The Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits + Arizona Grantmakers Forum has launched an innovative new program to help nonprofit leaders better understand and manage their organization’s finances, free of charge.
The Finance & Loan Navigator program is available to help create a better understanding of both organizational nonprofit finances and the loan preparedness process. The new program is set up as three virtual, on-demand modules individuals can complete at their own pace: Financial Essentials, Financial Strategy and Loan Navigator.
The overall goals of the course are to:
- Increase confidence in understanding nonprofit financials
- Understand how debt can be beneficial
- Strengthen an organization’s financial health
- Expand conversations related to loan options as a tool to grow or expand programs
- Find solutions for financial opportunities or challenges
- Understand when an organization is or isn’t prepared/ready to obtain a loan/incur debt
- Understand cash-flow forecasting
- Proactively ensure the nonprofit’s C-suite/board understands finances and loans
The program combines online videos, quizzes, and a digital guide with one-on-one time with a “navigator,” which is currently Lesli Pintor, a financial expert with the firm Growth Partners Arizona. The program was created in partnership with Vitalyst Health Foundation and the Arizona Community Foundation.
“During the pandemic, we saw first-hand how many nonprofits were ill-prepared for the PPP loan or EIDL application process and an overall need for more financial acumen in some organizations,” said Jennifer Purcell, Chief Impact Officer for the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits + Arizona Grantmakers Forum. “This program is intended to help nonprofit leaders and their boards understand their financials holistically and see the bigger picture, and also help them understand that debt can have a positive purpose and place in an organization’s trajectory.”
The program provides board members and nonprofit leaders with discussion questions and considerations for their organization including segregation of duties and to strategically think about the best banking relationship for an organization’s asset size.
“We want to be sure we are providing the right tools for nonprofits to ensure they can maximize their impact, and understanding the overall financial picture is an important tool for any organization,” Liles said.
Additional information on the Finance & Loan Navigator program is available at the Alliance’s website and at this signup link.
