Know Your Client: Using the Nonprofit 990 as a Consulting Tool

ACN New Member Q&A Session

Friday, September 18, 2026

10:00 - 11:30 am CST

Before your first client meeting, what can you learn from a nonprofit's Form 990? Quite a bit. This workshop introduces consultants to one of the most valuable—and often overlooked—tools for understanding a nonprofit organization. Using real examples and hands-on exercises, we'll explore how the 990 reveals an organization's business model, funding strategy, governance practices, and overall financial condition. You won't need an accounting background, and this isn't a class in financial analysis. Instead, you'll learn how experienced nonprofit consultants use the 990 to ask better questions, identify important patterns, and begin every engagement with a stronger understanding of the organization they're serving.

Free to ACN Members. No finance or accounting expertise required.

Takeaways: You'll leave the workshop with a practical framework for using a nonprofit's Form 990 to quickly gain insight into the organization's business model, governance, funding, and financial position—so you can begin client engagements with greater confidence and insight.

Please send an email to execdirector@acnconsult.org with questions.