Financial Structures and Strategy (Spring 2025) - Online Course

  • Registration Closed

Course Description

Intended for those with little to moderate familiarity with financial concepts, this four-week course helps students better understand institutional finance and accountability. Staff, board members, and volunteers will find this course applicable to their work within nonprofit organizations, agencies, and other structures.

“Financial Structures and Strategy” introduces the “big ideas” of organizational financial management: functional accounting, transparency, the annual reporting process, and the relationship between finance and mission. Not only will students learn the basic structures and functions of financial oversight, they will also understand how to activate finance as a strategic tool to benefit organizational planning and evaluation.

Over the four weeks, students participate in dynamic discussions, review relevant and timely readings, and ultimately learn how to prepare and analyze financial systems.   

The course is divided into four weekly segments, each accompanied by an online lesson, forum, chat, and assignment:

  • Week 1: Course overview and introduction to financial systems
  • Week 2: Overview of the annual audit process and preparation of financial statements
  • Week 3: Introduction to the IRS Form 990, UBIT, and other tax considerations
  • Week 4: Strategies and recommendations for long-term institutional financial health

Note: The Introduction to Financial Management course presented by AASLH is not required as a prerequisite for this course, though may prove useful in preparation.

Details

SESSION DATES: March 24 -April 27, 2025

COST: Early bird before January 1: $175 AASLH Members / $275 Nonmembers 
After January 1: $199 AASLH Members / $299 Nonmembers 

10% discount for STEPS participants with promo code found in the online STEPS Community or by emailing learn@aaslh.org

OPEN REGISTRATION: Until March 17, 2025; 20 participant limit. Courses typically fill up before the registration deadline, so register early.

Course Logistics

FORMAT: Online, Instructor-led, Weekly-paced course

LENGTH: 4 weeks

PARTICIPATION: Students should expect to spend approximately 5-7 hours per week on readings, text-based forum discussions, and assignments

LIVE ZOOM OFFICE HOURS: We recommend downloading the Zoom mobile or desktop app for this course. 

  • A one-hour live Zoom office hour will be held weekly
  • Final dates/times will be determined by the instructor at the start of the course
  • Office hours are not recorded and are optional to attend

MATERIALS:

  • Required Textbook: Financial Fundamentals for Historic House Museums, by Rebekah Beaulieu, 2017.
  • Texts are NOT INCLUDED with registration. Participants must order the book separately from the book seller of their choice. A discount code is provided in the registration confirmation email.
  • Students should bring real-life financial information to the course to be used in course assignments to create a budget. 
  • Students should also have access to and basic knowledge of Microsoft Excel or a similar spreadsheet program as it will be used extensively to complete assignments. 
  • Note: all institutional financial information will be kept confidential and shared only with the instructor.

TECHNOLOGY: Participants will need access to internet and a desktop computer, laptop, or tablet to participate in this course. For the live Zoom office hours, we recommend having access to a camera and a headset, earpods, or other audio and microphone device. Automatic captioning is available in the Zoom discussions. 

Participant Outcomes

Participation in this course will help you:   

  • Understand basic nonprofit functional accounting systems and the role of financial transparency
  • Structure and execute the annual financial reporting process
  • Analyze financial data according to mission relevance
  • Establish financial procedures to ensure financial sustainability.

Who Should Take This Course

Whether you have financial responsibilities at your organization, wish to build a skill set for a leadership position in the future, or simply want to better comprehend and contribute to financial decision-making, this course is for you.  

How to Register

Click here for instructions on how to register yourself or another user for this event. 

Click here for instructions on how to register yourself or another user for this event. 

Rebekah Beaulieu

Treasurer, American Association for State and Local History (AASLH)

AASLH Online Course Instructor

Email: becky@taftmuseum.org

Rebekah Beaulieu, Ph.D. is the Louise Taft Semple President & CEO of the Taft Museum of Art in Cincinnati, Ohio. She previously served as Director of the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, Connecticut and as Associate Director at the Bowdoin College Museum of Art. She serves as Treasurer of AASLH and on the faculty of AASLH’s History Leadership Institute. Becky is also an Accreditation Commissioner for the American Alliance of Museums.

