Streetsmart Financial Basics for Nonprofit Managers

by Thomas A. McLaughlin

Essential, accessible guidelines for interpreting and using financial information

"A wonderful resource for nonprofit managers and board members alike. It hits the mark by simplifying accounting concepts and providing practical advice that can help nonprofits achieve a higher degree of accountability."
-Paula Van Ness, President and CEO, Make-A-Wish Foundation of America

"After thirty-three years of managing in the nonprofit sector, I find I could have used the information in Streetsmart when I first began my career. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in the effective management of nonprofit organizations."
-George W. Kessinger, President and CEO, Goodwill Industries International, Inc.

"The first edition of McLaughlin's book was a masterpiece-clearly written, concise, and insightful. These traits also characterize the Second Edition. This is an excellent text for students and also a reference that every nonprofit professional should have on their bookshelf."
-Norman A. Dolch, PhD, Director of the Nonprofit Programs and Professor of Sociology
Louisiana State University in Shreveport

"Tom McLaughlin contributes a valuable tool to those working for the betterment of society in the nonprofit an important, highly readable, intelligent review of those issues which determine success and failure. All too often, well-meaning nonprofit managers find their organizations in constant crisis due to their mission-focus and mission-drive to the detriment of sound financial management. Streetsmart Financial Basics is a fast way of balancing management skills short of returning for an MBA."
-Jeffrey R. Solomon, PhD, President, The Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies

The Second Edition of this popular resource explains in plain English how to read, interpret, and implement financial data from bookkeepers and accountants to make management decisions that ensure an organization's long-term financial viability. Organized into four distinct parts-Analysis, Accounting, Operations, and Control-this book offers a host of hands-on resources for managers,
* A CD-ROM containing spreadsheet templates for financial reports, word-processing checklists, sample documents, and real-world examples of management in action
* Dozens of easy-to-read charts, tables, checklists, and instructive sidebars
* Inserted text boxes highlighting supplemental information
* Special comments in the narrative linking the material to personal financial management matters

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Grad School

256 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1995

Reviews

[Cris · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I should be rating my pleasure reads, but I used this as a text in the public policy course I just taught. Very straightforward and often funny. Highly recommend for nonprofit managers with no finance background and even those with basic knowledge that need to brush up.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Easy to understand and practical with plenty of good examples. I almost gave this a five on the strength of readability alone. So far, every other book on this subject I have seen is as dry as a bone. The corny humor here held my attention throughout.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book required for my class, Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations. Clear, easy to follow, and not extremely boring.

[Shayna Dix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great advice with practical tools and definitions for any one of us mere mortals to understand nonprofit accounting.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read this for one of my master's classes. I despise math and financial stuff (this was an unfortunate required course), but for a finance book it was incredibly easy to read and fairly easy to understand (there is only so much one can do to make IRS forms and finance laws easy to understand). I would recommend it for anyone looking to get financially involved in a nonprofit, whether it is in a leadership position or just reviewing their records to determine if they are a good company to invest in.

[John Hopkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent overview, especially for the many ways it lines out the differences between bookkeeping in for-profit enterprises, which most of us have some familiarity with, and that in the nonprofit world. I recommend it for anyone who is thinking about starting a charity, who is new on the board of a nonprofit organization, or who may be helping to reorganize such a group.

[Sarahc Caflisch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not to be the most boring human on the earth, but this is actually a very good book, kinda cleverly written.

[Jean]

Required for class.