📋 How to Use the
Nonprofit Operations Audit Tool

🔐 First-Time Admin Setup

1. Open the Nonprofit Operations Audit Tool in your browser.
2. On the login screen, click the "Administrator Access" link at the bottom.
3. Since no admin password exists yet, you'll see a first-time setup prompt. Enter a strong admin password and confirm it.
4. Click "Set Password". You'll be taken to the Admin Panel.

➕ Adding a Client Organization

1. From the Admin Panel, click the "+ Add Client" button.
2. Fill in the client's contact name, organization name, email address, and a temporary password.
3. Click "Create Account". The client will appear in your client list.
4. Share the email address and temporary password with the client so they can log in.

📋 Managing Clients

Each client row in the admin panel shows their audit score, progress status, and action buttons:

• 👁 View — Opens a detailed view of the client's current scores, red flags, and top recommendations without logging into their account
• 🗳️ Survey — Generates a survey PIN and shows aggregate perception survey results (see Section 7)
• 🔑 Reset — Sets a new password for the client account
• ✕ Delete — Permanently removes the client account and all associated data

👥 Team Enrollments Tab

The Admin Panel includes a Team Enrollments tab that gives you a real-time overview of all teams created by your clients:

• Total Teams — How many teams have been created across all client accounts
• Active Teams — Teams that have at least one enrolled staff member
• Staff Enrolled — Total number of team members across all teams
• Avg Member Score — Average audit completion score across all team members

Each team row shows the team name, owning client, shareable team code, member count, average progress bar, and creation date. Expanding the row reveals each member's name, role, email, and individual audit score.

🚀 Starting the Audit

1. Log in using the client's email address and password.
2. The audit begins with the Organization Profile section — this captures basic org info used to personalize all documents and reports.
3. Work through each section in order, or use the side navigation to jump to any section.
4. Click "Save & Continue" at the end of each section to record your answers.

❓ Understanding Question Types

🚨 Critical Questions

Some questions are marked CRITICAL. These represent fundamental compliance requirements — such as active 501(c)(3) status and timely 990 filing. A "No" answer on a critical question creates a Red Flag that appears prominently on the dashboard.

💾 Auto-Save & Progress

• Answers are saved to browser localStorage when you click "Save & Continue"
• You can log out and return later — your progress will be exactly where you left it
• The sidebar shows a checkmark (✓) for each completed section
• You can go back to any previously completed section to update answers

📌 Baseline Lock

When you first reach the Dashboard after completing sections, the tool automatically locks a baseline snapshot of your scores. This baseline becomes the permanent "Initial Assessment" reference point. All future score comparisons (progress reports, trend charts) measure against this baseline.

📝 Answer Notes

On any question, you can expand the question to add a note — context about the answer, what was discussed, or what action was taken. Notes are included in the Progress Report and help track organizational improvements over time.

🔢 Overall Health Score

The large score ring shows the organization's overall score as a percentage of maximum possible points. The color indicates health status:

📊 Category Score Bars

The right card shows scores for each of the 7 scored sections. Each bar shows the percentage of possible points earned in that category. You'll also see:

• Progress arrows — ↑ or ↓ changes from the baseline if you've updated answers
• KEY FOCUS badge — sections that are highest-priority for the org's annual budget size
• IMPORTANT badge — sections with elevated priority for this org size

🏆 Funder Readiness Subscore

A panel below the score grid evaluates 23 criteria that foundations and grant funders specifically review during due diligence. Items marked KEY are considered blockers by most funders. The rating is:

• Grant-Ready (80%+) — Meets most funder expectations; ready to apply broadly
• Developing (55–79%) — Eligible for some funders; key gaps should be addressed
• Not Ready (<55%) — Significant compliance or governance gaps that most funders will flag

🚨 Red Flags

Critical questions answered with "No" or "Not in place" appear in a red-bordered card at the top of the dashboard. These require immediate attention and often block funding, audit clearance, or state registrations.

✅ Areas of Strength

Sections scoring 85% or higher are highlighted as commendations — areas where the organization demonstrates strong operational practice worth noting in board materials.

