http://www.boardsource.org/

The most useful information on board and committee development (including identification, recruitment, assessment strategies, and retention) will surely come from the resources available at BoardSource®. Some of the BoardSource® information is free, but a number of the materials, articles, and documents require membership or have a cost associated with them. We strongly recommend that you consider joining BoardSource, if for no other reason than to take advantage of the excellent materials they offer as well as the member discounts. The 2007 membership fees are $99.00 (1 year) or $169.00 (2 years). Memberships are available on an individual basis only.

http://www.managementhelp.org/

Free Management Library has published a “Basic Guide to Nonprofit Financial Management,” and it is superb. Not only does this link take you through the nuts and bolts of budget preparation, but it will also walk you through some steps for creating good bookkeeping and internal controls practices, teach you about how to manage program finances, and help your organization (and especially the governing board) to understand financial statements and analyze them.

http://www.managementassistance.org/

The Management Assistance Group (MAG) is a nonprofit consulting company that works with organizations committed to a “just, humane, and sustainable society.” Areas of specialty include boards, planning, management, growth/change, and fundraising. The MAG web site includes a number of free articles and documents addressing each of the areas of specialty. The section on boards is particularly well done.

http://www.managementhelp.org/

Free Management Library has published a “Basic Guide to Nonprofit Financial Management,” and it is superb. Not only does this link take you through the nuts and bolts of budget preparation, but it also walk you through some steps for creating good bookkeeping and internal controls practices, teach you about how to manage program finances, and help your organization (and especially the governing board) to understand financial statements and analyze them.

http://boardsource.org/

We can never say enough positive things about the resources available through BoardSource®. You don’t have to be a member of BoardSource® to use the resources of the Knowledge Center. For information on budgeting and managing the finances of your nonprofit organization, go to the Knowledge Center, and pull down “Finance” under “Browse by Topics.” On the left-hand drop-down menu, refine your search, and voilà! You will be directed to more than 100 questions and answers about nonprofit budgeting and financial management.

You can also find some excellent books and monographs in the “Books and Tools” portion of the BoardSource® site.

http://www.compasspoint.org/

Once again, we bring you to CompassPoint for some really helpful information. In the link we have provided, you can select “Funds Management” and “Form 990” in the drop-down topic menu for a look at some wonderfully useful questions and answers.

http://foundationcenter.org/

The Foundation Center offers some essential in-classroom and online training courses on a wide range of fundraising topics. Full-day classroom instructional programs are fee-based, but the basic classroom training classes are free. Five online training courses are offered, at no (or a very low cost), and the online guides and tutorials are offered free-of-charge.

http://www.arts.state.tx.us/

A service of the Texas Cultural & Arts Network of the Texas Council on the Arts, this site contains some excellent advice on basic fundraising issues. You will find information on building a fundraising plan; an overview of the different types of funding and their unique constraints; rules of thumb on boards and fundraising; guidelines on how to organize and develop your fundraising materials; a research checklist; sample fundraising plan and template; sample donor profiling and pledge forms; a sample breakdown of benefits for underwriters; sample cover letter, proposal, budget, and follow-up letter; a special events timeline; and more.

http://www.npguides.org

Nonprofit Guides offers web-based grant-writing tools for nonprofit organizations. You will find the guides exceptionally helpful and filled with sample documents. Since 1996, Nonprofit Guides has been published by a nonprofit housing specialist and former public housing sector specialist and grant writer. The materials available on the site have been compiled from a variety of sources based on the publisher’s extensive grant writing experience.

http://gayleroberts.com/

This is an indispensible link to the Top 10 reasons that funding proposals are rejected. The information has been summarized from the book Grant Proposal Makeover, highly recommended in our Ideal Nonprofit Library link.

http://onphilanthropy.com

onPhilanthropy.com is a global resource for nonprofit and philanthropy professionals. The materials contained on the site are free-of-charge and feature several industry-leading e- newsletters. onPhilanthropy.com is published by Changing Our World, Inc., a leading U.S. fundraising and philanthropic services company. The section on fundraising articles is particularly interesting, and you should most definitely take the time to read the article on the “art of asking for a major gift.” You will also find helpful articles on a variety of other topics.

