Federal · IRS chart · checked November 10, 2026
Not enough to decide yet
First answer whether you are a private foundation. Your IRS letter says.
Deena Strategic Group · Nonprofit Operations Kit · Free
Run the office like the work deserves.
You've been running the program, the books, the board and the reports with your own two hands. Here is each piece filled in the way a seasoned operations director would do it. See it done right. Then make it yours.
- 1BudgetWhat it really costs
- 2InvoiceHow promised money arrives
- 3WorkplanWho does what, by when
- 4RelationshipsWho you know, what's next
- 5CalendarEvery date that costs money
- 6Board & 990What keeps you exempt
How to use this kit in an afternoon
- Look at the filled example. Each part shows a finished version for Riverbend Neighbors Network (fictional). Nothing in it is a real organization.
- Make yours. Copy the example and change it, or start blank. Missing numbers say Unknown. We never guess.
- Take it to your board. Download a spreadsheet or print a clean copy with your organization's name on it.
You'll see notes marked The Underneath™. They name what the system tends to miss or punish, and what to do about it. They're part of every DSG tool, not an add-on. What The Underneath is.
Good to have nearby: last year's budget or bank statements, your IRS letter, any signed grant or contract agreements, and your bylaws.
Your privacy. What you type stays in this browser on this device. It is not sent to DSG or saved to an account, and it is not a protected records system. Don't type client names, health information or ID numbers. On a shared computer, clear it when you're done.
It goes at the top of your downloads and printouts.
Your operations at a glance
Every part of the kit, read together. It updates as you type.
- Annual budget
- Unknown
- This invoice
- Unknown
- Overdue dates
- 0
- Due in the next 30 days
- 0
- Board and IRS checklist
- 0 of 13
Part 1 of 6
Program budget
What one year of this program really costs, line by line, with how you got each number.
See the filled example (Riverbend Neighbors Network (fictional))
| Category | What it is | How you got the number | Amount for the year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staff | Program coordinator (half time) | 20 hrs x 52 wks x $24.00 | $24,960.00 |
| Benefits | Payroll taxes and benefits | 18% of staff pay, from our payroll report | $4,493.00 |
| Contract help | Bookkeeper | 4 hrs a month x 12 x $45 | $2,160.00 |
| Space | Share of rent | 25% of $900 a month x 12 | $2,700.00 |
| Supplies | Workshop materials | 10 workshops x $85 | $850.00 |
| Travel | Mileage for home visits | 150 miles a month x 12 x $0.50 (our board-approved rate) | $900.00 |
| Shared costs | Insurance, audit share, phones | Split by staff time, 30% | $2,400.00 |
Example total: $38,463.00
Yours
| CategoryStaff, benefits, space, supplies, travel, and so on. | What it isOne plain line. | How you got the numberShow the math, like 20 hrs x 52 wks x $24. | Amount for the yearIn dollars. | Remove |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Your total: Unknown
Part 2 of 6
Invoice
A clean invoice for work done under a signed agreement. Bill only what the agreement allows.
See the filled example (Riverbend Neighbors Network (fictional))
| Service dates | Service | Units | Rate | Line total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 to Oct 31 | Family navigation sessions (Agreement 2026-14, line 2) | 42 | $55.00 | $2,310.00 |
| Oct 1 to Oct 31 | Group workshop (Agreement 2026-14, line 3) | 4 | $300.00 | $1,200.00 |
Example invoice total: $3,510.00
Yours
| Service datesFor example: Oct 1 to Oct 31. | ServiceUse the exact name in your agreement. | UnitsSessions, hours or visits you documented. | RateFrom your signed agreement only. | Line total | Remove |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Line totalUnknown | |||||
| Line totalUnknown | |||||
| Line totalUnknown |
Invoice total: Unknown
Part 3 of 6
Workplan
Who does what, by when, and how you'll know it's done.
See the filled example (Riverbend Neighbors Network (fictional))
| Activity | Who owns it | Start | Finish | Done when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recruit and train 6 volunteer navigators | Program coordinator | Jan | Feb | 6 sign-in sheets and training notes on file |
| Hold monthly family workshops | Program coordinator | Mar | Dec | 10 workshops held; attendance counted, no names in reports |
| Collect short feedback after each workshop | Volunteer lead | Mar | Dec | Feedback summary each quarter |
| Send quarterly report to funder | Executive director | Apr | Jan | 4 reports sent by the dates in the calendar |
Yours
| ActivityA verb and a thing: Hold, Train, Send. | Who owns itOne person, by role. | StartMonth or date. | FinishMonth or date. | Done whenWhat you can point to. | Remove |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part 4 of 6
Contacts and relationships
A simple relationship list: who they are, how you know them, and the next step. Funders, partners, officials. Never clients.
