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A Nonprofit Capacity Self-Assessment Workbook
For Rural Community-Based Housing Organizations

© Housing Assistance Council, 2000

Permission is granted ONLY to nonprofit community-based organizations to reproduce and/or adapt this document, and only for their own use.


WORKSHEET 16.  FINANCIAL RISK ANALYSIS

If your organization had a year-end deficit in the past two years, how was it handled? (Check all that apply.)

  Used prior year's reserve (Recommended)  
  Cut expenses  
  Did not pay bills  
  Laid off staff  
  Did not pay payroll taxes  
  Carried deficit into next year  
  Borrowed money  
  No action  
  Raised funds  
  No deficit  
  Approached board for special contribution  
   Other:  

If your organization had a surplus in the past two years, how was it used? (Check all that apply.)

  Kept in account for cash flow reserve  
   Put into savings for specified purpose  
   Put into savings to develop a reserve  
   Spent it on necessary item(s)  
   No surplus  
   Other:  

How large is your organization's general operating cash reserve fund for meeting projected cash shortfalls? (Check one.)

  Four + months' operating budget (Recommended)  
  Two to three months' operating budget  
  One month's operating budget or less  
  No cash reserve  

If your organization experiences cash flow problems (related to the timing of incoming vs. outgoing cash),
to what are they attributed? (Check all that apply.)

  Delays in government payments  
  Delays in foundation payments  
  Prior deficit  
  Unanticipated emergency expenses  
  Normal business cycles  
  Fundraising fell short of goals  
   Poor timing of fundraising campaign  
   Spent grant money that did not come in  
   No cash flow problems  
  Other:  

How does your organization respond to cash shortages? (Check all that apply.)

   Use cash reserves (Recommended)  
   Increase fundraising activities  
   Cut non-essential expenses  
   Approach board for loan/contribution  
   Request a loan from a bank  
   Try to speed collection of awarded grants  
   Approach foundation for emergency funds  
   Transfer money from other funds  
   Cut program services  
   Hold salaries  
   Delay payment of bills  
  Other:  

Check the three most significant ongoing problems your organization has faced in the last fiscal year.

   Shortage of income to meet expenses  
   Shrinking public money to support programs  
   Inability to access foundation contributions  
   Other nonprofits competing for resources  
   Not enough support from fundraising  
  Other:  


On To Worksheet 17

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