What’s one of the best ways to bring your nonprofit’s mission to life? A well-planned event.
Events can stand as a real-life demonstration of the critical difference your organization makes within your community. Plus, they can be an unparalleled way to generate excitement and inspiration among your staff, volunteers, supporters, and sponsors. In fact, 56% of donors say they regularly attend fundraising events and view them as a positive way to support the causes they believe in.
What’s the downside? Events aren’t always easy to execute successfully.
Too often, nonprofit staff members find themselves tasked with throwing a big event – in addition to all the other responsibilities they regularly juggle. But you can increase your chances of success by guiding team members through a deliberate planning process.
6 Months – 4 Months before Event: Building the Framework
Big events can be a lot of work. Months of planning and preparation go into an event that’s quickly over in a day or a weekend. But the effort invested in the time leading up to your event will have a significant impact on its ultimate success.
If it’s the first time your organization has staged this type of event, consider reaching out to other community groups who may have sponsored similar events. You might also want to contact local vendors to get multiple estimates to get a baseline view of current costs.
4 Months – 2 Months before Event: Ironing Out the Details
As the date of your event draws closer, you’ll begin nailing down financial details and setting your communications strategy. Getting a firm handle on your costs at this point can be important in developing the types of promotional activities your organization may be able to afford.
Determine if your event budget can include costs for advertising in traditional media such as newspapers and radio. You can also work with local media to generate publicity through on-air interviews or articles.
Don’t forget tools such as email, social media and online event calendars. Emails sent to your organization’s members, volunteers and other contacts can be an effective way to build enthusiasm for your event. Posting event notices through social media such as Facebook and Instagram can be another tool that stretches your promotional budget farther. Be sure to submit your event to online event calendars to catch the eye of community members who may be looking for activities within a certain timeframe.
Are you looking for more information on building a communications strategy? Take a closer look at “5 Steps to Create an Effective Nonprofit Communications Strategy” in this blog post for UST members.
When developing the website, make sure the web designer understands the goal and traffic expectations of the site. For instance, if you plan to sell tickets via the website, the designer needs to build that process into the site – including setting up a secure online purchase experience.
Additionally, it’s critical that the website is mobile-optimized. Studies show that approximately 60% of web traffic is viewed on phones.
2 Months – 2 Weeks before Event: Getting Ready to Host Your Event
As the date of your event draws closer, your event planning will become more specific. You’ll focus on telling community members about the event, lining up volunteers to help everything run smoothly and renting equipment you may need for the big day.
Once you’ve deployed these communication pieces, don’t hesitate to reach out to local media personalities your group may have worked with in the past. Their previous interviews or stories may be an idea starting point, and your personal contact could help draw more attention to the media packet.
Week of Event: Putting the Finishing Touches on Last Minute Details
The last few days before your event are the time to “dot your ‘i’s and cross your ‘t’s.” Attention to details will be a top priority.
Day of the Event: Breathe and Enjoy
After months of planning, your event vision is coming to life. While unexpected issues invariably arise, your weeks of planning have most likely kept them to a minimum. Focus on embracing your organization’s mission and making the most of your event.
1 Week – 2 Weeks after Event: Evaluate How Everything Went
Your reflections on the event can help provide your nonprofit with a solid base as it considers future events. Documenting the steps your team took, the timeline they used and other details can be an invaluable tool.
If you’d like more details on how UST helps nonprofit organizations plan for and budget events, claim your 60-day free trial of HR Workplace powered by Mineral. You’ll get full access to a wide range of templates and guides designed to help your nonprofit support your mission through successful events.