http://www.foundationcenter.org

The Foundation Center is the nation’s leading authority on philanthropy, connecting nonprofits and the grantmakers, supporting them with tools they can use and information they can trust. The Center maintains the most comprehensive database on U.S. grantmakers and their grants. It also operates research, education, and training programs designed to advance philanthropy at every level. Every day, thousands of people gain access to free resources in its five regional library/learning centers and its national network of more than 340 Cooperating Collections. The Foundation Center web site contains a vast amount of free material.

http://www.compasspoint.org/

A service of CompassPoint, the Nonprofit Genie provides free, fast, and practical answers to frequently asked questions about nonprofit management. The sections on financial statements, audits, and sound fiscal management are particularly helpful, as is the section on technology.

http://www.craigslistfoundation.org/

Yes, CraigsList has a foundation, and this portion of the site contains links to other sites that are particularly helpful. The Nonprofit Boot Camp is exceptionally useful as it contains downloadable articles and documents on a broad range of management topics.

http://www.idealist.org

Idealist.org is a cyber community that connects people and organizations. Launched in 1996, Idealist.org has become the leading nonprofit portal on the Internet for job listings, internships, consultants, other resources, and volunteer opportunities. At the moment, almost 189,000 people have registered on the site as well as nearly 71,000 organizations. Idealist.org has perfected the art of “connecting the dots.”

http://probonopartnership.org/

The Pro Bono Partnership is a complete legal resource center for nonprofit organizations and attorneys. Coordinated and supported by a team of in-house attorneys specializing in the law of tax exempt organizations, the Pro Bono Partnership provides free business legal services to eligible nonprofit organizations in New Jersey, Fairfield County, CT, and Westchester County, NY. The Pro Bono Partnership web site offers some free advice to anyone visiting the site. Click on the Resources link on the Home Page for Publications and Frequently Asked Questions.

You can’t go wrong with BoardSource® publications. At a minimum, every nonprofit organization should own the Governance Series ($105.00 for members / $150.00 for nonmembers) and the Committee Series ($77.00 for members / $111.00 for nonmembers), but all of the BoardSource® materials are well worth the money. The publications list covers a broad range of topics, some directed to the chief executive, others to the governing board, many to both board and staff.

by Robert C. Andringa and Ted W. Engstrom (2007)

http://www.boardsource.org/

Written in clearly understandable language, with short chapters that include “action steps,” this book offers comprehensive coverage of the nuts-and-bolts information that a nonprofit organization needs to build an effective and quality governing board. ($30.00 for members; $40.00 for nonmembers)

by Arnold J. Olenick & Philip R. Olenick ($29.95)

http://foundationcenter.org/

This volume is available from the Foundation Center. The authors developed the manual as a working guide for administrators, board, and nonprofit staff. The book covers all of the crucial “behind the scenes” logistics that pave the way for successful nonprofit initiatives.

by Gary M. Grobman (~$20.00)

http://www.amazon.com/

This is a book that no nonprofit office should be without. This is a fantastic "how to" guide that covers everything from soup to nuts.

by Bryan W. Barry ($32.95)

http://www.fieldstonealliance.org

Another valuable volume from Fieldstone Alliance, this workbook will help your nonprofit find the right “niche” for itself. The workbook includes practical, step-by-step guidance and excellent worksheets to develop your own strategic plan.

http://www.stevensoninc.com/

This is Stevenson, Inc.’s link to the dozen or so “how to...” manuals covering a broad range of topics. The beauty of these manuals is that many of the the entries are prepared by people in the field who have tested the tips for success. Each is written in clear, understandable language. (Prices range from $59.95 to $68.00 per publication.)

http://www.stevensoninc.com/

This is Stevenson, Inc.’s catalog of newsletters, each of which includes 12 issues, plus special issues from time to time. From fund raising and special events to membership and volunteer management, these newsletters are chock full of excellent tips all written by people in the field ... “ideas that work.” (Prices range from $99.00 to $199.00 per newsletter.)

