Free Resource for Nonprofits
A self-directed resource to identify and promote the safeguards, controls, and practices that guide your nonprofit’s responsible management of entrusted resources.
109 potential practices across five stewardship categories. Prepare three organization-directed reports for internal planning, board discussion, and funder or donor communication.
No grades. No comparisons. Just a practical guide to identify and promote the stewardship practices you choose to employ.
Already started? Access your guide where you left off.
Why This Matters
Many nonprofits are too often judged by a single overhead ratio, a number that tells donors and others almost nothing about how responsibly a nonprofit manages its resources. There’s a much better way to make that determination. By looking at their commitment to outstanding stewardship.
Three Reports in One
Use the guide once and prepare three distinct reports, each tailored to a different audience and purpose. Your organization chooses what each report includes.
A complete picture of the current status of your stewardship practices, identifying your strengths and revealing new opportunities to do even more. Designed for your finance and leadership teams.
Full transparency for your Board. Displays basic and advanced stewardship practices you have in place and others you might consider pursuing in the future. Framed for governance oversight.
A summary of the stewardship practices you have in place and, if you wish, other measures you’re planning to implement. Focused solely on highlighting your strengths to show all you do to effectively manage and protect your resources.
The Framework
The guide helps nonprofits look beyond a single ratio and consider a broad range of systems, disciplines, and decisions that may support responsible stewardship.
Work through all five categories or begin with the areas most relevant to your organization’s current context, risks, and priorities. Save your progress at any time and return when you’re ready.
01
02
03
04
Grant compliance, restricted funds, cost allocation, revenue controls, and funding stewardship.
05
Procurement, vendor management, disbursement processes, and disciplined cost containment.
How It Works
Complete this form once. ACRE then emails you a secure, one-time link to the guide. After you open it, later visits to the guide on the same browser take you right back to your guide. No password or credit card required.
Begin with the stewardship areas most relevant to your organization’s current context, risks, and priorities. You can save your work at any time and skip sections that don’t apply.
For each practice you choose to review, select the status that best describes your current situation: Met, Partially Met, In Progress, Not Met, Not Desired, Not Applicable, or Not Achievable. Add notes if helpful, then save and return at any time.
When you are ready, prepare an Internal Review, a Board Summary Report, and a Funder and Donor Report from the same guide. Your organization chooses what each report includes. The Funder and Donor Report presents selected practices your organization reports as in place, with an optional, clearly labeled section for enhancements underway. You frame your story from the facts.
Free Access
Enter your information below to receive secure access to the free guide.
Already started? Access your guide
© 2026 Administrative Cost Reduction Experts (ACRE). All rights reserved.
The Nonprofit Guide to Demonstrating Responsible Stewardship is provided as a free educational resource.
It is not a substitute for legal, accounting, or audit advice.
acrecutscosts.com
