operate more like a business and still stay true to your mission

Plante & Moran has been serving not-for-profits like yours for over 80 years. We understand that your work is about more than numbers – we recognize the importance of mission. Without a strong mission, you don’t have a strong organization. It is also true, however, that without a strong business model, your organization cannot be as effective in delivering upon that mission. That’s where we can help.

We have very knowledgeable staff that specialize in the not-for-profit sector – we don’t view it as downtime “filler” work for staff assigned to other areas. The people who work in this group have expressed a desire to work in this group and make themselves accessible to our clients.

Do you need an audit?

Some of our clients require our services only for an annual audit. They appreciate the fact that, due to our low turnover rate, the same knowledgeable Plante & Moran staff show up year after year so no re-education is required. They also appreciate the fact that the engagement partner is a not-for-profit specialist who performs reviews in the field and is accessible and available throughout the year for consultations.

Are you concerned about recent increased scrutiny of not-for-profit organizations by the IRS, the Senate Finance Committee and others?

With the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and increased scrutiny of not-for-profit organizations, many of our clients have asked for our assistance with improving accountability and "transparency" in their organizations. We have consulted with our clients on the following topics:

• Forming new audit committees
• Development of ethics and conflict of interest policies
• Board of directors education regarding Sarbanes-Oxley and Not-for-Profits
• Implementation of internet-based reporting systems for violations of ethics policies
• Assistance with responses to inquiries by the IRS, Senate Finance Committee and other regulatory agencies