Local 990-NAC

The driving strategy of the NACs should be to sponsor activities and provide information and materials to get the word out that Form 990 reporting is important. Not everyone in the nonprofit sector will be a member of a NAC, so those who are interested should be equipped to go back to their organizations and educate their staff, board members, affiliates, volunteers, accountants and the public.

State charity officials are very supportive of the project. The Project Office encourages local NACs to work closely with their state charity officials. They are very knowledgeable about Form 990 issues, and their presence will send a message to the sector that the project is important. State charity officials can be involved in forming the NAC and should certainly be invited to regular NAC meetings and activities.

Involving corporate and foundation grant makers and other funders in the project is very important. They have extensive experience with the Form 990 and will be very concerned with accuracy and accountability. Their involvement will demonstrate to nonprofits how this project is both critical and valuable. Funding some of the NACs projects may result from an inclusive approach to this important group.

One of the key goals of the project is to change the way nonprofits view the Form 990. It should no longer be a "necessary evil," or a form that not-for-profit executives review briefly once a year. With the new disclosure rules, the Form 990 will become the "public face" for some organizations. The Form 990 should become a public relations tool—a chance for not-for-profits to tell their story and educate donors and others about what they do. NACs should provide a forum for discussion on making the Form 990 a valuable communications tool.

Certain states (California, New York, Texas, for example) may have more than one NAC due to geography. The Project Office will help coordinate different NACs in the same state and encourage them to work together on issues.

New NACs can use any or all of the resource materials on this site.

Working with the Local 990-NAC Project Office

Keeping communications open will enable us to increase the probability of a successful project and outcome. As NACs grow around the country, we would like to be able to track the development and progress of each chapter. Knowing the participants and attendees will enable the Project Office to track the response of invited individuals and to develop a data resource we can share with others.

Please include the Project Office in your correspondence, including invitations to meetings, meeting minutes, attendee lists or any other pertinent information germane to the development of your regional NAC. Additionally please provide the Project Office with any brochures, handbooks, and magazine articles, class or workshop curriculums, so we may share these documents on a national basis.

Your feedback will play an important role in the development of this project. We encourage you to forward suggestions for improvement. There is a feedback form (Appendix III) provided in this kit for your use. We will use those suggestions and incorporate the changes so that NACs around the country can benefit from your early experiences.

The Project Office will be working closely with each Local 990-NAC, monitoring its progress and providing resources and assistance when necessary. The main role of the Project Office will be to serve as a clearinghouse of information about the Form 990. With its relationships with various national and regional organizations, the Project Office will have access to many different types of data related to the Form 990 (reports, studies, presentations, etc.). Local 990-NACs can use this information as they begin their activities.

The Project Office will also provide updates on what different NACs across the country are doing. Critical issues, successful activities, new developments and stories, strategies, guidelines—all of these will be included in regular updates distributed to the NACs by the Project Office. Communication between the Project and local NACs is essential. NACs should try to update the Project Office on their activities as often as possible.

Supporting Projects in Process

Three other projects are already underway to help facilitate quality Form 990 reporting:

A. Publication of Unified Financial Reporting System for Not-For-Profit Organizations: A Comprehensive Guide to Aligning Financial Reporting with IRS Form 990 and GAAP Based on a Unified Chart of Accounts. anticipated publication date is early 2000.

B. Development of a national network of consulting, training, and technical assistance providers to give nonprofits easy access to consultation, training, and assistance in efficient and accurate reporting of financial and program data. This group will use the above referenced publication as a basis for training.

C. Development of a listserv for enhanced NAC communication.