Nonprofit Budgeting: Why Budgets Aren’t About Numbers, They’re About Words

“I am a budget advocate ,” says Christopher Huntley, CFA, CFO & Advisory Solutions Manager at Chazin. “A good budget does something much more important than predict next year’s revenue and expenses. Done correctly, it makes nearly everything that follows: accounting, financial reporting, variance analysis, management decisions, and Board oversight both easier and better.” …

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The Hidden ROI of Outsourced Accounting

Every Executive Director (ED) knows that moment: financial tasks start eating into mission-critical duties, reporting takes a backseat, and monthly closes become less than consistent. You need financial help. It’s an easy trap to fall into. The mission comes first, so accounting quietly slides to the bottom of the list, until it becomes the reason…

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Before You Hire a CFO: What Every Nonprofit Leader Needs to Know

Passion builds nonprofits. Strategy makes them successful. You need to know how to best use your resources and not squander your hard-won dollars. That’s where your CFO comes in. The CFO is like the co-pilot of your flight: You’ve got the dream destination and the plane to get there, but your co-pilot knows how much fuel you need to make the trip, where you’ll encounter turbulence, and when it’s time to change course. A high-performing finance function is essential to the success of every nonprofit. A bad hire can leave…

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What Nonprofits Need to Know About Restricted Funds

Why clear reporting, and clear rules, are the key to keeping donor trust.  Managing restricted funds is one of the most challenging accounting tasks nonprofit organizations face, even those with strong financial practices. We’ve seen it happen: A donor restriction overlooked in a spreadsheet can trigger a last-minute scramble at year-end, resulting in audit adjustments…

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Supporting Philanthropy in the Spotlight: Accounting for Celebrity and High-Profile Foundations

High-profile foundations (especially those associated with celebrities and public figures) bring a unique blend of influence and responsibility to the philanthropic world. With wide reach and media attention, these organizations are well-positioned to make an outsized impact. But with fame comes additional layers of risk: increased scrutiny, public pressure, and a relentless spotlight that rarely…

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What Your Fundraising Campaign Needs (Beyond Passion and Promotion)

Fundraising campaigns are essential lifelines for nonprofit organizations. They provide the funding necessary to carry out programs, pay staff, and deliver services that create lasting impact. But behind every successful campaign is something far less visible, and just as critical: financial tracking. Without solid processes in place to track the revenue raised and the expenses…

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