Transforming non-profit accounting: CIPFA and Humentum release final draft of International Non-Profit Accounting Guidance

 28 May 2024

Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and Humentum today published the third exposure draft of the world’s first-ever International Non-Profit Accounting Guidance (INPAG) for Non-Profit Organisations (NPO).

This is the third and final Exposure Draft which aims to address issues such as fund accounting, classification of expenses (including support costs and fundraising costs) and donor reporting formats (referred to as ‘Supplementary statements’).

At present there is no international accounting guidance for non-profit organisations. INPAG addresses the crucial need for standardised financial reporting within the non-profit sector, an area that currently lacks specification. It also aims to improve clarity and consistency of NPO financial reports, resulting in greater credibility and trust in the not-for-profit sector globally.

The publication follows the first and second Exposure Drafts released in November 2022 and September 2023 respectively. Exposure Draft 1 focused on the overarching framework for NPO financial reporting. This included a description of NPOs and the reporting entity, the concepts and pervasive principles that underpin financial reporting. While Exposure Draft 2 focused on some of the key accounting transactions that are relevant for NPO financial reporting.

Rob Whiteman, CEO CIPFA, said:

“The accountancy profession plays a critical role in building trust and inspiring action within the non-profit sector. That’s why CIPFA is delighted to be working jointly with Humentum to pioneer the first ever international financial reporting guidance for NPOs. The third exposure draft addresses the most pervasive issues encountered by NPOs globally. I urge organisations to submit their comments, ensuring we produce the most effective guidance possible.”

Christine Sow, CEO Humentum, said:

“This final Exposure Draft marks a giant leap forward in improving the quality and reliability of annual audited accounts, while reducing the reporting burden on NPOs. Additionally, the proposals for fund accounting and support costs provide transparency at a holistic whole-of-entity level, removing the barriers to flexible funding and full cost recovery that have been holding the sector back for decades. We now call on grant makers to seize the opportunity of a generation by actively engaging in this consultation and the finalisation of INPAG, to ensure that the funding ecosystem works for everybody.”

NOTES TO EDITOR

• Read the Exposure draft 3 on the IFR4NPO website.
• CIPFA and Humentum jointly develop International Non-Profit Accounting Guidance (INPAG) through the IFR4NPO project, launched in 2019. INPAG is developed with input from the project’s technical and practitioner advisory groups with volunteer members from 24 countries, bringing expertise in the fields of standard setting, auditing, reporting and grant making.
• Humentum makes global development more equitable, accountable, and resilient by building community, delivering learning, providing solutions, and influencing policy.

For more information, please visit the IFR4NPO website, or contact the CIPFA press office at press@cipfa.org or Humentum at ifr4npo@humentum.org