The Deborah and Dennis Walsh Foundation
What does the Lord require of you ? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
Welcome to The Deborah and Dennis Walsh Foundation
- Technical Empowerment -Through direct consultation, we help build the capacity of organizations whose missions demonstrate a Biblical worldview. We apply knowledge and experience gained over more than 50 years of combined service to the nonprofit sector. Our focus is in addressing developmental needs involving financial management, board governance, legal compliance, and special event planning.
Our mission is to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ as a means to reconciliation, justice, and mercy.
“And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8, NIV).
The Foundation has three areas of emphasis:
- Evangelistic & social justice empowerment - We support activities that proclaim the life transforming power of the Christian gospel, including the sponsorship of speakers, evangelistic events, and the creation of published materials that support this objective.
- Financial empowerment - We make grants, contributions, and below-market loans to help seed activities that proclaim the gospel. Grants and loans are accompanied by consultative support where appropriate.
Current developments:
- The National Center for Charitable Statistics at the Urban Institute
has developed a new version of its “990 Online” software to support
the redesigned IRS Form 990. This will help ease the implementation
burden as the nonprofit sector begins facing the challenges of filing
the redesigned 990 (for fiscal years beginning in 2008). But 990 Online
needs better support to make it the resource we need it to be. In this
points to the modest investment that would ease the implementation burden
for hundreds of thousands of nonprofits. We’d like to thank the following
individuals for their contributions the article: Renae Dellinger-Petty, Tracy Valentine CPA,
Bill Levis and Tom Pollak of the Urban Institute, Mark Greider of Strictly Software, Inc, and of course Jan Masaoka, Editor of Blue Avocado.
- Tracking Volunteer time to Boost Your Bottom Line: A Complete Accounting Guide, by Dennis Walsh CPA – Enhance mission sustainability, reduce risks, and improve external reporting by recognizing the vital services provided by your volunteers. We’re pleased to link to the article which appeared in March 2009 editions of Blue Avocado and Philanthropy Journal. The Blue Avocado version includes links to sample time records and illustrative reports. Much thanks to Blue Avocado editor Jan Masaoka and local colleagues Donna Newton, Kevin Gray, and Mig Murphy Sistrom for their help putting this together
- 2008 in review - We are pleased to report that
the Foundation provided technical assistance
to more than 15 startup and growth-stage
nonprofits in 2008. We supported the con-
tinuing development of the Guilford Nonprofit
Consortium and provided more than $10,000
in capacity building contributions to 20
organizations. And we are excited to announce
that Man from Macedonia is scheduled for
- Tips for Tough Times - The implications of the
current recession are still unfolding and there’s
no way to know it’s full depth and duration. But
it’s a good time to assess how you’re positioned,
both programmatically and financially, to navigate these stormy waters. Read more ….
- Thinking about starting a nonprofit? Forming a North Carolina Nonprofit, revised October 2008, will give you an overview of what’s involved and some important things to consider before you take the plunge.
- Legal and Tax Issues for North Carolina Nonprofits, third edition, by Dennis
Walsh CPA is now available. Geared specifically to the needs of 501(c)(3)
organizations, this 40 page guide covers 18 key areas of compliance and
includes a 75 item internal review questionnaire designed to promote best
practices of governance and financial management. Highlights of the 2009
edition include:
* New Form 990 filing requirements
* Sales & use tax developments
* More on compensation, public inspection, political activities
* more links to helpful resources
This handy reference may be purchased for $12 per copy with proceeds

“I really found the booklet VERY helpful. The booklet made it so easy to understand - it explains things in a way those of us who don't speak ‘legalese’ can understand - THANK you.”
- Aaron Johnson has had more than nine lives and
every one of them brought death threats, criticism,
controversy and challenges. But, he’d be the first
to tell you, those lives have also brought him face
down in the dirt at the foot of the cross-- surrounded
by some mighty winged friends and the awesome
grace of God. Aaron Johnson’s life story is a sermon
not told but vividly seen by his acts of compassion
and his humble leadership. Click here to learn more
about Rev. Johnson’s biography “Man from
Macedonia,” a current project of the Foundation.
- Rehabilitation of the incarcerated and unification
of families affected by incarceration remains a
- Learn About the Work Opportunity Credit - Help spread the word among the incarcerated and their families, prospective employers, and those working with prisoner reentry about this $2,400 federal tax credit available for hiring ex-offenders. Click here for a printable one-page summary of what employees and employers need to know.
- Debbie continues to serve on the Board of Directors of High Pastures Christian Retreat Center, Burnsville, NC. We recommend High Pastures if you are looking for a quiet, restful setting for a personal or group retreat.
- Are you up for a quiz? Test your knowledge of common legal and tax compliance issues affecting North Carolina nonprofits by completing our 12 question quiz. The questions cover topics that nonprofit personnel with relevant responsibility should have basic familiarity with. The solutions provide helpful explanations as a learning aid. (Note: You will need the free Adobe® Acrobat reader to access these documents.)
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose”
--Philip James “Jim” Elliot (1927-1956)
The Deborah and Dennis Walsh Foundation is a North Carolina nonprofit corporation and recognized as a tax exempt private operating foundation under Section 501(c)(3) and 4942(j)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The foundation is qualified to receive tax deductible contributions under the rules applicable for contributions to public charities pursuant to Section 170(b)(1)(A)(vii).
Pursuant to U.S. Treasury Department regulations, we wish to inform you that any tax advice that may be contained on this website (including anylinked documents) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding tax-related penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or applicable state or local tax law provisions or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any tax-related matters addressed herein.
Copyright © 2007-09 The Deborah and Dennis Walsh Foundation

Long-time friends and ministry partners Rev. Aaron Johnson and Charles Colson reunite at an April 2006 Prison Fellowship program in Columbus, Ohio
Dennis with nonprofit consultant Don Wells (right) co-leading a governance Q&A session at the May statewide nonprofit accounting conference in Cary.