Non-Profit Accounting

Helping you help others.

Not-for-profit organizations, ranging from professional and trade associations 501(c)6 to charitable organizations 501(c)3, arts and educational organizations and foundations, are facing some of the most dramatic changes in IRS tax reporting requirements on Form 990 – Return for Organizations Exempt From Income Tax. These rapid changes demand the working knowledge of a qualified accountant not-for-profit specialist.

Unlike traditional accounting for businesses, a CPA for non-profits needs to be highly specialized and requires a strong knowledge of non-profit reporting, exemptions, and budgeting. The complex financial internal controls surrounding this sector are why it's so important to find a CPA for non-profits who understands the internal intricacies of not-for-profit accounting.

Porte Brown has long offered non-profit organization accounting services. By helping with audit and accounting needs, Porte Brown has assisted many organizations for decades. Through our commitment to excellence, each not-for-profit accountant on our team has lent a hand in serving and building our reputation as the go-to non-profit accounting firm for Chicago and the surrounding communities.

What is Non-Profit Accounting?

As one of the leading CPA firms specializing in non-profits, Porte Brown's mission is to ensure that our 200+ not-for-profit clients have all of the necessary policies and standards in place to comply with the new IRS governance and transparency regulations. As a non-profit, you can enjoy a suite of benefits that increase your annual funding, maintain fiscal responsibility, and help you achieve your goals. Our non-profit accounting services also provides our clients with interactive checklists, mailing reminders, and opportunities for webinars. But that’s not all that Porte Brown offers.

Along with our not-for-profit audit and non-profit accounting expertise, our experienced team of non-profit accounting experts hold leadership positions in not-for-profit organizations. With this firsthand understanding, our not-for-profit accountants offer unique insights and real experience managing successful organizations.

Many of our clients look to us for counsel on more than just audit and accounting issues. For example, Porte Brown acts as a key partner that helps not-for-profit clients strengthen their operations. An accountant from our team can assist clients in selecting the right accounting software and hardware, developing budgets, and attaining the most effective processes and infrastructures. Having the right tools and implementing the best strategy in various situations specific to non-profits can offer extensive growth opportunities that reach far beyond just accounting for non-profit organizations.

The Porte Brown team of not-for-profit accounting specialists continues to serve as featured speakers for major events, such as the Chicago Arts and Business Council’s On Board Program and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Conference.

Our non-profit accounting professionals stay at the forefront of non-profit bookkeeping, protecting financial health and implementing accounting best practices. We can help take care of your non-profit accounting needs, putting you in the best possible financial position to realize your organization's mission, ensure financial transparency in the eyes of government agencies, and maintain your non-profit status.

Proud to serve:

• Charitable Organizations 501(c)3
• Professional & Trade Organizations 501(c)6
• Educational Organizations
• Foundations
• Social Welfare or Advocacy Organizations
• Religious Organizations
• Labor Organizations
• Business Leagues
• Social & Recreational Clubs

Services include:

• Audit & Review Services
• Yellow Book Audits
• A-133 Audits
• 403(b) Retirement Audits
• Form 990 Compliance
• Tax Preparation Including Federal & State Filings
• Tax Credits
• On-site Monthly & Quarterly Accounting
• Compliance Audit Representation
• Functional Expense & Budget Consulting
• Grant Request Preparation
• Organization Formation Assistance
• Risk Assessment Framework Development
• Porte Brown Technology Solutions
• Retirement & Employee Benefit Services

Industry involvement:

Porte Brown and our employees are active in the community, members of industry organizations, and professional accounting associations. The financial management of a non-profit is a unique process, which is why you want a CPA for non-profits who’s familiar with the local industry. Our non-profit accountants are members of several Chambers of Commerce and industry organizations spanning the multiple practice areas in which we operate. Our involvement with the following organizations provides a forum for sharing ideas and resources to provide accounting services for non-profits in a consistently superior manner:

• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
• Association Forum of Chicagoland
• Association of Fundraising Professionals
• Illinois CPA Society
• PrimeGlobal
• Arts & Business Council of Chicago
• Association of Consultants to Nonprofits
• Forefront
• .OrgCommunity

Commitment to Quality and Continuing Education for Our Team and Yours

Our commitment to quality cannot be underestimated. When the Quality Review program was being implemented in Illinois, we sat on the Quality Review Executive Committee until the program was up and running for the duration of the Committee. We monitor our quality control system continuously throughout the year and subject our audit and accounting policies and procedures to an independent outside review (referred to as a peer review) every three years, as required by our membership in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Porte Brown LLC’s quality control system is based on the AICPA’s quality control standards.

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) is committed to helping its members achieve the highest standards in performing quality audits. To help CPAs meet the challenges of performing quality audits for clients in this complex area, the AICPA offers firm-based voluntary membership centers for firms that perform audits. Porte Brown LLC is a dedicated member of the following audit quality centers:

• AICPA Private Companies Practice Center (PCPS)
• AICPA Governmental Audit Quality Center (GAQC)
• AICPA Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center (EBPAQC)
• AICPA | PCPS Center for Plain English Accounting

We are very proud to demonstrate our commitment to quality and integrity. Our last Peer Review was performed by KerberRose SC, Certified Public Accountants. Here's a copy of our most recent Peer Review Report.

We have firm representation on seven different ICPAS committees and regularly participate in educational opportunities, both local and national. As part of our firm’s associations with these organizations, we receive a wide range of support, including education, training, contacts, and resources to help us better service our clients and improve their competitiveness in individual marketplaces. Our focus is on receiving the best education possible and then turning it around and providing the best education possible to our clients.