($27.95)

http://www.fieldstonealliance.org/

Available from Fieldstone Alliance, this manual is an excellent bookkeeping and accounting primer for start-up nonprofit organizations.

by Cheryl A. Clarke and Susan P. Fox ($29.95)

http://www.josseybass.com/

This could be the best grant writing “how to” book ever written. The authors have interviewed program officers and funding community “insiders” to show you how to transform lackluster proposals into excellent ones that have the potential to be funded. This book stands out from other traditional grant writing books because it illustrates common flaws and problems in proposals and shows exactly how to fix them. In addition, it is exceptionally well written and has an engaging tone.

by Henry M. Robert III et al., 10th Edition (2000).

http://www.amazon.com/

This is the only authorized guide to parliamentary procedure. The 10th Edition has been updated to address common questions, and it incorporates the newest rules and procedures. For the novice, this volume will be daunting at first, but it is the definitive work on parliamentary procedure and should be on every board member’s bookshelf.

by Doris P. Zimmerman (2005).

http://www.amazon.com/

This volume solves the problem of how to run a meeting according to parliamentary procedure by using summaries, outlines, charts, and forms to illustrate the rules. While it does not cover the wide variety of topics contained in the original Robert’s Rules of Order, it does provide the basics and should be used in conjunction with Robert’s Rules.

http://www.managementhelp.org

Once again, Free Management Library tops our list of useful links. On the home page of Free Management Library, you will find an extensive list of management topics While most of these are aimed at nonprofit management, you will also find some very good tips that for-profit organizations use in their daily administration, tips that can easily translate to nonprofit work.

http://www.uwex.edu/

Located in the Extension Division of the University of Wisconsin, the Nonprofit Management Education Center / Learner Resources link contains 24 topics that will lead you to some excellent advice about managing your nonprofit organization. Be sure to check out Q&A with Faculty while you’re on this site, as some common management questions have been answered by the experts.

http://www.npgoodpractice.org/

We stumbled on this site quite by accident, but it’s a real gem! The Dorothy A. Johnson Center at Grand Valley State University (Allendale, Michigan) offers the “Nonprofit Good Practices Guide.” As you open each topical link, you will find excellent definitions to start you off on your management journey, and within each topic there are subtopics that will lead you to some superb articles. Don’t miss this one.

http://www.allianceonline.org/

Referred to in other sections of our web site, the Alliance for Nonprofit Management is a membership organization, but the FAQ section is free and very helpful. Several management topics are covered in the FAQ section of the ANM site.

http://philanthropy.com

The Chronicle of Philanthropy is the newspaper of the nonprofit world. It is the No. 1 news source - in print and online - for charity leaders, fund raisers, grant makers, and other people involved in the philanthropic enterprise. (The paper is published 24 times a year.) Subscriptions include full access to the web site and news updates by e-mail-all at no extra charge. An online-only subscription is also available as is a site-license option so that all of your colleagues can have access. The current subscription rate is $72.00 per year.

The Chronicle also offers a number of free email alert options, including a daily digest of news and views on philanthropy, jobs, and available grants.

http://philanthropyjournal.org/

Philanthropy Journal offers some very helpful tips for nonprofit managers and contains articles and reports in its Special Reports link. Seven topics covering Professional Development, Fundraising (including Annual Funds, Capital Campaigns, Corporate Giving, and Planned Giving), Nonprofit Technology, and Volunteers & Boards are included in this section of the PJ site.

Philanthropy Journal also offers three free online newsletters: People and Nonprofits in the News, Weekly News Briefing, and PJ Events.

http://nptimes.com/

The NonProfit Times is the leading business publication for nonprofit management. Full-time nonprofit executives who are located in the United States are eligible to receive free subscriptions to this publication as well as to Exempt, a new magazine directed to CEOs, CFOs, Development Officers, and board members who are responsible for endowment, asset, and financial management.

