<p>Conservancy has a plan to help all non-profit organizations (NPOs) by
creating an Open Source and Free Software accounting system usable by
non-technical bookkeepers, accountants, and non-profit managers. You can
help us do it by donating now.
</p>
<h3>News</h3>
<p><b>31 August 2016</b>: We're beginning work on a system for Payment and Reimbursement Requests. This is a smaller piece of the larger NPO Accounting project. Because it doesn't require much integration with larger accounting systems, we can help address this specific bookkeeping problem for NPOs sooner, and start building interest in the larger NPO Accounting project.</p>
<p>We haven't started writing code yet, so now's a great time to get in on the ground floor! Check the <a href="http://npoacct.sfconservancy.org/Reimbursements/Requirements/">Requirements document</a> we're putting together on the wiki. <a href="http://lists.sfconservancy.org/mailman/listinfo/npo-accounting">Join us on the mailing list</a> to let us know what's missing, and hear first other ways you can contribute as we start building the system.</p>
<h3>What is the Non-Profit Accounting Software Project?</h3>
<p>To keep their books and produce annual government filings, most NPOs rely
on proprietary software, paying exorbitant licensing fees. This is
fundamentally at cross purposes with their underlying missions of charity,
equality, democracy, and sharing.</p>
<p>This project has the potential to save the non-profit sector
millions in licensing fees every year. Even non-profits that continue to use proprietary accounting
software will benefit, since the existence of quality Open Source and Free
Software for a particular task curtails predatory behavior by proprietary
software companies, and creates a new standard of comparison.</p>
<p>But, more powerfully, this project's realization
will increase the agility and collaborative potential
for the non-profit sector — a boon to funders, boards, and employees — bringing the Free Software and general NPO communities
into closer collaboration and understanding.</p>
<p><a href="#endorsements">Endorsers of this effort</a> include April, Fractured Atlas, The Free Software
Foundation, Mozilla Foundation, GNOME Foundation, OpenHatch, Open
Source Initiative, QuestionCopyright.org, and Software in the Public
Interest; all encourage you to <a href="#donate-box" class="donate-now">donate and support it</a>.</p>