Nonprofit CPA in Dallas, TX
Audits, grant and contract accounting, board reporting and Form 990 support for Dallas-area nonprofits that need financial records their funders and boards can rely on.
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A nonprofit CPA for Dallas organizations
The Dallas nonprofit sector is broad: schools and education programs, health and human services providers, community development groups, faith-based organizations and arts groups, many of them funded through a mix of government contracts and private giving. A single organization might bill a state agency each month under a cost-reimbursement contract while running a year-end giving campaign and managing a restricted capital gift.
When a Dallas nonprofit looks for a nonprofit CPA, it usually needs more than a tax preparer. RTN CPA is a certified public accounting firm that serves nonprofit organizations, government agencies and districts, and small businesses. We help organizations keep contract and grant spending traceable, keep restricted gifts restricted, and give their boards reports that show how each program is doing.
Audit work is led by Roman Richardson, CPA, who has more than 20 years of experience focused on nonprofit organizations and governmental districts. Tax work is led by Paul J. Stroub, CPA. We work with Dallas-area organizations remotely from our California offices.
Audit services built for Dallas nonprofits
For most Dallas nonprofits, the audit requirement comes from a funding source or a governing document: a federal award, a state agency contract, a foundation grant, a lender, or the organization's own bylaws.
Federal money is the most common trigger. A Single Audit under the Uniform Guidance is required once an organization's federal award expenditures reach $1,000,000 in a fiscal year beginning on or after October 1, 2024 ($750,000 for earlier fiscal years), and federal dollars passed through a Texas state agency or a local government count toward that total.
- financial statement audits of nonprofit organizations
- Single Audits of federal awards (2 CFR 200, Subpart F)
- compliance audits for specific grants and contracts
- reviews and compilations
- internal control observations reported to management and the board
Preparation is where most of the time goes. Contract files, grant budgets, revenue support, a schedule of federal awards, functional expense allocations and documented net asset restrictions all need to be ready before fieldwork starts. We give you that list early.
We also keep the audit independent. When RTN CPA already provides bookkeeping, accounting or a controller role for an organization, we evaluate the AICPA independence rules before taking on its audit. If independence would be impaired, the audit needs a different firm.
Grant compliance & contract accounting
Many Dallas-area nonprofits deliver services under government contracts paid on a reimbursement basis. The money is spent first and requested later, invoices have to match the contract budget line by line, and costs that are not allowable under the contract cannot be billed. When contract accounting lives in spreadsheets outside the general ledger, invoices and financial statements drift apart.
State-funded grants from Texas agencies are generally governed by the Texas Grant Management Standards (TxGMS) published by the Comptroller, which grant agreements commonly incorporate. Federal awards bring the Uniform Guidance cost principles and, above the threshold, a Single Audit. We help organizations build tracking by award and contract into the regular accounting process instead of reconstructing it when a report is due.
- cost-reimbursement contract tracking and invoice support
- allowable-cost and budget-to-actual review by award
- match and in-kind documentation
- schedule of expenditures of federal awards (SEFA)
- funder and agency financial reporting
Form 990 & Texas tax compliance
Form 990 is the main annual filing for most tax-exempt organizations, and it is public. We prepare it so the program, management and fundraising figures agree with the financial statements and the governance answers reflect how the organization actually operates.
Texas has no state income tax, but nonprofit status alone does not exempt an organization from Texas franchise tax or sales tax. The organization applies to the Texas Comptroller (Form AP-204 for organizations exempt under a federal 501(c) determination), and until an exemption is granted a nonprofit corporation remains responsible for its franchise tax reports. Even with an exemption, organizations generally must collect sales tax on most items they sell.
- Form 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF
- Schedule A public support analysis
- Form 990-T and unrelated business income
- Texas exemption and franchise tax questions
- ongoing exempt-status compliance
Nonprofit accounting & board reporting
A board cannot oversee what it cannot see. Too many board packets show a bank balance and a list of donations, without budget-to-actual results, restricted and unrestricted funds shown separately, or a view of how each program is performing against its funding.