SOURCES:
“The Importance of Nonprofit Event Planning”, Charitybids.com, viewed 7/2/25
https://www.charitybids.com/blog/nonprofit-event-planning#why
“The Ultimate Event Planning Checklist,” Eventbrite, downloaded 6/30/25
The Ultimate Event Planning Checklist | Eventbrite
“Nonprofit Event Management: Checklist and Tips for Success,” Kindful.com, viewed 6/30/25
https://kindful.com/nonprofit-glossary/nonprofit-event-management/
For nonprofit leaders, the work is more than just a job—it’s a calling driven by purpose and passion. While deeply rewarding, this mission-oriented role comes with its own set of challenges. Balancing limited resources, supporting dedicated yet often overstretched teams, and navigating the complexities of social impact work can take a toll. Amid these pressures, self-care and wellness are often deprioritized, leaving leaders drained and overwhelmed.
But here’s the truth: prioritizing wellness isn’t just about self-preservation—it’s essential for organizational success. A healthy, thriving leader sets the foundation for a resilient, high-performing team. This guide outlines practical strategies to help nonprofit professionals manage their well-being while advancing their mission.
The Challenges of Leading a Nonprofit
Nonprofit leadership is a balancing act, requiring leaders to juggle multiple responsibilities daily. Here are some of the most common challenges nonprofit leaders face:
In this landscape, wellness practices aren’t a luxury—they’re a necessity.
Strategies for Nonprofit Leaders to Prioritize Wellness
Every nonprofit leader deserves the tools and support needed to protect their well-being without compromising their mission. Here’s how you can integrate wellness into your leadership approach:
1. Set and Protect Boundaries: In leadership, endless demands can consume your time and energy. Establishing boundaries is critical to prevent burnout.
Small, consistent boundary-setting practices—like logging off email by a certain time—can have a big impact over time.
2. Delegate and Empower Others: The temptation to take on everything yourself can be overwhelming, but delegation is a powerful tool for reducing stress and building a stronger team.
Delegation not only reduces your stress but also strengthens your organization by encouraging team development.
3. Foster a Culture of Wellness: The tone of workplace culture starts with leadership. By prioritizing wellness for your team (and yourself), you create an environment that supports both personal and organizational success.
A culture of wellness not only supports your team—it ensures you’re not carrying the burden alone.
4. Leverage Tools and Resources: Leading a nonprofit is challenging, but the right tools can ease the workload and streamline operations.
The right tools can help free you up to do what you do best, lead your mission forward.
5. Prioritize Your Physical and Mental Health: You can’t give your best to your organization if you’re running on empty. Taking care of your physical and mental health is key to showing up as an effective leader.
By prioritizing your own well-being, you model the importance of self-care for your team.
Leading with Wellness for Sustainable Impact
Nonprofit leaders are driven by a desire to care for others—their teams, their organizations, and the communities they serve. Yet, it’s vital to remember that self-care is not selfish. In fact, it’s what allows leaders to sustain their efforts for the long haul.
By creating boundaries, delegating effectively, fostering a culture of wellness, and using the right tools, you can protect your well-being while continuing to make a meaningful impact.
Start Supporting Wellness in Your Workplace
Managing HR responsibilities is essential but time-consuming. UST HR Workplace offers a cloud-based platform with HR tools, templates, and training tailored specifically for nonprofits.
Take advantage of our free 60-day trial to simplify your HR processes and create a thriving workplace culture.
Your team and your mission depend on you—and that starts with taking care of yourself.
Question: Should we encourage our employees to be friends at work?
Answer: It’s great to create a workplace where people have the opportunity to form friendships, but don’t worry if not everyone shows interest in befriending their coworkers.
Friendships at work can be a way for employees to feel connected and that they belong in the organization. A Gallup poll from 2022 found that having a best friend at work provides essential emotional and social support that people need and ties strongly to key business outcomes.
You can encourage friendships in the workplace by scheduling time during the workday for employees to get to know each other. Team lunches, game rooms, and coffee outings are popular options. Video chats—just to connect, without an agenda—are common in remote organizations. Another way to encourage friendships is to make it clear that employees are allowed to share about their personal lives as they feel comfortable, such as encouraging employees to decorate their office space with personal items or leaders sharing about their lives.
