If you’re leading a nonprofit in 2025, you know the pressure is real. There’s more demand for your services, more competition for funding, and more scrutiny from donors than ever before.
I’ve spent decades working alongside nonprofit leaders like you—people who are as smart as they are passionate. I know you’re not just looking for quick fixes; you want real, lasting results.
That’s why I started The Fundraising Accountant Community. After years at GrowthForce, I saw that the nonprofits who thrive—year after year—focus on three clear financial goals. These aren’t just wish-list items. They’re the foundation for everything else you want to achieve.
Let’s be honest: most accounting systems in nonprofits were built for compliance, not for leadership. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen executive directors get handed a stack of reports that are great for the auditor, but useless for running the organization.
I remember working with one organization where the team couldn’t tell you how much it cost to deliver a single meal or run an after-school session.
Once we rebuilt their chart of accounts to track costs by program, everything changed. Suddenly, managers could see exactly where the money was going—and they started owning their budgets.
That’s when the magic happens: when your team understands the numbers, they get invested in finding ways to do more with less.
You know your mission better than anyone. But when it comes to deciding what to grow, what to pause, or when to add staff, gut instinct can only take you so far. I’ve seen this up close.
There was a time when one of my clients wanted to expand a program because the need was obvious and the team was passionate. But when we looked at the cost per person served and compared it to other programs, it was clear we needed to rethink the plan. With real data, we made a tough call to shift resources. It wasn’t easy, but it set the organization up for bigger impact down the road.
You don’t need fancy software. What you need is a commitment to tracking what matters, building reports that answer real questions, and making sure your team knows how to use the numbers.
Donors today want more than a feel-good story—they want proof their gifts are making a real difference. I’ve worked with fundraising teams who felt stuck using generic impact statements because they didn’t have the data to get specific.
When you can say, “Your $250 funded five job training sessions,” or, “We cut our cost-per-service by 12% while serving 300 more people this year,” donors sit up and listen. That kind of transparency builds trust—and trust is what keeps supporters coming back.
This takes teamwork. Your finance and development teams need to work together to make tracking and reporting simple and clear. I’ve seen firsthand how this shift can energize everyone involved.
These goals aren’t just about accounting—they’re about leadership. As executive director, it’s your responsibility to set the tone. When you lead with data, your whole organization gets stronger. People feel empowered, fundraisers get more confident, and donors become true partners in your mission.
That’s what we’re building together in The Fundraising Accountant Community: a place where you can get the tools, support, and real-world advice you need to hit these goals and grow with purpose.
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