Whether you are starting a Non-Profit or moving to a new accounting software, it can be hard to know where to begin. When it comes to accounting, the first step is to create your chart of accounts. Every non-profit organization has a unique COAs that depends on its specific programs, revenue sources, and activities. But in general, your COA should follow some standard guidelines and numbering conventions.

Creating a Chart of Accounts for a Non-Profit business is easy with CheckMark MultiLedger. When you install CheckMark MultiLedger, a folder called “COAs” is installed in the “MLedger” folder. This folder contains several charts of accounts that you can use for your business. The non-profit chart of accounts is available in the folder – “Sample COAs” on your local disk.

Below is a sample chart of accounts for non-profit organizations. This non-profit chart of accounts (COA) tracks your various ledgers and everything your non-profit does financially. You can adapt your current chart of accounts, create a new one, or copy and then modify an existing chart of accounts from one of the MultiLedger sample companies or the Sample COAs folder.

Use this as a guideline, and think carefully before you finalize your account numbers. Build a solid framework that you can easily add to in the years to come!

Non-Profit Chart of Accounts
1000	Current Assets	4100	Donations
1010	Cash in Bank – General	4200	Activities Income
1020	Cash in Bank – Payroll	4300	Licensing Income
1030	Petty Cash	4400	Subsidies
1040	Undeposited Cash	4500	Fund Income
1050	Cash Register Drawer	4510	Poor Fund
1100	Pledges Receivable	4520	Youth Fund
1200	Prepaid Expenses	4530	Foreign Fund
1300	Accounts Receivable	4540	Building Fund
1400	Inventory	4550	Other Fund
1500	Investments	4600	Miscellaneous Income
1550	Long Term Assets	5000	Cost of Goods
1600	Building	6000	Expenses
1620	Computer Equipment	6100	Advertising
1640	Furniture & Fixtures	6200	Bad Debts
1660	Leasehold Improvements	6300	Bank Service Charges
1680	Vehicles	6400	Travel & Entertainment
1700	Accum. Depr.- Building	6500	Miscellaneous
1720	Accum. Depr.- Comp. Equip.	6600	Late Fees Paid
1740	Accum. Depr.- Furn. & Fix.	6700	Dues & Memberships
1760	Accum. Depr.- Leaseholds	6900	Freight and Shipping
1780	Accum. Depr.- Vehicles	7000	Insurance Expense
1900	Construction in Progress	7010	Insurance-Group Health
1930	Deposits	7020	Insurance-Life
1950	Long Term Notes Receivable	7030	Insurance-Disability
2000	Current Liabilities	7100	Interest Expense
2100	Accounts Payable	7200	Legal Fees
2200	Sales Tax Payable	7300	Messenger Services
2300	Employee Health Insurance	7400	Accounting Fees
2310	Employee 401k Saving Plan	7500	Parking
2320	Federal Unemployment Tax	7600	Pension Plan Expense
2330	State Unemployment Tax	7700	Postage
2340	FICA Tax Payable	7800	Rent
2350	Federal Withholding Tax	7900	Repairs & Maintenance
2360	State Withholding Tax	8000	Reproduction & Printing Chgs .
2370	Local Withholding Tax	8100	Salaries – Staff
2380	State Disability Ins. Tax	8200	Storage
2400	Credit Card	8300	Subscriptions
2500	Collections Due Headquarters	8400	Supplies – Off ice
2600	Long Term Liability	8410	Supplies – Other
2700	Deposits for Future Services	8500	Taxes – Payroll
2800	Linc of Credit Bonk	8600	Telephone
2850	Notes Payable – Bank	8700	Utilities
3000	Equity	9000	Other Income
3100	Retained Earnings	9100	Gain/Loss on Sale of Asset;
3200	Suspense	9200	Interest Earned
4000	Income	9500	Other Expenses