not-for-profit entities

ASC 205-10 sets the pervasive scope for the Presentation of Financial Statements Topic (applying to both business entities and NFPs) and governs comparative financial statements. It explains that presenting statements for a series of periods is more meaningful than a single period, lists the elements of a full set of financial statements, and requires that prior-period figures actually be comparable, with any change in presentation basis or reclassification explained.

ASC 325-958 governs how not-for-profit entities account for "other investments"—those that are neither debt nor equity securities, derivatives, equity-method or consolidated investees, nor investments held by a financially interrelated entity—such as real estate, non-security mortgage notes, and oil and gas interests. Purchased other investments are initially measured at acquisition cost (including transaction fees) and contributed or agency-acquired ones at fair value. Subsequent measurement depends on the type of NFP: higher education institutions and voluntary health and welfare entities may elect carrying value or fair value, while other NFPs elect fair value or the lower of cost or fair value, applied consistently to all other investments.

ASC 720-15 governs the accounting for start-up activities — including one-time activities to open a new facility, introduce a new product or service, conduct business in a new territory or with a new class of customer, initiate a new process in an existing facility, or organize a new entity (organization costs). The single core rule is that costs of start-up activities, including organization costs, must be expensed as incurred (720-15-25-1). The Subtopic defines start-up activities by their nature rather than by the time period in which they occur, and carves out numerous costs governed by other GAAP.

ASC 840-958 was the not-for-profit-specific guidance within the legacy leases topic (ASC 840), addressing how NFP entities applied lease accounting. Every remaining paragraph in this subtopic (05-1, 15-1, and 55-1 through 55-4) has been superseded by Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, so the subtopic contains no operative guidance. NFP lessees and lessors now follow ASC 842, including its NFP-specific provisions.