Even with the benefits of having friends in the office, it’s important to remember not everyone wants to make friends at work. Some employees would prefer not to socialize much with their coworkers, and they can be just as productive and engaged. Don’t exclude or marginalize employees who don’t participate in the social activities, and don’t inquire as to why they don’t. In general, while encouraging employees to form friendships can have many benefits, you need to do so in a way that respects all employees’ preferences.
This Q&A does not constitute legal advice and does not address state or local law.
This Q&A was provided by Mineral, powering the UST HR Workplace. Have HR questions? Sign your nonprofit up for a FREE 60-day trial here. As a UST member, simply log into your Mineral portal to access live HR certified consultants, 300+ on-demand training courses, an extensive compliance library, and more.
One of the best ways to build a loyal and emotionally engaged team is by investing in each person’s growth and development. In fact, a recent Gallup study reported that 87% of millennials rank “career growth and development potential” as an important factor when choosing a new job.
You might assume that nonprofit groups would have a tough time competing in this landscape – particularly based on tight budgets and limited resources. But that assumption is often wrong.
In fact, nonprofits are uniquely situated to provide exceptional opportunities for employee growth and ongoing development. That’s because these groups have the advantage of passionate and committed team members who see their work through the lens of helping to make the world a better place.
Turning Team Member Strengths into Growth Opportunities
Each team member and volunteer within your organization brings unique skills and talents.
Many successful nonprofits use these diverse strengths to develop ongoing development opportunities for team members.
You might consider pairing a new employee with an established volunteer on an informal mentorship basis. It can be a great way for the new employee to learn the background of a large project within your organization. At the same time, the more experienced volunteer may benefit from a new viewpoint that looks at a challenge from a different angle.
Cost-effective Ways to Help Improve Skills
Giving team members ongoing access to training or resources to help build their professional skills can bring double rewards. First, it can help them become even more effective in their current role. At the same time, it can also be a smart way to prepare them for future career goals. You can find affordable training solutions from many sources.
Local and online training: Hands-on training on a wide range of topics is often available through your local library or community college. In addition, many online training options such as Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, and Udemy offer inexpensive training modules which can lead to professional certifications. These certifications can be valuable for team members who may be looking to advance their careers.
Learning opportunities at conferences: Sending team members to conferences can also be an effective way to promote a culture of continuous learning. Whether it’s focused on an issue within your nonprofit’s mission, a gathering of affiliated nonprofits or even an event focused on your employee’s individual profession, conferences can provide important opportunities to meet new colleagues and learn how other organizations are handling today’s challenges.
Free training option: Your nonprofit can also take advantage of more than 300 on-demand training courses available online through the HR Workplace offered through UST. This complimentary option is powered by Mineral and includes 60 days of free access (UST trust members have ongoing access). It can be an easy way to set up employee training on project management, workplace safety, and other professional development topics.
Develop Career Paths to Help Team Members Grow Within Your Organization
Many employees look for advancement pathways as they progress through their careers. In addition to fostering growth, this can also be a critical retention tool within your organization.
Consider setting up a ladder of growth goals for team members to work through as they gain experience with your nonprofit. Ideally, this pathway would include ongoing training which was then integrated into successively higher levels of job responsibility.
The career paths within your nonprofit can be an exceptional way to grow your own future leaders. Rather than bringing in new leadership who may not have a firm understanding of your group’s challenges or mission, moving tomorrow’s potential leaders through your nonprofit’s career paths could help ensure continuity of purpose for the future.
Building a culture of continuous learning is an effective way to position your nonprofit as an attractive employer within your community. It’s a smart strategy to reward team members for their dedication and passion to your nonprofit’s mission – without breaking your budget.
Would your organization be interested in freeing up more money in your budget to invest in a culture of continuous learning? Consider talking to UST to learn how thousands of nonprofits saved a total of $56.4 million in 2022 alone. Their innovative unemployment solution can help you uncover hidden savings to help your group better meet its goals and support your team members.