See the filled example (Riverbend Neighbors Network (fictional))
| Name | Organization | Type | Last contact | Next step | OK to contact? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dana Ruiz (fictional) | Mill Creek Community Foundation (fictional) | Funder | Sept 12: site visit, asked about volunteer retention | Send retention numbers by Oct 15 | Yes |
| Marcus Hill (fictional) | Eastside Library Branch (fictional) | Partner | Aug 30: agreed to host workshops | Sign room-use agreement by Nov 1 | Yes |
| Councilmember office (fictional) | City Council District 4 (fictional) | Public official | July: met staff at town hall | Invite to December workshop | Not yet |
Yours
| NameA partner, funder or official. Never a client. | OrganizationWhere they work. | TypeWhat kind of relationship. | Last contactDate and what happened. | Next stepWhat, and by when. | OK to contact?Did they agree to hear from you? | Remove |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part 5 of 6
Grant and reporting calendar
Every date that can cost you money if you miss it, in one place.
See the filled example (Riverbend Neighbors Network (fictional))
| Due date | What is due | Who owns it | Where the date comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027-01-15 | Quarterly report to Mill Creek (fictional) | Executive director | Grant agreement, section 6 |
| 2027-03-10 | Board meeting: approve budget | Board chair | Bylaws: board meets quarterly |
| 2027-05-15 | IRS annual return (calendar year) | Treasurer and bookkeeper | IRS: 15th day of the 5th month after the year ends. This one falls on a Saturday; confirm the date with your preparer. |
Yours
| Due dateThe real date. | What is dueReport, renewal, filing, meeting. | Who owns itOne person. | Where the date comes fromYour agreement, the IRS, your bylaws. | Remove |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Part 6 of 6
Board and IRS checklist
What keeps your tax-exempt status safe and your board on solid ground. Federal facts come from the IRS pages linked below, read November 10, 2026.
Which IRS return do you file, and when?
Only if you know it's $50,000 or less. The IRS defines "normally"; see the chart link.
All money that came in, before expenses. In dollars.
Cash, equipment, property and money owed to you. In dollars.
Most use December. Check your 990 or IRS letter.
Every state is listed. DSG has not verified any state's filing rules yet.
Federal · IRS due date · checked November 10, 2026
Choose your fiscal year end
We'll show your next IRS due date.
The checklist 0 of 13 done
- Federal law Required by federal law.
- IRS asks on Form 990 Not always required by law, but the 990 asks, and funders read the answer.
- Your bylaws Your own rules. Follow them, or change them properly.
- Good practice Not a law. Funders and auditors expect it.
- State rule: check yours Depends on your state. DSG has not verified your state.
Practice: spot it before a funder does
Four quick ones. Think about it, then open the answer.
What would make a funder pause on this budget line?"Supplies: $5,000"Show the answer
There's no math. Show it: 10 workshops x $85 materials = $850, plus 12 months x $120 office supplies = $1,440. A number with math is a number a funder can trust.
What's wrong with this invoice line?"Family navigation, 42 sessions x $70 (our usual rate)"Show the answer
The rate must come from the signed agreement, not your usual rate. If the agreement says $55, bill $55, and name the agreement line.
Is this an outcome?"We will serve 200 families."Show the answer
No. Serving 200 families is an output. An outcome says what changed: for example, families report they know where to get help when the lights get cut off. Count the output; describe the change honestly.
Law, 990 question, or habit?"A funder says your board must have a CPA on it."Show the answer
That's a funder preference, not federal law. You can meet the real need (someone who reads financials well) in other ways, such as a finance committee advisor. Ask what they're really worried about.
What works in this kit today
Status checked November 11, 2026. We change this table only when something is built and tested.
| Piece | Status | What that means today |
|---|---|---|
| Five fill-in templates with filled examples | Working now | Budget, invoice, workplan, contacts and calendar. Edit, add rows, see totals. |
| Which IRS return and when it's due | Working now | From the IRS chart and due-date rule, using only numbers you enter. |
| Board and 990 checklist | Working now | Thirteen items, each labeled law, 990 question, bylaws, good practice, or state rule. |
| State filing rules | Not built | Every state is selectable. None is verified by DSG yet, and the kit says so. |
| Saved to an account | Not built | Your work stays in this browser only. It is not a protected records system. Clear it any time. |
| Reminders by email or text | Not built | Nothing is sent. Print the calendar or copy it into your own calendar. |
| Connected view | Working now | Budget, invoice, workplan, contacts, calendar and board read together: overdue and next-30-day dates, gaps and owners. |
| Workplan and contacts into the calendar | Working now | One button adds finish dates and next steps. No duplicates; people who said no are skipped. |
| Backup file | Working now | Save your work to a file on your device and open it later or on another computer. Not sent to DSG. |
| Downloads | Working now | CSV for each part or everything, and a printable copy with DSG's name and terms. |
When you want more than a kit
The structure, questions, guidance and examples in this tool were written by Deena Strategic Group. Your answers and your numbers belong to you. Free to use for your own organization's work. Do not resell, rebrand or teach it as your own paid product. Read the terms. © 2026 Deena Strategic Group · Fredericka Wallace Deena. All rights reserved. This kit is general guidance, not legal, tax or accounting advice.