Becky is the author of Financial Fundamentals for Historic House Museums (Rowman & Littlefield, 2017 and of Endowment Essentials for Museums (2022)). She holds an M.A in Art History and Museum Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and in Arts Administration from Columbia University; she earned her Ph.D. in American and New England Studies at Boston University.

Key:

Complete
Failed
Available
Locked
ABOUT THE COURSE
Course Guide
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource. Read the Course Guide to learn how to get the most out of this course and to open the Week 1 module.
You must register to access.
Course Outline
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource. An outline of the weekly lessons, readings, forum prompts, and assignments.
You must register to access.
Course Messaging Instructions
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource. Instructions on how to set up your privacy and messaging settings for the course.
You must register to access.
WEEK 1: COURSE OVERVIEW AND INTRODUCTION TO FINANCIAL SYSTEMS (MARCH 24 - 30)
Introduce Yourself
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Make 1 discussion post to continue. Enter an introduction of yourself and the museum or cultural organization to which you are connected. Be sure to indicate where you are located (with the time zone), why you are working with this organization and what do you enjoy doing there. Tell us briefly about the organization’s focus and about the community in which it is located. What has brought you to this course? If possible do this during the first week and get it posted by mid week. Read the introductions from others in the course.
You must register to access.
Office Hour (March 27)
03/27/2025 at 11:00 AM (EDT)  |  60 minutes
03/27/2025 at 11:00 AM (EDT)  |  60 minutes These sessions are not recorded and are optional to attend. We recommend downloading the Zoom mobile or desktop app for this course if you plan to attend the Zoom office hours.
You must register to access.
Lesson 1: Course Overview and Introduction to Financial Systems
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
CDM 2016 Financial Statements
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
CDM 2017 Financial Statements
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
Sources of Income and Expense Worksheet (BLANK)
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
Assignment 1: Sources of Income and Expense (DUE MARCH 30)
Passing Grade: B
Passing Grade: B All assignments are due on Sunday nights by 5PM Eastern.
You must register to access.
Week 1 Forum
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Make 1 discussion post to continue. Share your mission with your fellow students. What activities do you undertake at your organization to support this mission? Do you think there is a strong alignment between your mission and your financial activities, as you understand them? Why or why not? This forum is part of your final grade so make sure to post an answer to the instructor's question. Forums are an opportunity to discuss the material. If you have any questions please ask them here.
You must register to access.
KEY: Week 1 Assignment
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
Supplemental Reading: Glossary of Financial Terms
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
Supplemental Reading: Financial Statement Flags
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
Supplemental Reading: Understanding the New FASB Accounting Standards – An Overview National Council of Nonprofits
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
WEEK 2: OVERVIEW OF THE ANNUAL AUDIT PROCESS AND PREPARATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (March 31 - April 6)
Office Hour (April 3)
04/03/2025 at 11:00 AM (EDT)  |  60 minutes
04/03/2025 at 11:00 AM (EDT)  |  60 minutes These sessions are not recorded and are optional to attend. We recommend downloading the Zoom mobile or desktop app for this course if you plan to attend the Zoom office hours.
You must register to access.
Lesson 2: Non-Profit Functional Accounting and Transparency
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
Expenditure Ratio Tables Worksheet (BLANK)
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
Assignment 2: Expenditure Ratio Tables Part I (DUE April 6)
Passing Grade: B
Passing Grade: B All assignments are due on Sunday nights by 5PM Eastern.
You must register to access.
Week 2 Forum
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Make 1 discussion post to continue. In what ways does your organization demonstrate transparency? In what ways could your organization strengthen the transparency of its practices? Describe your institutional structure. Are you an independent 501c3? Are you a department of a parent organization, like a municipality or a university? Tell us about the strengths and challenges of this infrastructure. This forum is part of your final grade so make sure to post an answer to the instructor's question. Forums are an opportunity to discuss the material. If you have any questions please ask them here.
You must register to access.
Key: Week 2 Assignment
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
Supplemental Reading: NCOP Audit Guide
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
Supplemental Reading: Missionbox-Financial Transparency
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
WEEK 3: INTRODUCTION TO THE IRS FORM 990, UBIT, AND OTHER TAX CONSIDERATIONS (April 7 - 13)