Our nonprofit accounting services build that reporting from the books up: fund accounting that tracks restrictions, a consistent monthly close, program and grant coding, and a short financial package the board and finance committee can review each month or quarter.
- monthly bookkeeping, reconciliations and close
- fund accounting and restricted net asset tracking
- budget-to-actual reports by program and grant
- board and finance committee financial packages
- financial statement and audit preparation
Internal controls & fractional CFO support
Internal controls protect the organization and the people who work there. In a small finance office, a few practical controls go a long way: two people involved in every disbursement, reconciliations reviewed by someone other than the preparer, limited access to the accounting system and bank portals, and documented approval for grant-funded purchases.
When an organization needs more than a controls review, a fractional CFO or controller can own budgeting, cash planning around reimbursement timing, policy updates and board reporting on a part-time basis, sized to the organization's staffing and funding.
- internal controls review and design
- segregation of duties for small teams
- fractional CFO and controller services
- budgeting and cash flow forecasting
- financial policies and procedures
Financial issues we see in growing nonprofits
Most of these start small and grow along with the organization.
- Reimbursement contracts billed from spreadsheets that do not tie to the ledger
- Restricted gifts recorded as unrestricted revenue
- One staff member who approves, pays and reconciles
- Monthly statements that arrive weeks after month end
- Board reports without budget-to-actual detail
- No one tracking whether federal pass-through funding triggers a Single Audit
Fixing these during the year is far less disruptive than discovering them in the middle of an audit.
How an engagement comes together
We begin by learning how the organization is funded, how the books are kept today, who reviews them and what is due next.
Then we put the scope in writing, so everyone knows whether the engagement is an audit, a review, accounting support or advisory work. Across the firm, RTN CPA has more than 25 years of experience and has completed more than 100 audits.
- an introductory call about funding, systems and deadlines
- a written engagement letter that defines scope
- a document request list before fieldwork or onboarding
- clear explanations for management and the board
We cannot guarantee an audit result or a filing outcome. We can show you early where the records need work.
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Serving Dallas and the DFW area
We work with nonprofits in Dallas and across the Dallas–Fort Worth area through secure file exchange and video meetings. RTN CPA also offers its services to nonprofits in these markets:
Talk with a Dallas nonprofit CPA
Whether an audit is due, a contract invoice will not reconcile, or the board wants clearer reports, a short call is a good place to start.
Tell us about your budget, funding sources and deadlines. We will recommend the type of engagement that fits and explain what it involves.
Questions Dallas nonprofits ask
Does RTN CPA have an office in Dallas?
No. RTN CPA is a California firm with addresses in Los Angeles and Roseville. We work with Dallas-area nonprofits through secure file upload and scheduled phone or video meetings. Texas has its own requirements for out-of-state CPA firms, and we confirm an engagement meets them before any audit or other attest work begins.
Are Texas nonprofits automatically exempt from state taxes?
No. Federal tax-exempt status does not by itself exempt an organization from Texas franchise or sales tax. The organization applies to the Texas Comptroller, using Form AP-204 for most federally exempt organizations, and even after an exemption is granted it generally must collect sales tax on most items it sells.
When does a nonprofit need a Single Audit?
When it spends $1,000,000 or more in federal awards in a fiscal year beginning on or after October 1, 2024 ($750,000 for earlier years). Federal funds received through a Texas state agency, a county or a city count toward the total, so the source of each contract matters.
What is fund accounting?
Fund accounting tracks resources by purpose and restriction, so money given for a specific program or period is reported separately from general operating funds. It shows the board what is available to spend and shows funders that their money was used as agreed.
Can the same CPA firm keep our books and audit us?
Not automatically. Independence rules limit the nonaudit services an auditor can provide. If RTN CPA handles your accounting or serves in a finance role, we assess independence before accepting your audit, and in some cases another firm should perform it.
Can smaller Dallas nonprofits use these services?
Yes. Smaller organizations often start with monthly bookkeeping, grant tracking or an internal controls review, then add audit preparation as funding and reporting requirements grow.
Call (888) 616-8070 or schedule a consultation to get started.
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