The moment a nonprofit takes on its first staff member, it becomes an employer — with payroll taxes, classification rules, and employment law to match. This pillar covers the people side plainly: who's an employee vs. a contractor, how to run payroll, what belongs in a handbook, when overtime is owed, and how to offer benefits on a budget.
Getting HR right isn't bureaucracy — it's risk management and retention. Misclassifying a worker, missing a payroll deposit, or skipping a basic policy are among the most common and expensive mistakes small nonprofits make. Do these well and you protect your mission, your staff, and your standing with funders. Pair good HR with strong governance and clean finances and you look like the well-run organization you are.
The IRS common-law test, W-2 vs. 1099-NEC, and why misclassification is the #1 small-nonprofit payroll risk — with the relief options if you got it wrong.
HR & EmploymentWithholding, FICA/FUTA, Form 941, EFTPS deposits and W-2s once you have staff — and how to never pay a deposit late.
HR & EmploymentJob descriptions, the legal must-dos for a first hire (I-9, W-4, workers' comp), fair interviewing, and an onboarding that sticks.
HR & EmploymentThe policies every org needs (at-will, anti-harassment, leave), what to leave out, and how to adopt one — with a free template.
HR & EmploymentWho is owed overtime, the "salaried means no overtime" myth, the salary threshold, and the recordkeeping the FLSA requires.
HR & EmploymentRequired vs. voluntary benefits — health (SHOP/QSEHRA), retirement (403b), PTO — and how to compete for talent on a nonprofit budget.
The hardest part of nonprofit HR is funding the salaries reliably. Good Circles adds recurring, unrestricted income with almost no staff time: supporters pick your cause once, then a share of their everyday local spending funds you automatically — about $72 per active supporter per year (≈ $36,000/year from 500 supporters), free to join. Predictable income is what lets you hire — and keep — the people who do the work.
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