COVID-19 Rapid Response Technical Assistance

Our expert financial management and real estate consultants are here to support you, your organization, or business in navigating this uncertain terrain.

To meet this moment, Community Vision’s Consulting team is offering rapid response technical assistance, four new webinars, and new on-demand tools at our nonprofit resource page, spacesforgood.org/resources.

Rapid Response technical assistance is currently open to Bay Area and Central Valley arts and culture, direct service, and other community-serving organizations working in low-income communities and communities of color. If your organization is located in a different region, please contact us and we will do our best to support you.

These offerings are generously supported by the City of San Francisco’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development, San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, San Francisco Controller’s Office, San Francisco Grants for the Arts, Northern California Grantmakers, Hewlett Foundation, Low Income Investment Fund, The California Endowment, the Kenneth Rainin Foundation, and the Walter & Elise Haas Fund.

For questions about the COVID-19 Rapid Response Technical Assistance program, please contact Saul Ettin at settlin@communityvisionca.org. 

Schedule a free 45 minute phone call with one of our expert consultants. We offer you space to share your concerns and will provide strategic thought partnership, expertise, and resources to support you and your community in navigating this challenging time. Come ready to share your financial or real estate hot spots and leave with actionable ways to address them. If you need more than 45 minutes, we can discuss how to provide that for you through third-party funded technical assistance grants. We encourage Board members and staff leadership to participate on these calls when possible. This service is currently available for organizations located in the Bay Area and Central Valley. If your organization is located in a different region, please contact us and we will do our best to support you.

Please note that we are currently focused on providing technical assistance to nonprofit organizations. If you’d like support for your small business, we recommend services from the following organizations: Uptima Business Bootcamp, Pacific Community Ventures, Working Solutions, ICA Fund Good Jobs, Main Street Launch, and Access Plus Capital. 

Financial Management: Short, Mid, & Long-Term Planning During COVID-19 

The COVID-19 crisis has created challenging ripple effects everywhere, including in nonprofit financial management. As organizations grapple with remaining viable, or perhaps pivoting to provide essential services, several unexpected changes are impacting nonprofits’ abilities to create a sense of financial sustainability. Some non-finance staff have had to step into a financial role, and others are putting together detailed financial models only to have them made irrelevant by that evening’s news. Some organizations are dealing with existential questions related to hibernation or cessation of services. This four-part series of financial management webinars by Community Vision’s Consulting team will present new tools for navigating the complex financial issues that all nonprofits are facing in 2020 and beyond.

Webinar 1: Financial Management 101 – Cash Indicators for Short-Term Planning
Thursday, May 28 at 1pm – 2:30pm

In this webinar, Community Vision’s consulting team will present financial management basics within the larger context of COVID-19. We will begin with a review of general financial concepts and the interpretation of financial statements, move into an overview of the budgeting process, and finish with a deep dive into cash management for short-term planning during shelter-in-place and its immediate ramifications. We will introduce a new financial decision-making tool, the Financial Decision-Making Roadmap, and walk participants through the first section of this tool relating to cash and liquidity. This webinar is great for Executive Directors, board members, and finance staff who have gained new financial management responsibilities, as well as seasoned finance staff who are interested in thought partnership around managing the short-term cash needs of their organizations. Participants will leave with new tools to guide them in their daily decision-making.

RSVP here

Webinar 2: Financial Management 201 – Budgeting & Pivoting for Mid-Term Planning
Thursday, June 4 at 1pm – 2:30pm

In this webinar, Community Vision’s consulting team will expand upon the budgeting and planning concepts discussed in Financial Management 101. We will discuss ways to leverage the budgeting process for additional insights, including implementing a quarterly budget with pre-determined pivot points. We will continue working with the Financial Decision-Making Roadmap and move participants from the cash and liquidity indicators into mid-term planning tools to help chart a path forward through the next fiscal year of unknowns. We will introduce the Revenue Risk Calculator and the Scenario Planner, and walk attendees through using these tools in their own organizations. This webinar is great for nonprofit finance staff and board members who are facing major operational changes and would like assistance designing a methodical process of evaluating options. Participants will leave with new tools to guide them in their daily decision-making.

RSVP here

Webinar 3: Financial Management 301 – Stabilizing Assets for Long-Term Planning
Thursday, June 11 at 1pm – 2:30pm

In this webinar, Community Vision’s consulting team will expand upon the financial management concepts discussed in Financial Management 201. While the current crisis is severely impacting organizations with in-person service delivery models, others have experienced significant unexpected growth or are able to adapt to social distancing with little-to-no disruption of service. For organizations that are lucky enough to remain relatively stable over the next 6-12 months, now is an excellent time to create a multi-year plan for future growth and long-term space stabilization. We will introduce multi-year and capitalization budget templates and walk attendees through using these tools in their own organizations. This webinar is great for nonprofit finance staff and board members in organizations that are experiencing short- and mid-term stability, who would like to think about long-term planning. Participants will leave with new tools to guide them in their daily decision-making.

RSVP here

Webinar 4: Compliance During COVID feat. Audit Partner Cecilia Angat, Squar Milner LLP 
Thursday, June 18 at 1pm – 2:30pm

In this webinar, Community Vision’s consulting team will review nonprofit board governance and general nonprofit compliance best practices within the context of the current crisis. We will discuss board members’ roles in navigating a crisis, both from a financial and legal standpoint, and address the associated risk for board members if an organization’s operations are threatened. We will also be joined by Cecilia Angat, Audit Partner at Squar Milner LLP, who will talk about the current crisis’ impact on the nonprofit audit process, and what nonprofits can expect from FY20 and FY21 audits. This webinar is great for nonprofit board members, Executive Directors, and finance staff who participate in their organization’s board management, compliance, and audit processes. Participants will leave with a new understanding of how to stay compliant and facilitate a smooth audit process during the current crisis and beyond.

RSVP here

Visit SpacesforGood.org‘s free nonprofit resource portal to download customizable templates you can use anytime. We especially recommend the following resources to support you in navigating the implications of the pandemic:

Revenue Risk Calculator

Scenario Planner

We are collecting federal, state, and local resources to support our clients, partners, and community members in navigating COVID-19.