SOURCES:
“7 Ways Nonprofits Can Increase Employee Engagement”, eletive.com, 5/10/24
https://eletive.com/blog/7-ways-nonprofits-can-increase-employee-engagement
“The Benefits of Employee Engagement,” Gallup, updated 1/7/23
https://www.gallup.com/workplace/236927/millennials-jobs-development-opportunities.aspx
“Nonprofit Basics: Employee Engagement Ideas,” Double the Donation, viewed 6/6/25
People First Strategies for Nonprofits
Nonprofit organizations are the backbone of our communities, tackling social, environmental, and cultural challenges with mission-driven passion. Yet, behind every nonprofit’s success is its team of dedicated employees and volunteers, whose commitment fuels the organization’s ability to make a lasting impact.
However, the nonprofit sector grapples with distinct hurdles in attracting, supporting, and retaining top talent. Constrained budgets, emotionally taxing work, and fierce competition with for-profit opportunities make managing a nonprofit workforce complex.
That’s precisely why UST has released its free eBook, “People First Strategies for Retaining and Supporting Nonprofit Employees.” This essential resource is designed to empower nonprofit leaders to confront these challenges directly. Here’s a sneak peek into how this eBook provides actionable insights to transform your nonprofit’s workforce strategy and amplify your impact.
Why People First Matters
Nonprofits directly impact millions of lives. Employing over 12 million workers in the U.S. alone, the sector accounts for over 10% of the workforce. Whether running community programs, advocating for change, or delivering vital services, your employees and volunteers are the lifeblood of your mission.
Nevertheless, the nonprofit workforce is not without its struggles. Leaders face high turnover rates, burnout, and difficulty attracting skilled professionals. These challenges can disrupt your operations and hinder your nonprofit’s ability to fulfill its mission. Adopting a people-first approach helps improve retention, foster engagement, and build a resilient workforce that is ready to tackle societal challenges.
What Is Inside the Free People First eBook?
The eBook is a comprehensive guide with insights that empower nonprofit leaders to integrate people-first strategies into their operations. It focuses on three primary areas that can help shape a thriving and supportive workforce within your nonprofit:
1. Recruitment Strategies
The eBook highlights approaches tailored to nonprofits, such as emphasizing your mission’s impact during recruitment to attract passionate professionals. It also covers ways to overcome budgetary constraints, including leveraging networks and offering flexible work arrangements, such as remote work and mental health days, to meet candidates’ needs.
2. Employee Retention
Retaining talent is vital to maintaining nonprofit stability. The eBook outlines actionable strategies, including creating clear career progression pathways, celebrating employee achievements, and fostering a positive organizational culture. These initiatives ensure your workforce feels valued, engaged, and connected to your mission.
3. Mental Health and Wellbeing Support
Nonprofit employees often operate in emotionally demanding environments, making mental health support an indispensable part of workforce management. The eBook details tools like Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), wellness initiatives, and fostering open communication to help prevent burnout and promote overall wellbeing.
Why Downloading This eBook Is Essential for Nonprofits
By downloading “People First Strategies for Retaining and Supporting Nonprofit Employees,” you will gain practical tools and frameworks to address challenges like recruitment bottlenecks, skill shortages, and employee burnout. With these strategies, nonprofits can promote their mission while supporting their teams effectively.
Key Takeaways From the eBook
Rooted in decades of serving nonprofit employers, this resource offers expert advice to help you align your people’s strategy with your mission.
Get the Free Guide
Support your nonprofit workforce with actionable strategies tailored to the sector’s unique needs. By putting your people first, you create a sustainable path to achieving your mission and ultimately amplify your impact.
Download UST’s free People First eBook today and take the next step in empowering your team for long-term success.
Together, we can build a brighter future for the communities you serve.
Question: How can we make sure our online trainings are effective?
Answer: Online trainings can be a useful tool for developing talent, but they can also end up being a waste of time and resources, even if the content and presentation are good. The difference between effective and ineffective training often comes down to whether employees are able to absorb and retain the information they receive.
