Unlocking the Power of IRS Form 990

A deep dive into the Form 990

How can you gain a clearer picture of how charities and foundations operate behind the scenes? The IRS Form 990 is a publicly available tool packed with insights that can help you make smarter, more informed decisions – about personal charitable giving, grantmaking strategies, partnerships, and more. In these two interactive workshops, you’ll discover how to navigate and analyze this essential document:

The Beginner’s Guide to Reading the Form 990

Get a practical introduction to IRS Form 990. We’ll break down its structure, walk through its key components, and build your confidence in understanding what the form reveals about an organization’s financial health and mission alignment.

An Intermediate Guide to Reading the Form 990: Investigating with Confidence

Apply your new skills by diving into real Forms 990—both solo and in groups. You’ll critically assess what’s happening within organizations, uncovering patterns and questions to ask while strengthening your analytical lens.

Register individually for either course or register for both together and receive a discounted rate. Taking these courses together will maximize your opportunities to learn and practice skills, get your questions answered, and carry your confidence forward. Whether you’re a grantmaker, nonprofit practitioner, donor, board member, community advocate, or simply curious, this series equips you with the tools to explore organizations more thoughtfully and thoroughly.

Individual Course Price: $195
Two-Course Series: $375

Course Instructors

Julie Couturier, CPA, is the director of operations for the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University. Julie is responsible for all financial reporting, budgeting, and financial analysis for the Johnson Center. In addition to her work for the Johnson Center, Julie is a business and accounting adjunct instructor for Grand Rapids Community College. Learn more about Julie.

Who should attend this course?

The Beginner’s Guide to Reading the Form 990: This session is open to anyone looking for a basic overview of IRS Form 990, and will be especially helpful to those working in the nonprofit and grantmaking fields.

An Intermediate Guide to Reading the Form 990: This session is for grantmakers looking for a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of IRS Form 990. It is ideal for practitioners who have already taken Financial Analysis in Grantmaking* offering or intend to do so concurrently to this course.

*Haven’t taken Financial Analysis in Grantmaking yet? Register today for December 2025 or March 2026.

Please Note: This workshop will NOT be recorded.

This course is intended for foundation staff, donors, and others engaged in grantmaking. If you do not fit this profile but are interested in attending, please email jcp@gvsu.edu before registering.

Cancellation & Refund Policy

This course may be subject to cancellation if it does not reach the minimum number of registrants. In the event of a cancellation, you will be notified at least two weeks before the course start date and will be offered a full refund or the option to transfer your registration to another Johnson Center course. Refund requests for any other reason must be made at least two weeks prior to the start of the course.

Questions about this event or your registration?

Call 616-331-7585 or email jcp@gvsu.edu.