The Nonprofit Times also offers four free e-newsletters: Instant Fundraising, Weekly e-Newsletter, NPT Jobs, and TechnoBuzz.

http://www.compasspoint.org/

Board Café is a free electronic service of California-based CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, a consulting, research, and training organization that provides nonprofit organizations with management tools, strategies, and research to lead change in their communities. Board Café is a free monthly newsletter designed exclusively to meet the needs of nonprofit boards of directors. The documents are short and to the point, very well written and understandable, and they offer excellent advice.

http://foundationcenter.org/

In a separate link under General Resources, we have described the incredible resources that may be found on the Foundation Center website. In this link, you will be able to subscribe to two of the Foundation Center’s free weekly e-newsletters: Philanthropy News Digest and RFP Bulletin, both of which contain valuable information. Connections, also a free subscription, links you on a bi-weekly basis to other sites by rounding up the best philanthropy-related content on the web.

http://www.managementhelp.org/

From Free Management Library, this article provides comprehensive advice and materials for anyone who is considering starting a nonprofit organization. The reader is guided to other, helpful sources of information.

http://www.irs.gov/

Taken from the web site of the Internal Revenue Service, this link explains exactly what has to be done to create a nonprofit organization. Sample governing documents (bylaws, conflicts of interest statements, etc.) are included. Click on the “graphical depiction of the life cycle” in the second paragraph to access an interactive PDF document.

http://www.irs.gov/

This is the form that start-up nonprofits must complete in order to be considered for tax exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service. The PDF version is a functioning document, i.e., the form may be completed by entering information directly onto the PDF. Be prepared to spend some serious time completing the document, and be aware that the approval process can take up to 18 months owing to the backlog of pending applications.

http://www.form1023help.com/

Written by a former IRS employee, this link provides page by page instructions and other help for non-profit organizations preparing the application for 501(c)(3) tax exempt status.

http://www.tccgrp.com/

This is a good article that says it all. This TCC Group (formerly The Conservation Company) article provides excellent tips and advice to help improve your organization's mission statement.

http://www.independentsector.org/

This document was drafted by a special taskforce of the Independent Sector Ethics and Accountability Committee. It constitutes the Statement of Values and Code of Ethics that IS uses for its own work. In addition, the Board of Directors of IS encourages IS members, and the field as a whole, to use this document in either drafting and adopting your own statement of values and code of ethics or, for those who have already done so, reviewing and revising, as necessary, your statement of values and code of ethics.

http://www.probonopartnership.org/

This is a superb FAQ sheet outlining information concerning trademarks and service marks for nonprofit organizations. It is a publication of the ProBono Partnership and was written by a lawyer for the lay reader. If your organization is considering applying a service mark or trademark to you name, this is the article for you.

http://www.allianceonline.org/

The Washington, DC-based Alliance for Nonprofit Management is the professional association of individuals and organizations devoted to improving the management and governance capacity of nonprofits. The Alliance assists nonprofits in fulfilling their missions. The Alliance offers the answers to Frequently Asked Questions on a broad range of topics, including Board Development, Fundraising, and Financial Management, among others. The section on Strategic Planning FAQs is particularly good and presents a comprehensive overview of what strategic planning is and what is entailed.

http://www.tccgrp.com/

The TCC Group (formerly The Conservation Company) has prepared an excellent overview of strategic planning and presents “ten keys” to successful planning. Of particular interest is the role of the consultant in the nonprofit strategic planning process.

http://www.managementhelp.org/

Free Management Library has done it once again! Included in this link is everything from soup to nuts about the nonprofit strategic planning process. The links you will find here include sample plans and worksheets.

by Bryan W. Barry

http://www.amazon.com/

This volume, available through Amazon.com, is one of our favorites. Not only does it explain the planning process well, but it also offers number of different ways to maneuver through the planning process. The book includes worksheets that have proved to be very helpful, and the book is written in a clear style, making it understandable and user-friendly. This volume retails new for just over $30.00.

http://www.techsoup.org/

Tech Soup refers to itself as “The Technology Place for Nonprofits,” and that’s just what it is. From articles and an online community sharing space to its superb Learning Center, Tech Soup will be a great resource for your nonprofit organization. Best of all, you don’t need to be an IT expert to use this site’s resources. Tech Soup will help you learn the ins and outs of using technology in today’s environment.

http://www.compasspoint.org/

From CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, welcome to the Accidental Techies website which presents resources for new and experienced nonprofit techies. This site offers excellent resources, including advice that you will be able to use on-the-spot to improve your organization’s technology resources.

http://www.coyotecom.com/

From Coyote Communications, this link will take you from A-Z in terms of great advice concerning computer and Internet use for mission-based organizations. This is a great primer on database development and management, choosing software to meet your organization’s needs, using online services, developing and maintaining your web site ... and more.