Your chart of accounts is the backbone of every financial report. Nonprofits need accounts that roll up to the statement of financial position, statement of activities, functional expenses, and Form 990—not only a single P&L category.
Start by listing balance sheet accounts: cash, receivables, payables, and net asset classifications. Then map revenue to donation types, grants, and earned revenue. On the expense side, use accounts that can be tagged or allocated to program, management, and fundraising.
This template includes sample account numbers, natural categories, and notes on mapping to common Form 990 lines. Customize names and numbers to match your auditor or fiscal sponsor requirements. When you move to software like Alignmint, a clean chart makes import and reporting dramatically faster.
Keep the chart stable year over year when possible. New programs should reuse existing accounts with dimensions (funds, grants, departments) rather than duplicating accounts for every initiative.