🎯 Priority Recommendations

The dashboard shows the top 8 recommendations ranked by priority (Critical → High → Medium) and then by the size of the scoring gap. Each recommendation includes a specific, actionable suggestion.

📋 Dashboard Action Buttons

The top of the dashboard contains quick-access buttons for all major features: Generate Report, Action Plan, Trend History, Board Summary, Compliance Calendar, and Edit Answers.

📄 Initial Assessment Report

A comprehensive multi-page report covering every scored section, detailed question-by-question results, scores by category, red flags, strengths, and full prioritized recommendations. Ideal for delivering to the board or as a consulting deliverable.

• Access via Dashboard → "📄 Generate Report"
• Use browser Print → Save as PDF to create a PDF version
• Includes organization name and date on every page

📈 Progress Report

Available once you've updated answers after the baseline lock. Shows a side-by-side comparison of initial vs. current scores for every section and every question, plus notes added during the re-assessment. Perfect for annual board reviews.

• Access via Dashboard → "📈 Progress Report" (appears after baseline is locked and answers have been updated)
• Highlights which questions changed and by how much

📋 Action Plan Generator

Creates a formatted, priority-ordered action plan table with all recommendations, their section, priority level, and suggested action. Grouped into 30-day, 90-day, and 6-month timeframes.

• Access via Dashboard → "📋 Action Plan"
• Print or download as a standalone HTML file
• Ideal as a client deliverable or board planning document

🗂️ Board-Ready One-Page Summary

A single, print-optimized page designed for board meetings. Contains the overall score ring, color-coded section bars, top 3 priority items, and top 3 strengths — all on one sheet.

• Access via Dashboard → "🗂️ Board Summary"
• Use the Print button for a clean popup print window with correct page margins
• Print to PDF for sharing digitally with board members

📈 Trend History

Tracks scores over multiple audit cycles with an SVG line chart and data table. Each snapshot captures the date, overall score, and per-section scores. Use "Save Snapshot" to manually capture a data point at any milestone.

• Access via Dashboard → "📈 Trend History"
• An "Initial Assessment" snapshot is automatically saved when the baseline is locked
• Add additional snapshots after re-assessments or major milestones

📝 Available Templates (12 Total)

How to Generate a Document

1. From the Dashboard, click "📝 Document Templates" in the bottom action bar.
2. Browse the template grid. Each card shows the template category, title, and a brief description.
3. Click "Generate →" on any template.
4. A side panel opens with editable fields specific to that document. Your organization name is pre-filled from the audit profile.
5. Fill in any additional fields (e.g., board chair name, effective date), then click "Generate Document".
6. Review the generated document in the preview panel. Use "🖨️ Print Document" for a clean print, or "⬇ Download as HTML" to save a copy.

🗳️ What Is the Perception Survey?

The Perception Survey is a separate 10-question anonymous survey that staff members, board members, and volunteers complete independently. Results are aggregated and displayed alongside the leadership audit — revealing gaps between how leadership perceives organizational health and how others experience it.

Survey Categories (10 Questions Total)

• Mission & Leadership (3 questions) — Clarity of mission, leadership transparency, mission effectiveness
• Board & Governance (2 questions) — Board engagement, strategic direction
• Culture & Operations (3 questions) — Resources, morale, internal communication
• Sustainability & Future (2 questions) — Financial stability, confidence in direction

Responses use a 1–5 Likert scale: 1 = Strongly Disagree through 5 = Strongly Agree.

👤 Admin: Enabling the Survey

1. In the Admin Panel, find the client's row in the client list.
2. Click the purple "🗳️" button on the client's row.
3. A modal appears showing a 6-character survey PIN (e.g., ABC123). The PIN is automatically generated and stored.
4. Copy the PIN and share it with the board members and staff you want to survey.
5. The modal also shows how many responses have been collected and aggregate scores by category.

👥 Staff/Board: Completing the Survey

1. Open the Nonprofit Operations Audit Tool in a browser.
2. On the login screen, click "🗳️ Complete a Survey" at the bottom.
3. Enter the 6-character PIN provided by the administrator.
4. Select your role (Board Member, Staff Member, Volunteer, or Other).
5. Answer all 10 questions and click "Submit Survey →".