There are lot of obstacles to absorption and retention of trainings. Busy employees may listen to a webinar while they work on other things, catching only tidbits here and there. Or they may put a training video off until they’ve finished a project and are too exhausted to give it due attention.
To avoid these training pitfalls, consider these three tips:
Follow the AGES Model. The NeuroLeadership Institute argues that we learn quickly and retain information best when we focus on one topic (attention), actively connect what we learn to what we already know (generation), experience positive feelings while learning (emotion), and space our intake of information (spacing). For example, cramming training on multiples topics into a tight two-day workshop would be much less effective than spreading that training out over a few weeks. You can learn more about the AGES Model here.
Give employees time to reflect and practice the skills they’ve learned. In some professions, like music and athletics, you spend most of your work time learning, building, and reinforcing skills before the big performance, whether it’s a concert, game, or race. Good performance necessitates constant practice. But in most professions, practice seems like a luxury you can’t afford because you’re expected to be performing during your work time. This is one reason trainings fail to deliver results. To master new skills, employees need time to focus on building those skills. That means some work time needs to be set aside post-training for them to reflect on and practice what they’ve learned.
Align trainings with the present needs and future goals of both the company and the employee. When assessing employee training goals, consider what additional knowledge and skills would enable them to do their jobs better now, but also set them up for success in their future careers. Employees are more likely to be excited by and personally invested in their training if they understand their personal return on that investment. If they don’t recognize its value, it won’t have any value to them.
This Q&A does not constitute legal advice and does not address state or local law.
This Q&A was provided by Mineral, powering the UST HR Workplace. Have HR questions? Sign your nonprofit up for a FREE 60-day trial here. As a UST member, simply log into your Mineral portal to access live HR certified consultants, 300+ on-demand training courses, an extensive compliance library, and more.
Use These Strategies to Help Your Team Prioritize Mental Health
As staff members and volunteers work toward furthering a nonprofit’s mission, they may find themselves shouldering a heavy emotional load. Many times, they’re the ones on the front lines – serving your target audience and witnessing on a first-hand basis the genuine need and impact your nonprofit can have.
It’s natural to consider ways your organization can better support the mental health of staff members and volunteers after a big event leaves the entire team drained. Maybe your group makes it a priority to build mental health support reminders into annual review discussions to help encourage staff to take advantage of benefit options such as an Employee Assistance Plan (EAP).
Working with UST can be a smart way to cut the cost of mental health and wellness benefits for your organization. Take a look at this case study where a client used the savings they got through UST to help fund these types of benefits for their staff.
But the most successful nonprofits prioritize the mental health of each team member on a daily and weekly basis to help foster an environment that more consistently supports balance and emotional well-being – to help avoid pushing staff and volunteers to the point of burnout.
Give The Gift of Time
While budgets are often notoriously tight in the nonprofit world, helping your employees make the most of their time can also be easy on your organization’s bottom line.
Emphasize “Life-Work” Balance
With the emotional demands of nonprofit work, you can help employees prioritize their own mental health by creating a culture which encourages them to fill their own cups first. Staff and volunteers need to feel that they can confidently meet their own family and personal needs before they can dedicate themselves to your nonprofit’s mission.
Encouraging Words and Listening Ears
You may not remember the raise you got a few years ago. But if you’re like most people, the compliment given by a mentor still carries meaning – even if it happened long ago. Your employees are no different.
Lead By Example
Even with the most generous package of mental health benefits, it’s important for your team to see leaders prioritizing their own personal well-being before staff will be comfortable doing the same for themselves.
Openly discussing your own self-care strategies and mental health challenges can normalize these types of conversations so that team members will be more likely to take advantage of mental health benefits when they need them.
