Nonprofits
Fund accounting requires separating restricted from unrestricted dollars. We provide the controller oversight that keeps your board informed and your organization audit-ready.
The Responsibility
Running a nonprofit means managing other people’s money for a stated purpose. Donors give because they trust you to use their gifts as intended. Grantors provide funding with specific spending requirements attached. Board members accept fiduciary responsibility for ensuring proper stewardship. The accounting has to reflect all of this.
Standard business accounting tracks revenue and expenses. Nonprofit accounting adds another layer. You need to know not just how much money you have, but whose money it is and what restrictions come with it. A dollar donated for building construction cannot pay for staff salaries, even if payroll is due tomorrow.
Who This Covers
Who This Covers
Churches and faith-based organizations, charitable foundations, trade associations, community service organizations, and private foundations throughout South Florida. Any nonprofit with board governance requirements and public accountability for donated funds.
The Complexity
The Complexity
Multiple funding sources with different restrictions. Grant reporting requirements with specific spending deadlines. Board members who need financial statements they can actually understand. Annual Form 990 preparation that exposes your finances to public scrutiny.
What We Handle
Fund accounting is the foundation. We track restricted and unrestricted funds separately so you always know which dollars can be spent on what. When a donor gives $50,000 for scholarship programs, that money stays identified as scholarship money until it gets spent on scholarships. This is not optional. It is the basic requirement for nonprofit financial integrity.
Board reporting requires financial statements that tell the true story. A standard profit and loss statement does not work for nonprofits. Your board needs to see the functional expense breakdown showing program versus administrative versus fundraising costs. They need to understand the net asset composition and how restricted funds affect your actual spending capacity.
Grant Compliance
Grant Compliance
Grant funds come with strings attached. We track spending against grant budgets and monitor compliance with grantor requirements. When the foundation audit happens, you have documentation showing exactly how their money was used and that it aligned with the grant agreement.
Form 990 Preparation
Form 990 Preparation
The annual Form 990 is a public document. Anyone can read it. We prepare the return with proper functional expense allocation, complete program service descriptions, and accurate reporting of board compensation and related party transactions.
Common Problems
The most dangerous mistake is spending restricted funds on unrestricted purposes. You receive a large grant for a capital project but use some of it to cover a cash flow gap. When the audit happens, you cannot demonstrate proper use of restricted funds. This creates legal liability for board members and destroys donor trust.
Another issue is the Form 990 becoming an afterthought. Executive directors hand off a messy QuickBooks file to a tax preparer who fills in blanks without understanding the organization. The resulting Form 990 does not accurately reflect program accomplishments or expense allocation. Since this document is publicly available, it becomes your de facto annual report to anyone who looks you up.
Board Reporting Gaps
Board Reporting Gaps
Board members cannot fulfill their fiduciary duty without reliable financial information. When reports arrive late, lack context, or contain obvious errors, the board makes decisions based on incomplete data. This exposes the organization and individual board members to risk.
Functional Expense Confusion
Functional Expense Confusion
Allocating expenses between program, management, and fundraising categories is not simple. Staff time gets split across functions. Overhead has to be allocated reasonably. Getting this wrong distorts your program efficiency ratios and creates problems with sophisticated donors and grantors who analyze these numbers.
What Changes
Your board meetings shift from explaining the numbers to discussing strategy. Financial statements arrive on time, formatted for nonprofit reporting standards, with explanations of significant variances. Board members can focus on mission advancement because they trust the financial foundation is solid.
Grant applications become easier. Funders want to see your financials before they commit. When you can provide clean statements showing proper fund tracking and reasonable expense allocation, you demonstrate the organizational capacity that grantors look for. The accounting stops being an obstacle to funding and becomes evidence of your professionalism.
Audit Readiness
Audit Readiness
Whether you face an annual audit requirement or periodic grant audits, the preparation becomes routine instead of a crisis. Reconciliations are current. Restricted fund tracking is documented. Supporting documentation is organized. The audit goes smoothly because the work was done correctly throughout the year.
Executive Director Focus
Executive Director Focus
You did not start this organization to manage spreadsheets. With controller-level oversight handling the financial complexity, you can spend your time on programs, fundraising, and community relationships. The administrative burden lifts because someone competent is handling it.
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