Course Objectives

• Learn the best practices in budgeting and costing – Learn what True and Full Cost Accounting is and how to conduct a true and full cost analysis
• Learn the benefits of True Cost Accounting and how this method can lead to an increase in resilience
• Learn the finance-specific roles of non-finance managers/directors
• Every organization has a business model whether they know that or not, learn what a business model is how to assess and modify it to build strategies to strengthen the capacity of the organization and its programs
• Learn which staff competencies are required to successfully transform the organization’s business model
• Learn about how and why an organizaiton should develop a reserve strategy and receive tools to help you set a policy and excel tools to help you develop a reserve strategy
• Transforming an organization can be tricky, on the surface some decisions may make sense but when you dive deeper you will see that they may have negative financial connotations…learn how to make good restructuring decisions that will strengthen the organization.
• Learn how to integrate finance with the strategic planning and annual budgeting process and see concrete examples on how to do that!

See the course outline below for the list of lessons and takeaways.

Format

• 7 video lessons
• Approximately 3 hours of viewing time
• 13 resources/ tools!
• You can take the course anytime and anywhere – all you need is an internet connection.

Why take this course?

• Maybe you realize that you never received training on best practices in budgeting, costing, scenario planning, cash flow forecasting, reserve planning, and business modelling – and you feel now is the time to expand your knowledge and skills;
• Maybe you realize that an organization’s financial position should be proactively planned and that more thought and planning is required; 
• Maybe you didn’t even realize that every organization has a business model and that understanding the business model is vital to increase the organization’s resilience; 
• Maybe you realize that the annual budgeting and reserve planning process should be much more involved and analytical than it currently is; 
• Maybe you realize that your accounting/finance team and management staff need to strengthen their knowledge in financial planning best practices; 
• Maybe you have sacrificed professional development dollars for program staff and now realize that you need professional development too!; 
• Maybe you’ve been trying to avoid any kind of training that resembles math because you didn’t do well in math when you were in school (join the club by the way, that’s how I felt!);

What is the curriculum?

Lessons

1. Best practices – Budgeting and Costing
2. Non-Finance Manager Roles in Finance
3. How to Assess and Modify the Nonprofit Business Model
4. The Competencies Required to Transform the Business Model
5. How and Why An Organization Should Develop a Reserve Strategy
6. How to Make Good Restructuring Decisions
7. Integrating Finance with Strategic Planning 

Resources / Tools

1. Best Practices in Budgeting and Costing Guide 
2. The Annual Budget Proposal Template and Guide 
3. The Finance, Accounting and Bookkeeping (FAB) Competencies Guide
4. The Nonprofit Business Model Guide 
5. The Competencies Required to Transform the Business Model Guide
6. Guide to Scenario Planning and Cash Flow Forecasting
7. Scenario Planning Example (Excel) 
8. Scenario Planning Template (Excel) 
9. Reserve Policy Example
10. Reserve Strategy Worksheets with Cash Flow Forecast 1 and 3 year templates (Excel)
11. How to Make Good Restructuring Decisions Guide
12. Integrate Finance with Strategic Planning Guide
13. How to Write a Business Model Narrative
14. PLUS BONUS: CPA Canada Guide: Nonprofit Statements

Oh…and you also get access to the lessons and the resources for one year from your enrolment date 🙂

Who is this program for?

• Nonprofit Leaders such as CEOs, Executive Director’s, Senior/Executive Finance Staff members of nonprofit and charitable organizations; 
• Nonprofit Board Members, Finance and Audit Committee Members; Leaders representing small to large nonprofit and charitable organizations; 
• Increase Competency: Staff and Board members who want to strengthen their financial planning skills. 
• Ready for growth: Staff and Board members that realize that they need to strengthen their financial leadership skills and more effectively and proactively strengthen the resilience of the organization; 
• Ready to change current practices: Leaders that are ready to learn new information and gain skills and apply what they have learned;
• Increase confidence in their work: Nonprofit leaders that want to feel more confident in their financial planning skills; 
• Certificate of completion: Individuals that want a certificate of completion to show funders, donors and their board of director’s or their staff members that they have invested in themselves and their knowledge in nonprofit finance.

Read some of the testimonials below to hear what people think about training provided by Goodcasting Academy!