EP 07. New Nonprofit Compliance Basics: 990 Filings, SMART Goals, and Staying Tax-Exempt

Most nonprofit problems don’t start with bad intentions; they just don't have all the information they need. In this episode, Olivia Cloer is joined by Will Gay, a Nonprofit Compliance Coordinator at Charitable Allies, to walk new nonprofit leaders through the most common early mistakes and how to prevent them, from skipping a real community needs assessment to setting vague goals, overlooking annual compliance filings, and letting bookkeeping get messy until 990 season becomes a scramble. You’ll learn what it takes to form and maintain a nonprofit legally, how 990 filing rules and deadlines actually work, how revenue impacts IRS filing paths (including 1023-EZ vs. full), why fundraising can trigger multi-state registration, and how simple internal controls protect your mission when staff or volunteers change. Things You Will Learn: Build a practical first-year plan that connects mission to measurable results. Set up a basic compliance system so you stay in good standing with the IRS and your state. Create financial habits that make 990 filing straightforward instead of stressful. Tools & Frameworks Covered: SMART Goals: turn your mission into trackable outcomes your team can budget and report on Compliance Order of Operations: reduce startup confusion and prevent missed steps Internal Controls (two-touch process): protect funds and continuity when people rotate in/out #NonprofitLaw #NonprofitCompliance #501c3 #NonprofitGovernance #NonprofitLeadership ✅ SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@charitableallies/podcasts Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/501c-suite/id1854799490 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/18IVmECOQ1MMOOthGrSkRh Want more help with your nonprofit’s bylaws? Visit https://charitableallies.org/