The Program
What does it take for a nonprofit to move from surviving to thriving? What kind of support can funders provide to meaningfully shift the trajectory of an organization?
Financially adaptable grantees are equipped to successfully navigate current challenges as well as maximize opportunities in the long term. Critically, they have a comprehensive understanding of their financial health and are able to tell their financial story to key stakeholders. In this two-part series, we aim to confirm and build participants’ knowledge of core nonprofit financial health concepts as well as explore how best to engage with nonprofit organizations throughout the grantmaking cycle. We will review what it takes for a nonprofit to be financially resilient, how to use financial analysis as a tool to assess and support an organization’s financial health, and how grantmakers can approach financial review with an equity and grantee-centered perspective. Participants should be prepared to roll up their sleeves with interactive and case-based activities and tools focused on assessing organizational strength.
Session 1
- Will introduce a framework for nonprofit financial resilience, explore how to synthesize key metrics into a coherent picture of financial health, and discuss the importance of understanding true cost and the need for nonprofits to build and maintain their financial planning “muscle.”
Session 2
- Will engage participants in considering how they might adapt and strengthen their financial review processes, including evaluating indirect cost policies, implementing a “tiered” review process, and structuring grants to more effectively support grantee financial resilience in the long-term.
Who should attend?
All interested funders in grantmaking roles, especially grantmakers who have had 2-3 years of experience and program officers who have attended the Essential Skills and Strategies for New Program Officers and the Fundamentals to Financials. Funders will find added value to the workshop if they are able to come with another colleague. What to expect: Presentation blended with breakout discussions.
* Please note: Participants will automatically be registered for both sessions in this two-part Applied Finance workshop series once you register for the first session.
This is a cohort-based series open to Philanthropy New York Members only. We are registering a group of participants that agree to attend both sessions, as each program’s learning outcomes build on the next session. Registration is required by Monday, April 8. For any questions, email register@philanthropynewyork.org.
What will you learn?
Upon completing this session, participants will be able to:
- Understand how current economic trends are impacting grantee financial health and operations
- Identify signs of financial health and indicators that warrant further conversations with grantees
- Review financial health with an equity perspective
- Recognize what you can learn from key external financial documents as well as publicly available financial data
- Recognize the importance of understanding organizational true cost and how funders can support organizations with their indirect cost policies and practices
- Identify opportunities to refine their financial review process
- Gain awareness of tools they can use in their financial review process
- Understand the types of grantmaker investments that support financial resilience
Speakers
- Megan Morrison, Senior Manager, BDO Nonprofit & Grantmaking Advisory
- Hilda Polanco, Market Managing Principal, BDO Nonprofit & Grantmaking Advisory
What else should I know?
This is a cohort-based series open to Philanthropy New York Members only. We are registering a group of participants that agree to attend both sessions, as each program’s learning outcomes build on the next session.
- Thursday, April 11 | 10 AM - 12 PM
- Thursday, April 18 | 10 AM - 12 PM
* Please note: These sessions will take place in - person, at PNY office. Participants will automatically be registered for both sessions in this two-part Applied Finance workshop series once you register for the first session.