More about Curtis Klotz
Curtis Klotz is a CPA serving as director of nonprofit innovation at CLA. His writing is inspired by his work in CLA’s nonprofit consulting and business operations practice and more than 30 years of industry experience. Before joining CLA, Curtis was vice president of finance and CFO at Propel Nonprofits, where he was a frequent online contributor to Nonprofit Quarterly and other blogs. He was named Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s Nonprofit CFO of the Year in 2017, and is past chairperson of the Montana Nonprofit Association. Curtis graduated summa cum laude from St. Olaf College with majors in women’s studies and religion.
Blog Posts by Curtis Klotz:
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Investing to Spite Ourselves: The Paradox of Nonprofit and Foundation Asset Management
With combined assets nearing $2 trillion, how and where nonprofits and foundations invest those resources has enormous consequences. For two sectors that are mission-based, the question is whether enough of those assets are financing community and economic ventures that truly augment their stated missions. Or do traditional asset management practices inadvertently work against the goals of the very organizations holding those assets?
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Whole Organization Budgeting: A Collaborative Approach for Nonprofits
A thoughtfully crafted budget is a blueprint for accomplishing your mission and program priorities. It does very little good if, once it is created, it disappears into your accounting system never again to be discussed with program leaders.
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The Nonprofit “CFO and” Syndrome: Strength or Symptom?
The key to identifying the right blend of skills, training, and experience for your financial leader starts with aligning the role you are seeking to the needs of your nonprofit. If the core needs of your organization expand across finance to HR, IT, facilities, and operations, then first consider whether one person should be responsible for all of these functions.
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Building Equity into Nonprofit Finance
One place to look for tangible evidence of any individual’s or group’s priorities and values is to look at where they spend their money. If you are looking to see if a nonprofit is truly committed to racial justice and equity, ask to see what percentage of its expenses are invested in this work and in what way.
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The Proper Application of Hope in the Midst of a Crisis
How, in the midst of extreme uncertainty surrounding your people, programs, and finances, do you lead your nonprofit to a hopeful next phase out of such a troubling now? Every assumption you had about how your nonprofit did business prior to the downturn is open to question, and every question you ask could lead to innovation you did not anticipate.
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How to Stick Your Landing in a Free Fall
For many of the nonprofit leaders that my colleagues and I have been advising recently, the current COVID-19-related turmoil feels like the financial and emotional equivalent of a free fall. The only real hope is to react rapidly and, as much as possible, choose wisely how and where to land.
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Recording: Personnel Strategies in the Face of Impossible Choices
Nearly all nonprofits can attribute the success of their missions to the dedicated, talented people who are at the core of their organizations. Because of their commitment to their staff, contemplating personnel cuts or salary reductions are particularly painful options to imagine.
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Recording: Cash Management and Cash Modeling for Nonprofits
This web recording encourages nonprofit leaders to take an unflinching look at their current fiscal state, consider all the options needed to find a path through the current crisis, and let their mission and values guide thoughtful and effective choices.
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Community Resilience and Racial Equity – Nonprofits responding to COVID-19
While the immediacy of the COVID-19 crisis is focusing our attention on health, safety, and economic hardship, many nonprofits are also making the effort to uphold their core values around racial equity and racial justice.
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Financial Leadership in the Face of Impossible Choices
Financial leadership during times like these requires an unflinching look at your current fiscal state and a willingness to seek and share solutions across your whole organization. Holding true to your mission will guide you towards thoughtful, compassionate, and effective decisions in the midst of hardship. To help, we are offering you a few simple financial tools and some creative approaches to navigate otherwise impossible choices.