Time to replenish – Are your operating reserves at a good level?

Description

Abstract: Operating reserves — generally, unrestricted assets you can easily tap — are often called “rainy day funds.” But stable reserves are critical for far more pressing reasons than the metaphorical rainy day. Many nonprofits have drawn on their operating reserves since the spring of 2020 to cope with the economic backlash of the COVID-19 crisis. This article discusses why reserves are critical, why target sizes vary and how to estimate a target amount.