Fund Accounting Without The Hassle
Aplos is specifically built to serve the unique financial needs and dynamics of nonprofit groups and faith-based organizations. You can confidently manage your books, financial health, and bottom line the right way, the first time and every time.
Perfect for both large and small organizations
Advanced accounting tools and beautiful reports for organizations that need them
World-class fund and donor accounting features specific to the needs of nonprofits and churches
Aplos is a robust accounting system that allows you to keep track of your grants, programs, and fundraising so you can give your board clarity on your finances.
Save 50% for 3 months with code SPRING2025.
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Fund accounting
Donation Tracking
Online Giving Forms
Financial & Giving Reports
Event Registration
Save 50% for 3 months with code SPRING2025.
No credit card required. Cancel anytime.
Fund accounting
Donation tracking
Online giving forms
Financial & giving reports
Event registration
Budgeting
Accounts payable & receivable
Recurring transactions
Pledge tracking
Partner integrations
Customized solutions start at $189/month. Contact our team for a personalized quote.
For tracking budgets and financials across grants, programs, or multiple locations.
Fund accounting
Donation tracking
Online giving forms
Financial & giving reports
Event registration
Budgeting
Accounts payable & receivable
Recurring transactions
Pledge tracking
Partner integrations
Budgeting by fund
Project, campaign, or department budgeting & reporting
Fixed asset tracking
Income & expense allocations
and more...
Ever feel like your nonprofit is playing a game of financial Twister? Left foot on unrestricted funds, right hand on that grant money that can ONLY be used for the blue chairs (not the red ones)! Welcome to the world of donor restrictions – where good intentions meet accounting headaches.
Donor restrictions are conditions placed on donations that limit how and when organizations can use the funds. Think of it as your grandma giving you birthday money but insisting you "spend it on something nice, not that video game nonsense!" These restrictions create a framework for nonprofit governance that shapes how organizations operate.
Want to understand the basics better? Check out our What is Fund Accounting? And Why Do Nonprofits Need it? blog that breaks down all the essential concepts!
Donor-imposed restrictions are vital governance mechanisms that define how nonprofits can allocate received funds while balancing accountability with operational flexibility. These restrictions represent the donor intent and create a contractual obligation for the receiving organization to honor specific conditions.
According to the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), nearly 70% of all charitable donations come with some form of restriction, creating both challenges and clarity for recipient organizations.
Nonprofit finances aren't just about having money – it's about having the RIGHT KIND of money for proper fund allocation. Let's break it down:
According to the Nonprofit Finance Fund's 2022 State of the Nonprofit Sector Survey, a whopping 68% of nonprofits report that their restricted funding doesn't cover the full costs of running those programs. That's like being told you can have a car but not the gas to drive it! This highlights major challenges in nonprofit compliance.
Only 25% of nonprofits say they can have open conversations with funders about covering actual operating costs – creating a transparency reporting gap!
The average nonprofit operates with less than 3 months of cash reserves, making restricted assets particularly challenging to manage during tough times.
Not all charitable giving conditions are created equal:
Time Restrictions: "Use by December 31st or it vanishes like Cinderella's carriage!" These grant limitations create urgency.
Purpose Restrictions: "This money is for STEM education ONLY, not that arts program you also run." This tests mission alignment.
Endowments: "Only touch the earnings, never the principal – it's the financial equivalent of 'look but don't touch.'" The ultimate fiduciary responsibility challenge.
Struggling with tracking different types of restrictions? Our Fund Accounting 101 training course explains how to set up systems that make managing these requirements much easier!
For donors: Your philanthropic control might be strangling the very organization you're trying to help! Studies show that nonprofits with higher percentages of unrestricted funding are 3-4 times more likely to achieve their mission goals.
For nonprofits: Financial stewardship transparency is key. About 45% of donors say they would consider giving unrestricted funds if they better understood the organization's needs.
The best donor-nonprofit relationships involve honest conversations about what true impact requires. Research from GuideStar shows that organizations that effectively communicate their need for flexible funding raise 30% more unrestricted support on average.
Looking to improve your donor communications about funding needs? Keela's Donor Stewardship Matrix guide provides practical strategies for these crucial conversations.
Restricted funds aren't inherently bad – they just need to be balanced with enough flexibility to let organizations adapt and thrive. The next time you donate, consider loosening those purse strings a bit. Your favorite nonprofit might just breathe a massive sigh of relief!
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