Hey there! Belinda here. If you're leading a nonprofit, the halfway point of the year is the perfect time to step back and check in on your financial health. Don’t worry—this isn’t about diving into complicated spreadsheets all day. It’s about getting a simple, honest picture of what’s working, what needs adjusting, and how to finish the year strong.
This mid-year check-up isn’t just a financial exercise—it’s about stewardship, sustainability, and staying faithful to the mission your community counts on. And yes, you can do this even if you don’t consider yourself a “numbers person.” Let’s walk through it together.
Think of this as your nonprofit’s version of a wellness check. You want to make sure everything is running smoothly so you can serve your community without unnecessary stress.
Mid-year check-ins help you:
Your numbers tell a story—and understanding them helps you lead with confidence. It’s not about perfection. It’s about clarity and making wise decisions with the resources you’ve been entrusted with.
Here are three key areas I always tell my nonprofit clients to check mid-year:
Run your Profit & Loss report (a.k.a. income statement). Are you bringing in more than you’re spending? If not, where is the shortfall? If you’ve had big one-time expenses, that’s okay—but make sure you’ve planned for them. If income is behind, it might be time to ramp up donor outreach or grant applications.
Look at your biggest expense categories. Are program expenses in line with what you budgeted? Are admin or fundraising costs creeping higher than expected? Adjustments now can prevent scrambling later.
Are your donors coming back? If you had 100 donors last year and only 40 have given this year, that’s a 40% retention rate. Donor loyalty is gold for nonprofits—it costs less to keep a donor than to find a new one. Follow up with a thank-you, an update, or a simple check-in email. They need to hear from you.
Don’t have fancy donor tracking software? That’s okay. Even a simple Excel list of last year’s donors can help you reconnect with those who haven’t given yet this year. Relationships matter.
Look at how much you’re spending to raise money. If your event brought in $10,000 but cost $7,000 to put on, was it worth it? Could you raise the same amount with a simpler campaign?
Measure your fundraising cost per dollar raised. If it’s costing $0.40 to raise $1.00, can you bring that down by improving your messaging, segmenting your donor list, or using free tools like email or social media more strategically?
Download or print your Profit & Loss report, Balance Sheet, and Budget vs. Actual. If you’re using QuickBooks, it’s all right there. If you’re using Excel, take a look at what you’ve spent and what’s come in so far. Don’t overthink it—start with what you have.
Are you spending more than planned in any area? Are certain fundraising goals falling short? Write down what stands out—both the good and the not-so-good.
This is also a good time to check in with program leaders. Are they staying within their budgets? Do they have needs that haven’t been funded? Financial health is a team effort.
Once you see what’s off track, decide what changes you need to make. Maybe you cut some costs, launch a quick fundraising push, or move funds around. Maybe you ask for help. The goal is to finish the year strong and in alignment with your mission.
Use this check-up to set 1–3 financial goals for the rest of the year. Maybe it’s boosting monthly giving, trimming overhead, or applying for one new grant. Write them down and revisit them each month.
You don’t have to figure this out alone. Whether you need help reading your reports or coming up with a plan, I’m here for you. I offer strategy sessions, QuickBooks training, and other resources to help you stay audit-ready, grant-ready, and stress-free.
It’s a financial review at the halfway point of your fiscal year. You check your income, expenses, and donor activity to see how things are going.
So you can catch problems early, adjust your budget or strategy, and feel more confident about year-end. It also helps you report clearly to your board or funding partners.
Start with your cash flow, fundraising progress, budget vs. actuals, and any unusual spikes in spending. Also, review if your programs are staying on budget and aligned with your mission.
You can do a simple check-up yourself, but it never hurts to bring in a pro—especially if your reports are confusing or you want help making decisions.
A mid-year check-up is like a pit stop—it helps you refuel, adjust, and head into the second half of the year with clarity. Your nonprofit deserves strong financial footing, and your community deserves a leader who’s not afraid to peek at the numbers and make smart, faithful decisions. You’ve got this. And if you need a guide? I’m just a click away.