If you’re looking for more ideas on helping your staff and volunteers prioritize their mental health, consider taking advantage of the HR Workplace offered through UST. This complimentary resource is powered by Mineral and includes 60 days of free access. You can ask specific questions about a mental health situation within your organization and an expert will get back to you with answers to help you solve the challenge.
SOURCES:
“5 Ways Nonprofits Can Offer Competitive Benefits on a Tight Budget”, guhroo.co, 2/12/25
“How Nonprofit Teams Can Prioritize Mental Health And Prevent Burnout,” Forbes Nonprofit Council, 9/10/24
“The Intersection of Leadership and Mental Health: Best Practices,” Belinda Winter, 10/15/24
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month is a time to honor the rich histories, cultures, and contributions of the AANHPI community. For nonprofits, it’s also an opportunity to amplify diverse voices, build stronger coalitions, and drive meaningful community impact together.
This month is more than recognition; it’s a call to action. It’s about creating spaces where voices from the AANHPI community can thrive, stories can be shared, and organizations can unite in advancing equity and inclusion. For nonprofits and community leaders, this work starts with strong collaboration, impactful resources, and inclusive workplaces.
The Role of Nonprofits in Supporting AANHPI Communities
Nonprofit organizations play a vital role in advancing the well-being of underrepresented communities. With AANHPI communities experiencing barriers such as access to healthcare, education inequality, and workplace discrimination, nonprofits can act as a bridge for support and advocacy. Here’s how nonprofits can make a tangible impact during AANHPI Heritage Month and beyond:
By taking these steps, nonprofits can ensure that their work uplifts and supports the communities they aim to serve.
Join the Movement for Meaningful Impact
This AANHPI Heritage Month, let’s not only celebrate the cultural richness and resilience of AANHPI communities but also take actionable steps to create a more inclusive and equitable environment for all.
Start building a stronger foundation for your nonprofit’s mission today. Take advantage of UST HR Workplace with a FREE 60-Day Trial to access the essential tools you need to support your workplace while driving meaningful impact.
UST HR Workplace is a cloud-based platform designed specifically for nonprofit employers aiming to foster a safe, compliant, and productive work environment. By signing up for our 60-day trial, you’ll access valuable resources that simplify managing your nonprofit. These include live certified HR experts ready to answer pressing questions, over 300 employee training courses for professional development, and thousands of downloadable forms and checklists for everyday HR operations. Additionally, you’ll find an online employee handbook builder and job description tools to attract top talent.
Sign up for your free trial now
Together, we can create lasting change that honors the principles of diversity and inclusion across all the communities we serve.
Question: An employee says that the stress of the job is affecting their mental health. How should we handle this?
Answer: This employee may just need to talk through their concerns and get your help prioritizing or delegating. They may, for example, feel like every single thing on their to-do list is life-or-death by Friday at close of business, when that’s not really the case. Some manager guidance can go a long way, especially for your employees who are usually self-directed.
On the other hand, the stress and mental health effects the employee describes may rise to the level of a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In this case, we would recommend beginning the interactive process to determine what, if anything, can be done to accommodate them so that the essential functions of the job get done to your standards and the employee is able to keep working. As part of this conversation, you can request a doctor’s note to substantiate the disability.
If you have more general concerns about the effects of stress in your workplace, you might consider ways to help your employees reduce and manage their stress. Tried and true methods include offering health benefits so employees can access health care professionals and paid time off so they can take a day here and there to rest and recharge. Simply encouraging employees to support one another and allowing them breaks during the day can also be a great help.
You can learn more about supporting the mental health of employees by reading our guide on the subject.
This Q&A does not constitute legal advice and does not address state or local law.
This Q&A was provided by Mineral, powering the UST HR Workplace. Have HR questions? Sign your nonprofit up for a FREE 60-day trial here. As a UST member, simply log into your Mineral portal to access live HR certified consultants, 300+ on-demand training courses, an extensive compliance library, and more.
When people think about nonprofit organizations, they might believe that a group’s tax-exempt status means the organization doesn’t need to worry about taxes or the IRS. That misconception couldn’t be farther from the truth!
