Financial statements of nonprofits will look at bit different in 2018. The changes may not be that noticeable to the untrained eye, but they will happen due to FASB (Financial Accounting Standards Board) attempt to make financial reporting easier to understand. Even though current reporting rules have been in place for over 20 years, many people have complained that the financial statements of nonprofits are confusing not providing enough information to assess liquidity and ability to pay bills. This update, known as ASU 2016-14, focuses on these concerns.
“Not-for-profit organizations that will be affected include charities, foundations, colleges and universities, health care providers, religious organizations, trade associations, and cultural institutions, among others” (FASB.org)
The main changes regarding this accounting update are:
Only two classes of net assets
As you may know, net assets are elements that hold information about nonprofits, accumulating increases and decreases in revenues and expenses throughout the years. A nonprofit account always belongs to a net asset, traditionally classified as unrestricted, temporarily and permanently restricted. No more. After this update, we will have only two classifications of net assets:
1-Net Assets Without Donor Restrictions, comparable to the “old” unrestricted net asset
2-Net Assets With Donor Restrictions, combining the “old” temporarily restricted and permanently restricted net assets.
So, instead of reporting on three net assets, as has been the case until now, with statements showing three columns or lines, there will be only two net assets. It doesn’t mean that the accounting of temporarily and permanently restricted net assets need to change internally, but these are now combined in the “official” financial statements. Most likely, the reporting on the accounting software will need to be modified to accommodate the update requirements.
Underwater value of endowments
Organizations may receive endowment funds that are held for long-term or perpetuity. When the fair market value of such investments is lower than the original value of the gifts, they are said to be “underwater.” Unfortunately, that has been the case with the volatility of the stock market and other losses. Currently, such losses are reported under the unrestricted net assets area. However, after this update, accumulated losses are to be shown within the endowment fund — net assets with donor restrictions.
Detailed information about endowments is also required as disclosures on the official financial statements, such as the current fair market value of the endowment, any amount required to be maintained, and any deficiencies of the underwater endowment fund.
Liquidity
Liquidity is the ability of a nonprofit to pay its bills, a valid concern to many donors and grantors. As many donors restrict gifts, it can be hard to determine if an organization has the money necessary to pay its current bills. Financial flexibility is essential for any nonprofit to be viable long-term, so this update requires disclosures about how an organization will be able to meet its financial obligations for the next 12 months. Specific resources available should be disclosed, such as prior year’s reserves and any money restricted by the board.
For more information, check out the book “Nonprofit Finance: A Practical Guide – Second Edition”
Sheila Shanker 