Resources for Financial Reporting

June's Question of the Month asked Newsletter subscribers which resources they use to prepare their Forms 990 and report on finances. Here are the products and sites they mentioned (inclusion in this list is not an endorsement by GuideStar).

  • Adobe Acrobat Reader—software used to read Portable Document Format (PDF) files, such as on-line IRS forms and instructions. Available for free at www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readermain.html.
  • IRS Web site—forms, instructions, and guidance on issues pertaining to tax-exempt organizations; go to www.irs.gov.
  • One-Write Plus—accounting software for small businesses. Find more information at www.peachtree.com/onewrite.
  • Peachtree—accounting software. Go to www.peachtree.com for an on-line comparison between Peachtree products, to see free on-line demos, and trial versions.
  • PPC's 990 Deskbook—comprehensive reference work on all tax forms related to nonprofit organizations. Go to www.ppcnet.com and search "990 Deskbook" in the product catalog for more information.
  • Prosystem fx Tax—tax compliance software. For more information, go to http://tax.cchgroup.com, click on "Tax Compliance" under "Software and Services" in the left toolbar, then click on "Prosystem fx Tax."
  • QuickBooks—accounting software. Go to http://quickbooks.intuit.com for an on-line comparison of different QuickBooks products, interactive demos, and trial versions.
  • TechSoup Stock—resource for free and discounted technology products. Some 25 companies, including Cisco, Lotus, Microsoft, and Symantec, are partners in TechSoup Stock. Go to www.techsoup.org and click on "TechSoup Stock."

Remember that it never hurts to ask about nonprofit discounts and partnerships when you're purchasing something for your organization. As Hunter Todd of 38th WorldFest—Houston International Film Festival noted, "We obtain many wonderful software packages at tremendous discounts via TechSoup. As an example, a Norton Anti-Virus license for ten computers for just $50. This is a wonderful resource."

Finally, don't overlook local and regional resources. One subscriber reported, "In the state of Michigan, an organization named Volunteer Accounting Service Team (VASTMI.ORG) offers at times training classes taught by an accountant. It teaches that you have all the information that you will need already to prepare form yourself or other assistance in completing the form."

Suzanne E. Coffman, July 2004
© 2004, Philanthropic Research, Inc. (GuideStar)

Suzanne Coffman is GuideStar's director of communications and editor of the Newsletter.