C06 Session: The Audit Firm

The Audit Firm: A Nonprofit's Partner in Financial Communication

Friday, August 4, 2:15pm - 3:45pm

Track:  Financial Management and Fundraising

Presenter

Jennifer Lammers, Fiscal Management Associates, LLC

Description

Understanding a nonprofit’s relationship with the audit firm can help you be a better fundraising, marketing or management consultant.  A nonprofit’s ability to both understand and convey its financial condition clearly and confidently is increasingly important to its on going programmatic success, its public reputation, and ability to raise funds. Yet, few nonprofits have the tools and understanding necessary to make the most of their primary financial documents or their relationship with their audit firm.  Moreover, the consultants that serve them – whether they see themselves as fundraisers, grant writers, board trainers, management or marketing consultants, often fail to make the link between the audit and the services they provide.  This interactive session is designed to provide insight into the audit process and will look at how fundraising, management, and marketing can be improved by a "good audit".  Attendees will also be provided with practical tips and reusable tools to share with the nonprofits they serve. 

About the Presenter

Jennifer Lammers, Fiscal Management Associates, LLC

Lead trainer with Fiscal Management Associates, LLC (FMA), Jennifer brings an in-depth knowledge of the not-for-profit sector, with a focus on financial accountability and presentation, management training, and program design.

Jennifer has been a guest lecturer at major universities, and speaks regularly at conferences, before industry groups, and to the media on a range of industry topics, including nonprofit finance, accountability, and ethics. Her latest article, "Know Your Ratios? Everyone Else Does" appeared in the Spring 2003 issue of Nonprofit Quarterly.

Formerly, she was vice president and director of the New York Philanthropic Advisory Service for the Better Business Bureau, one of the largest charity watchdog and donor education programs in the country. Among her many responsibilities there, she managed the annual evaluation of over 1000 New York charities and developed the National September 11th Charity Database.

Jennifer recently completed her second term as vice president of the Alliance for Nonprofit Governance, a collaborative association of nonprofit professionals and organizations dedicated to strengthening the nonprofit sector through strong board leadership. Jennifer holds a Masters of Public Administration from New York University, and received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Chicago.