📊 Viewing Results

Survey results appear automatically on the client's dashboard in a "🗳️ Staff / Board Perception Survey" panel showing the number of responses by role, the overall average (out of 5.0), and a category-by-category bar breakdown. Results update in real time as new responses are submitted.

📅 What the Calendar Tracks (20 Deadlines)

⚙️ Setting Your Fiscal Year End

At the top of the Compliance Calendar screen is a Fiscal Year End Month selector. Change this to match the organization's fiscal year end. All FY-relative deadlines (990 due date, audit completion, budget approval, etc.) recalculate instantly. The default is December, which is the most common fiscal year end for U.S. nonprofits.

🕐 Reading the Calendar

• Deadlines are organized in a 12-month rolling timeline starting from the current month
• The current month is highlighted in navy blue
• The "Coming Up — Next 90 Days" strip at the top shows all upcoming deadlines at a glance
• Each deadline shows its priority level: CRITICAL HIGH MEDIUM
• Each item includes a detailed explanation of why it matters

🖨️ Printing the Calendar

Use the "🖨️ Print Calendar" button to print the full 12-month calendar, or "⬇ Download" to save an HTML copy. The calendar includes all deadline descriptions and is formatted for standard 8.5"×11" paper.

For Consultants

• Complete the audit with the client, not for them. Walk through each question together. The discussion that happens around each question is often more valuable than the score itself.
• Complete all sections before visiting the Dashboard. The baseline is locked on first Dashboard visit. A partial audit produces a misleading baseline score.
• Use the Board Summary at every board meeting. Print one copy per board member. It makes the audit results board-ready in 60 seconds.
• Run the Perception Survey before the initial audit. Collect staff/board perspectives before leadership completes the self-assessment, then compare — the gaps are the richest coaching material.
• Schedule a re-assessment 6–12 months out. The Progress Report is your most compelling proof of consulting impact. Build re-assessment into your engagement contract.
• Generate and fill at least 3 document templates as part of every engagement. It adds immediate tangible value and addresses the most common gaps.

For Nonprofit Leaders

• Share the Funder Readiness Subscore with your development staff before applying for new grants. Address the KEY items first — they are the most common reasons applications are declined.
• Bring the Compliance Calendar to your first board meeting of the year. Review the annual deadlines together and assign ownership for each one.
• Use the Action Plan as your board's governance work plan. Assign action items to specific board committees and track completion at each meeting.
• Re-assess annually — ideally 6–12 months after the initial audit. The trend data is powerful for board reports, grant applications, and strategic planning.

Data Management

• Always use the same browser and device for a given client's audit data
• Download the report or action plan as HTML files after each session as a data backup
• Do not clear browser cache or localStorage without first downloading your data
• If you need to move data to a new device, contact your system administrator for export assistance

Team enrollment lets an Executive Director or designated team leader invite colleagues to complete the audit together and compare progress in one view — without anyone needing admin access.

🏷️ Creating a Team (Executive Director)

1. Complete your audit and reach the Dashboard.
2. At the top of the dashboard you'll see a "Create a Team" prompt. Click it.
3. Enter a team name (e.g. "Leadership Audit Team") and click Create Team.
4. A unique 6-character team code is generated (e.g. ALPHA7). Share this code with your staff.
5. Click "View Team Progress →" on the dashboard banner at any time to see your team's aggregate results.

👥 Joining a Team (Staff Member)

1. Open the Nonprofit Operations Audit Tool.
2. On the login screen, click the "👥 Join a Team" link at the bottom (next to Administrator Access and Complete a Survey).
3. Enter the team code provided by your ED. The team name and organization will preview automatically.
4. Fill in your name, email, role, and create a password, then click Join Team →.
5. You'll be logged in and can begin your own audit. Your progress will appear on your ED's team dashboard.

📊 Team View (What the ED Sees)

⚙️ Managing Your Team

• Remove a member — Click "✕ Remove" on any member card in the Team View. Their audit data will be deleted.
• Dissolve the team — Click "Dissolve Team" to remove the team and all member accounts. Your own audit data is unaffected.
• Re-share the code — The team code is permanent; just share it again with new staff.

❓ Team Enrollment FAQ