by Betsy Smith, CPA, MST | Feb 27, 2023 | Acumen Blog, Association Management, Budget & Finance
Assessing & Managing Financial Risk Some organizations struggled during the pandemic if they were unable to pivot to virtual conferences and educational programming, while others worked hard to successfully provide members and stakeholders with meaningful...
by Betsy Smith, CPA, MST | Sep 9, 2020 | Acumen Blog, Membership
Caring is connecting; caring is relatability, a necessary ingredient in today’s meetings and membership virtual world. The first thing to do is to ask members what they want: do a survey, ask them what their priorities and preferences are during this challenging time...
by Betsy Smith, CPA, MST | Aug 25, 2020 | Acumen Blog, Leadership
Risks happen during uncertain times, especially when an organization’s operations change. And this often means that technology is being utilized in ways not previously imagined. Case in point: Zoom meetings. Security issues arose and Zoom had to quickly enact enhanced...
by Betsy Smith, CPA, MST | Nov 20, 2019 | Acumen Blog, Budget & Finance, Leadership
How to read and understand the contents of your association’s audit report is crucial. The report contains several sections: Introductory Letter The introductory letter identifies the responsibilities of the board and the independent auditor. The letter explains...
by Betsy Smith, CPA, MST | Jun 2, 2019 | Acumen Blog, Budget & Finance
Even as a CPA, I used to think a budget was just the best estimate of where an organization might end up at year-end. I now know that a budget is a critical tool in planning, spending and holding everyone with organizational influence accountable. The budget should...
