For Partners
Free Resources
Plain checklists any nonprofit can use today.
Under review This page is a draft. A licensed CPA and employment counsel will review it before it is final, and it may change.
A hiring checklist
- Write the job description and the pay range
- Decide whether the work is an employee job or contractor work, and check with employment counsel if unsure
- Post the job where your community will see it
- Use the same questions with every candidate
- Check references
- Run background checks where the law or a funder requires them
- Send a written offer
- Plan the first 30 days
A first-year budget outline
- List expected income by source, and mark which money has strings attached
- List expenses by program, administration, and fundraising
- Set aside a reserve
- Compare actual to budget every month
- Write down what changed and why
A grant readiness checklist
- A one-page description of your mission and programs
- A current budget and recent financial statements
- Proof of tax-exempt status, if the funder asks
- Clear numbers on who you serve, with no information that identifies anyone
- A named person who owns the application
- A calendar of deadlines
Safety basics
- Write an emergency plan and keep a printed copy
- Keep a current contact list
- Turn on multi-factor sign-in for email and key systems
- Back up important files
- Remove access the day someone leaves
- Practice the plan once a year
These checklists are general information, not legal, tax, or accounting advice. Check with your own counsel, CPA, or funder for rules that apply to you.