Countering The Overhead Argument
Show Donors Your Commitment
To Outstanding Stewardship
Responsible cost management cannot be accurately measured solely by looking at a 990 tax return.
There's insufficient detail about what was spent, why it was spent, who it was spent on, what was the spending decision process, etc. It's why funder and watchdog reliance on overhead percentages to determine a nonprofit's suitability for funding is so flawed.
But donors have a right to know that the money they give to a nonprofit is managed with the greatest of care to maximize the impact of every dollar. That's called stewardship.
ACRE's Nonprofit Financial Stewardship Assessment, vetted by a group of nonprofit leaders, is a free tool to help nonprofits quantify and demonstrate all they do to ensure outstanding stewardship of the resources entrusted to them.
Coupled with a demonstrated history of cost-effective and successful grant management, these evidence-based tools should dispel vague concerns about "spending too much on overhead."
Free Resource for Nonprofits
Nonprofit Financial Stewardship Assessment
A structured, self-guided review of your organization’s financial stewardship practices , generating three tailored reports for your team, your board, and your donors. No grades. No comparisons. Just a clear picture of where you stand and a means of showing potential donors all the ways you are working to ensure their donations are in good hands.