Sign up today and learn how you can get your organization on the right track when it comes to accounting.

Defining Your Accounting System Requirements

Yesterday, we posted a preview from our upcoming webinar showing how inefficiencies in accounting systems can lead to a lack of focus in business leadership. We have one final preview from the presentation today, which documents one of the important decisions nonprofits have to make when choosing new software: Your requirements.

Just as a job seeker wouldn't settle for the first opportunity that came his way, organizations should have pretty high standards about what they want from an accounting system. While every nonprofit is going to make different decisions, Bob Blake, founder of Xanergy, and Taylor MacDonald, vice president of channels at Intacct, recommend some requirements to keep in mind:

• Document the issues with your current system.
• What do you want to achieve with your new system?
• What type of information does management need to make better organizational decisions?
• What is the impact to the organization?
• Which processes do you want to automate?
• Tap into outside experts and your peers.
• Document expected improvements and return on investment and total cost of ownership.
• Use a third-party expert to help.

To learn more about the decisions you will have to make if you decide to choose a new accounting system, attend our free webinar tomorrow at 2:00 PM EDT.

Accounting System Inefficiencies Can Hurt Focus On Leadership

In two days, Intacct Corporation and The NonProfit Times will be holding a free webinar on accounting systems for nonprofits. We'd like to take this time to give readers a sneak peek at some of the content in the presentation.

The right accounting system for your nonprofit should work smoothly so that the organization's focus remains on the important issue of business leadership. Unfortunately, too many accounting programs are inefficient, which means more time is spent on them. In the upcoming webinar, the top issues CFO organizations are facing:

• Managing cash and budget: 24 percent.
• Improving information provided to managers in the organization: 23 percent.
• Improving operational business processes: 23 percent.
• Improving finance and accounting business processes: 15 percent.
• Improving controls and compliance: 8 percent.
• Managing investments: 3 percent.
• Implementing a new ERP system: 2 percent.

The top bottlenecks these same organizations face in the monthly close process are also discussed. They are:

• Manual processes rather than automated: 26 percent.
• Systems not integrated: 24 percent.
• Staff shortage: 12 percent.
• Inadequate data: 10 percent.
• Processes not followed: 9 percent.
• Staff lack of skills: 8 percent.
• Processes undefined: 7 percent.

As you can see, organizations are facing a host of problems with their accounting systems. If you want to find out how to better tackle these issues, we encourage you to attend our free webinar on July 19th at 2:00 PM EDT.

Stay tuned tomorrow for another preview of the webinar!

Webinar: Is It Time For A New Accounting Software?

Accounting plays a big role in the day-to-day operations of a nonprofit. If you are finding your methods of this important practice are a little behind on the times, it may be time to consider a new accounting software for your organization.

Join The NonProfit Times and Intacct Corporation on July 19 at 2:00 PM EDT for a free webinar on how to select accounting systems. Attendees will hear from two experts in this field: Taylor Macdonald of Intacct and Bob Blake, founder of Xanergy. With their years of experience in the accounting software industry and the nonprofit sector, Macdonald and Blake will show you how to simplify the process for your organization. Here are some of the topics they will discuss:

• How to determine what you need from a new accounting system.
• Best practices for finding the right vendor.
• Making sure the system you select maximizes financial transparency and accountability to the board.
• New options made available by cloud computing.
• Calculating the return on investment (ROI) you can expect from a new cloud financial management and accounting system.

We encourage everyone who wants to attend this webinar to register today. Hope to see you there on July 19!

Webinar: Making Major Gift Fundraising Productive & Reliable

UPDATE: With the webinar coming in just a couple of days, I decided to bump this post.

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Hopefully you have all registered for our upcoming free webinar on cloud computing this Wednesday. The fun doesn't stop there -- we have another one scheduled for the beginning of June on a subject that should interest all fundraisers: Major gifts.

Join The NonProfit Times, Convio, and the American Marketing Association (AMA) for "Moves Management Made Easy: Making Major Gift Fundraising Productive and Reliable." This webinar will discuss how having a solid moves management process can raise your team's productivity, eliminate missed opportunities due to staff turnover, and make your major gift fundraising results more reliable.

Contributing to the hour long discussion will be Jennifer Darrouzet, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Convio, and Rachel Muir, Client Strategy Executive at Convio & Founder of Girlstart. They will explain the following topics related to moves management:

• What moves management is and isn't.
• How to get started and make your first move.
• Ways to build plans with tried-and-true methods.
• The "triggers" that tell you it's time for a prospect to move to the next cultivation stage.

This free webinar begins on June 1 at 1:00 PM EST, and will feature introductions by Paul Clolery, our editor-in-chief. Register today to participate in what is sure to be an insightful hour of discussion.

Webinar: Cloud Financials For Nonprofits

UPDATE: Thanks to everyone who attended the webinar yesterday. If you were not able to attend, the recording/slides are now available on our website. Enjoy!

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Intacct Corporation and The NonProfit Times are teaming up yet again for a webinar on cloud financials for nonprofits.

Join us on May 23 at 2:00 PM EST for Advice From The Trenches -- Cloud Financials For Nonprofits. This free webinar will feature insight from nonprofit technology and business expert Jacqueline Tiso, Denise Salzman, controller of St. Peter-St. Joseph's Children's Home, and Stacie Porter, director of finance for Grace Fellowship Church.