In fact, the federal government requires annual documentation from nonprofits (other than churches or certain church-related groups) to show how they’re working toward their mission and to confirm they’re following regulations established for tax-exempt entities. IRS Form 990 provides the framework for this annual reporting.
What’s included in Form 990?
Form 990 basically serves as a public report card on your organization. It details information such as:
Prospective donors often review a nonprofit’s Form 990 filings to get an idea of how the group is working toward their goals and to get a snapshot of the organization’s financial health. (If expenses such as unemployment claims or state unemployment premiums are negatively impacting your nonprofit, you can talk to UST about alternative solutions which can help significantly cut these types of expenses. It could be a smart way to demonstrate your group’s dedication to year-over-year fiscal improvement for your next 990 filing.)
Which version of Form 990 does my nonprofit need to complete?
Your organization’s annual revenue determines which version of Form 990 must be filed each year:
Form 990 is commonly supplemented by Schedules. While there are 16 Schedule options associated with Form 990, most organizations are only required to complete a few. Smaller groups may not need to submit any Schedules. If your nonprofit participates in the activity covered by a certain Schedule, it must be filed along with your 990.
Once Form 990 is filed with the IRS, does a nonprofit need to worry about state filing requirements as well?
There’s no “one size fits all” answer for this question. Nonprofit filing requirements vary by state. The IRS website includes a quick reference of state-by-state information for tax-exempt organizations.
Are there deadlines for filing Form 990?
Form 990 is due each year by the 15th day of the 5th month after the end of a nonprofit’s fiscal year. If your organization is running behind on this paperwork, you can file IRS Form 8868 to request a six-month extension.
Smaller nonprofits who use Form 990-N are not eligible for extensions but there are currently no penalties for late filing for these groups.
What happens if a nonprofit doesn’t meet their Form 990 deadline?
Meeting Form 990 deadlines is critical for tax-exempt organizations. If Form 990 is filed late, the IRS has the right to assess financial penalties. If your nonprofit’s gross revenues are less than $1,208,500, the fee is $20 per day up to a maximum $12,000 fine. If your group’s revenues are higher than $1,208,500, the fee jumps up to $120 a day with a maximum fine of $60,000.
While those fines can add up quickly, there’s an even more significant penalty for groups that fail to file Form 990 for three consecutive tax years. Nonprofits who fall into that situation automatically lose their tax-exempt status. As a result:
What are some of the most common errors that lead the IRS to reject Form 990 submissions?
The IRS can return your Form 990 filing or even reject it due to errors or missing information. They recommend reviewing the following aspects of your organization’s 990 filing to avoid this situation:
With the significant potential penalties surrounding Form 990, most nonprofits take filing this key documentation extremely seriously. Experts recommend working with your board of directors and a tax professional to help make sure your organization stays in compliance with these important regulations.
As your nonprofit gears up for the upcoming 990 filing, consider adding a strategic approach to reducing unemployment costs to your documentation. UST has assisted over 2,200 nonprofit organizations in minimizing financial exposure to unemployment claims. The savings from working with UST have enabled many organizations to fund staff merit increases, offset rising health insurance premiums, or cover expenses like wellness benefits. See how much you could save by becoming a reimbursing employer with UST by clicking the link here.
SOURCES:
“Charities and nonprofits,” IRS.gov: https://www.irs.gov/charities-and-nonprofits
“Federal Filing Requirements for Nonprofits,” National Council for Nonprofits: https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/running-nonprofit/administration-and-financial-management/federal-filing-requirements-nonprofits
“Your IRS Form 990 Questions Answered,” blueavocado.org: https://blueavocado.org/finance/your-irs-form-990-questions-answered/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwtdi_BhACEiwA97y8BBcZnko5Bt0pKgphXCP99p3pCvcOTnUhgCIQLc1zPLB5BOJeFJIdqxoCnmYQAvD_BwE
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