The New England Not-For-Profit Accounting Advisor

Thanks to a recent memo from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), some organizations subject to the Uniform Grant Guidance will no longer be provided an extension to file their Single Audit with the Federal Audit Clearinghouse. Memo M-20-26, Extension of Administrative Relief for Recipients and Applicants of Federal Financial Assistance Directly Impacted by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) due to Loss of Operations eliminates a previous six-month extension that had been granted to organizations with fiscal year ends falling between Dec. 31, 2019, through June 30, 2020. Those Single Audits would be due within the normal due date under the Uniform Grant Guidance, nine months after the fiscal year end.

Topics: not-for-profit, compliance, OMB, NFP, single audit, Uniform Grant Guidance, COVID-19, PPP, extension, payment protection plan, Office of Management and Budget, Appendix XI

As part of its recent review of the CARES Act loan programs, the Federal Reserve is evaluating whether to expand its Main Street loan facilities to include not-for-profit organizations. The lending program is designed to provide low-interest, government-backed loans with fewer lender requirements for organizations financially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Topics: not-for-profit, NFP, COVID-19, CARES Act, Main Street Lending Program, Main Street Priority Loan Facility, Main Street Expanded Loan Facility, Main Street New Loan Facility

Not-for-profit organizations faced a particularly difficult time in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with many having to temporarily shutter their doors to help mitigate the spread of the coronavirus disease. Assistance contained in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act broadened loan programs for small businesses to include not-for-profit organizations. These loan provisions generally provide some additional financial support to organizations with 500 or fewer employees.

Topics: not-for-profit, NFP, COVID-19, CARES Act, Paycheck Protection Program, PPP, PPP Loan, asc topic 958, asc topic 470, debt

Since inception, by way of the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has been the prime focus for American small businesses. That focus has generated many questions and concerns as such a massive program pieced together in a very short period of time is inherently subject to ambiguity and unintended outcomes.

Topics: not-for-profit, NFP, COVID-19, CARES Act, Paycheck Protection Program, PPP, PPP Loan, SBA, Small Business Administration

On May 20, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) voted to move forward with a deferral of the effective date for the new revenue recognition for private not-for-profits and a leasing standard delay for private and public not-for-profit organizations. Changes to the effective date are designed to provide some relief for organizations and to a not-for-profit sector that may be particularly hard hit by the repercussions from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Topics: ASU, GAAP, not-for-profit, FASB, NFP, Financial Accounting Standards Board, ASC Topic 606, U.S. GAAP, COVID-19

Summer started early for university campuses across the country. Many closed their campuses well in advance of the end of the semester in efforts to protect students and faculty from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Topics: non-for-profit, Non-profits, nonprofit, Mark McCarthy, CCR, Construction, Construction Cost Review, Coronavirus, COVID-19

Not-for-profit organizations have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Shelter-in-place orders have dwindled physical participation in religious and cultural activities while forcing charitable organizations to either suspend or heavily curtail operations. Financial pressures including declines in contributions, investments, and endowment balances will need to be addressed by organizational leadership so that your operations can be managed through these uncertain times. Recent pandemic-related stimulus legislation may provide some much needed resources—and stability—during this time. The following five benefits from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act are particularly beneficial for not-for-profit organizations.

Topics: Amy O’Loughlin, NOL, NOLs, Not-for-profit trends, Coronavirus, benefits, CARES Act, Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, Paycheck Protection Program, charitable contributions, mslp

On March 27, 2020 the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) extended the mandatory 403(b) plan document restatement deadline from March 31, 2020 to June 30, 2020 due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. All organizations that sponsor 403(b) retirement plans must restate their plan documents by this new date using either the IRS’s pre-approved document or an individually designed plan document.

Not-for-profit organizations have an opportunity during the restatement period to align their retirement plan procedures with their written plan documents to help ensure that their retirement plans are following best practices. Changes may need to be made to the operations of the plan, the provisions in the plan documents, or both. The following can help organizations with their review process.

Topics: not-for-profit, IRS, 403(b), NFP, nonprofit, 403(b) Plan Document Restatement, Department of Labor, DOL, Internal Revenue Service, COVID-19, extension, deadline

Ensuring the survival of the fund is often the primary goal of any foundation or endowment. Maintaining the principal and spending power of a fund so that benefits available for current recipients are the same for future generations is a challenging task, but when shocks to the global economy and financial markets occur, the challenge may seem impossible. Shocks can come from within the markets, as in the subprime loans of the 2008 financial crisis, or from external factors, such as with the coronavirus pandemic we are experiencing now.

Topics: not-for-profit, NFP, Endowments, foundations

In response to the financial damage related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Among its other provisions, the CARES Act enhanced lending programs and offerings for not-for-profit organizations, which have particularly been affected by the stay-at-home orders and financial uncertainty caused by the coronavirus disease.

There are several loan programs available that may benefit your organization. We have compiled some frequently asked questions to help capture information on how your not-for-profit can take advantage of the relief provisions.

Topics: Bernard Kaplan, nonprofit, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Main Street Lending Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loan Funding, EIDL, disaster relief, loan