This event will be in the form of a panel discussion and will include the following topics:

• Why thousands of nonprofits are moving their financials to the cloud.
• How nonprofits are using cloud computing to provide real-time organizational visibility to management, board members, auditors, ensure proper stewardship of funds, and comply with federal reporting requirements.
• What was the cost/benefit for their business -- did they really see return on investment from the cloud?
• Would they do it again?
• What would they do differently?
• What are they doing next?

Register today to participate in what should be a fascinating discussion on a hot topic in the technology world.

Webinar: Unlocking The Value Of Donor Data

We may have just finished our most recent webinar on cloud computing but we're not stopping there.  We have a new free webinar to offer our readers tomorrow!

On March 9 at 1:00 PM EST, join The NonProfit Times, AMA, and CDS Global for a free webinar: From Information to Impact: Unlocking the Value of Donor Data."  Attendees will listen to Bev Hutney, Director of Innovation and Research at the Stelter Company, and Kristin Runyan, Chief Information Officer and VP, Product Management at CDS Global, discuss how to gather and analyze donor data today to help guide your important decisions tomorrow.

Interested in attending this webinar?  Visit our registration page to learn more details and to sign-up!

Missed Yesterday's Webinar?

Thanks to everybody that attended yesterday's webinar on cloud computing.  We hope it was an enjoyable and educational experience for every one involved.  If you happened to miss out on the webinar, not to worry: We have the slides and audio available on our website.

If you missed any of our other past webinars, those are also available in our online library.  Enjoy!

Webinar: Moving Nonprofit Financials To The Cloud

When someone talks to you about the cloud, is your first thought to look into flight courses?  If that's the case, you might want to attend our upcoming webinar.

The NonProfit Times and Intacct are proud to host a free webinar on February 14th.  It's called "Moving Your Nonprofit Financials to the Cloud: The Do's and Don'ts," and it's a must-attend event for any organization looking into this new technology.

As a nonprofit organization, your accounting needs are more challenging than a for-profit corporation's financials.  You probably hear many people around the industry talking about cloud computing, but the last thing you want is to do is deal with another new technology.  Is it really worth all the hassle?  By attending the upcoming webinar, you will get answers to all the questions you have about the cloud, and learn why thousands of nonprofits are using it to gain control of their finances.  You can even ask questions.

The speakers for this event will be nonprofit technology and business process expert Jacqueline Tiso from JMT Consulting Group, and Dan Drucker from Intacct.  Topics include:

• What are the key financial management technology issues facing nonprofit organizations today?
• What are the risks moving to cloud computing and how do you protect yourself?
• How secure is the cloud and what do you look for when evaluating a vendor?
• What are the benefits and challenges of cloud computing for the finance department?

Register for this free webinar today!

Zurich Webinar Highlights

UPDATE 12/12/2011: The slides and recording are now online.  You can see them in our online library.

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Thanks to everyone who attended today's webinar on risk assessment and designing internal controls.  We once again send our thanks to Zurich, as they were instrumental in getting this webinar done.  We also want to send special thanks to our three speakers, Peg Jackson, Tom McLaughlin, and Susan Ellis.  They were all fabulous today.  If you were not able to attend the webinar, here are some of the things that participants learned:

• Boards must review Form 990 before it is submitted to the IRS.
• All boards should have an audit committee.
• The most functional board size is no more than 15 individuals.
• CEOs shouldn't receive compensation that is 25 percent more than the next highest paid executive at the nonprofit.
• If a volunteer does something seriously wrong--something that could put the organization at risk--it is within the rights of an organization to remove them.
• Make sure a volunteer can perform all tasks necessary before hiring.  They should be able to back up the skills they claim to have.

We will also be posting the slides and audio of the webinar on our online library within the next 24 hours.  Stay tuned.

Free Webinar: Performing Risk Assessment And Designing Internal Controls

The NonProfit Times and Zurich are putting on another free webinar on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 01:00 PM.  The topic will be performing risk assessment and designing internal controls.  Being prepared with written policies and procedures to minimize risk is a vital part of a non-profit organization. Budget constraints may mean that an organization may not retain the highly experienced human and legal resources needed to manage their risk and compete with the ever-changing risk landscape.

This webinar will help you learn to recognize and identify risks your company may or could potentially be facing. We'll examine internal controls you can implement to mitigate risk and build solutions to manage them effectively.

Speakers include:

Peg Jackson is an author, consultant and nationally-recognized lecturer in risk management, business continuity planning and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. She earned a doctorate in public administration (DPA) from Golden Gate University in San Francisco and holds the professional designation of Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU). She is also a Principal with Adjunct LLC in San Francisco, Calif.

Susan J. Ellis is President of Energize, Inc., a training, consulting, and publishing firm that specializes in volunteer management. She founded the Philadelphia-based company in 1977 and since that time has assisted clients throughout North America (48 states and 6 provinces), Europe (10 countries), Asia (4 countries), Latin America (2 countries), Australasia (2 countries), and Israel to create or strengthen their volunteer corps.

Tom McLaughlin joined CCR in 2011 after 19 years as a nonprofit consulting specialist with two national accounting and consulting firms. Tom has more than 35 years of nonprofit experience as a nonprofit manager, trade association executive, and management consultant. Among his previous positions, Tom served as an executive with two major Massachusetts social service agencies and as Associate Director of the Massachusetts Council of Human Service Providers.

Register today!