Office Hour (April 10)
04/10/2025 at 11:00 AM (EDT)  |  60 minutes
04/10/2025 at 11:00 AM (EDT)  |  60 minutes These sessions are not recorded and are optional to attend. We recommend downloading the Zoom mobile or desktop app for this course if you plan to attend the Zoom office hours.
You must register to access.
Lesson 3: IRS Form 990
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
Expenditure Ratio Tables Worksheet Part II (BLANK)
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
Assignment 3: Expenditure Ratio Tables Part II (DUE April 13)
Passing Grade: B
Passing Grade: B All assignments are due on Sunday nights by 5PM Eastern.
You must register to access.
Week 3 Forum
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Make 1 discussion post to continue. How familiar are you with the Form 990? In what ways is the Form 990 utilized in your organization, such as in reporting to a governing board of trustees, and in what ways do you think you could make better use of it as an operational resource?
You must register to access.
Key: Week 3 Assignment
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
Supplemental Reading: BoardSource-990-Checklist
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
Supplemental Reading: The Board's Role in Reviewing Form 990
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
Supplemental Reading: NCOP 990 Review
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
Supplemental Reading: Does My Nonprofit Need to Pay Tax? Understanding Unrelated Business Income Tax
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
Supplemental Reading: IRS: Stay Exempt
Recorded 02/24/2022
Recorded 02/24/2022
You must register to access.
WEEK 4: STRATEGIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LONG-TERM INSTITUTIONAL FINANCIAL HEALTH (April 14 - 20)
Office Hour (April 16)
04/16/2025 at 11:00 AM (EDT)  |  60 minutes
04/16/2025 at 11:00 AM (EDT)  |  60 minutes These sessions are not recorded and are optional to attend. We recommend downloading the Zoom mobile or desktop app for this course if you plan to attend the Zoom office hours.
You must register to access.
Lesson 4: Maintaining Financial Health
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
Financial Sustainability Analysis Worksheet (BLANK)
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
Assignment 4: Financial Sustainability Analysis Worksheet (DUE April 20)
Passing Grade: B
Passing Grade: B All assignments are due on Sunday nights by 5PM Eastern.
You must register to access.
Week 4: Forum
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Make 1 discussion post to continue. What have you learned in this course that you did not already know? What difficulties did you face in completing the assignments? Think about this week’s lesson on financial sustainability. In what ways does your organization plan for the future? In what ways can your organization better plan for its future? This forum is part of your final grade so make sure to post an answer to the instructor's question. Forums are an opportunity to discuss the material. If you have any questions please ask them here.
You must register to access.
Key: Week 4 Assignment
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
Supplemental Reading: Principles & Practices for Nonprofit Excellence
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
Supplemental Reading: Financial Sustainability Check-up
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
Supplemental Reading: Oklahoma Museums Association Succession Plan Framework
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You must register to access.
COURSE SURVEY AND CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION
Course Survey
13 Questions
13 Questions Please note the survey must be completed and a passing grade must be achieved before the Certificate of Completion is available.
You must register to access.
Certificate of Completion
0 credits  |  Certificate available
0 credits  |  Certificate available Successful completion of this course (B or higher) will earn a Certificate of Completion from AASLH.
You must register to access.

If you have any questions, please contact AASLH Professional Development staff at learn@aaslh.org or 615-320-3203.

Cancellation/Refunds for onsite workshops must be submitted in writing via email to learn@aaslh.org or mail to 2021 21st Ave S., Suite 320 Nashville, TN 37212. Cancellations made prior to the early-bird registration deadline date will receive a full refund. Cancellations made between the early-bird deadline date and eight days prior to the workshop will be subject to a $55 processing/materials charge. No refunds will be given within seven days of the workshop date. AASLH is not responsible for cancellations that were mailed or emailed but never received.

Cancellations/Refunds for online professional development (webinars and online courses) must be submitted in writing via email to learn@aaslh.org or mail to 2021 21st Ave S., Suite 320 Nashville, TN 37212. Cancellations made prior to the start date for the online course or the day of the webinar will be given a full refund. No refund will be given after the start date for the online course or on/after the day of the webinar. Registrants may transfer their registration to another person. Registrations cannot be transferred between courses or course sessions. AASLH is not responsible for cancellations that were mailed or emailed but never received.