Nonprofit Accounting Services Designed for Fund-Based Organizations.
Most accounting firms understand debits and credits. Very few understand restricted funds, grant compliance, board-ready financial statements, and IRS Form 990 preparation. Nonprofit accounting is its own discipline; and we've built our entire practice around it.
Whether you're a small grassroots organization or a multi-million dollar mission, we provide outsourced nonprofit accounting services that give you financial clarity, donor confidence, and the compliance documentation you need to keep operating without interruption.
What Makes Nonprofit Accounting Different from For-Profit Accounting
Nonprofits don't operate like businesses, and their accounting shouldn't either. The financial management standards that apply to corporations (focused on profit, equity, and shareholder returns) simply don't map to how nonprofits track and report their money.
Here's what nonprofit accounting requires that standard bookkeeping doesn't address:
Fund-based accounting: Revenue and expenses must be tracked by fund (programmatic, general, capital, endowment), not just by category
Restricted vs. unrestricted fund tracking: Donor-restricted gifts must be accounted for separately and only spent according to donor intent
Grant compliance accounting: Each grant may have its own reporting period, allowable expenses, and documentation requirements
Board-ready financial statements: Boards need Statement of Financial Position, Statement of Activities, and Statement of Functional Expenses — not a standard P&L
Form 990 readiness: Your books must be structured so tax preparation isn't a scramble every year
Donation reconciliation: CRM and fundraising platform data must reconcile to your accounting system
Functional expense allocation: Expenses must be allocated across program services, management, and fundraising for transparency and compliance
If your current bookkeeper or accounting system isn't built around these requirements, your organization is operating with financial risk; even if the numbers technically balance.
Our Nonprofit Accounting & Bookkeeping Services
We provide a full suite of outsourced nonprofit accounting services, customizable to your organization's size and complexity.
Nonprofit Bookkeeping Services
Day-to-day transaction recording, categorization, and allocation using fund-based accounting principles. We handle revenue data entry, expense categorization, and monthly close so your records are always current and audit-ready.
Includes:
Revenue data entry and fund allocation
Expense categorization and allocation by program/function
Bank and credit card reconciliation
Monthly financial close process
Chart of accounts setup or review aligned to nonprofit GAAP standards
Nonprofit Accounting Services
Strategic financial management and reporting that goes beyond bookkeeping. We set up your accounting system, manage reporting cycles, and ensure your financials tell an accurate story to your board, donors, and auditors.
Includes:
Cloud-based accounting system setup and configuration (QuickBooks Online, Sage Intacct, Odoo)
Fund structure design and restricted/unrestricted tracking
Monthly financial statements (Statement of Financial Position, Statement of Activities, Functional Expenses)
Account reconciliations
Year-end close and 1099-NEC preparation
Audit preparation and support
Grant Management & Reporting
We set up grant tracking systems that match your funder requirements so you always know how much has been spent, what's left, and what documentation is needed for reimbursement requests or compliance reports.
Includes:
Grant fund setup and expense tracking
Budget vs. actual reporting by grant
Funder-specific financial reports
Grant compliance documentation support
Donor & Development Reporting
We reconcile your fundraising platform to your accounting system and build reporting dashboards that give your development team and board the financial visibility they need.
Includes:
CRM/fundraising platform reconciliation (Salesforce, Bloomerang, Raiser's Edge, etc.)
Donor contribution reporting
Restricted gift tracking and release
Development-to-finance reporting alignment
Budget vs. Actual Reporting
We produce monthly reports comparing your approved budget to actual performance; by program, department, or fund so leadership can make data-driven decisions before problems become crises.
Cash Flow Planning & Forecasting
Nonprofits face unique cash flow challenges due to grant disbursement cycles, seasonal giving, and restricted funds. We help you forecast cash needs and plan ahead so you're never caught short.
990 Preparation Readiness
We structure your books specifically so that Form 990 preparation is straightforward, not a fire drill. Your accounts, functional allocations, and supporting schedules will be clean and organized when your tax preparer needs them.
Financial System Services
Whether you're moving from spreadsheets, an old desktop system, or a poorly configured QB file, we migrate and configure your accounting platform to nonprofit standards; including chart of accounts, fund classes, and reporting templates.
What Every Client Receives
Regardless of your organization's size, every engagement includes:
A Dedicated Accounting Team You're not handed off to a generalist. You receive a primary accounting associate who knows your organization, supported by a full team so service never lapses.
Enhanced Internal Controls We segregate duties and establish control procedures that protect your organization against fraud and mismanagement; critical for any organization handling donor funds.
GAAP-Compliant Chart of Accounts Your chart of accounts will be set up or reviewed to align with nonprofit GAAP (ASC 958) and best practices for fund-based reporting.
Cloud-Based Access Your books are accessible 24/7 through a secure, cloud-based accounting platform. No more waiting for files to be emailed or wondering if numbers are current.
Audit-Ready Records We maintain your books to audit-ready standards year-round; so when an audit happens, it's not an emergency.
Organizations We Serve
Our nonprofit accounting services are built for:
Human services and social service agencies
Arts and cultural organizations
Educational institutions and workforce development programs
Faith-based organizations
Environmental nonprofits
Health and community clinics
Advocacy organizations
Foundations and philanthropic entities
Youth development programs
Animal welfare organizations
We work with nonprofits at every stage; from organizations filing their first 990 to large, multi-program operations managing complex grant portfolios.
Transparent, Nonprofit Accounting Pricing
We believe nonprofits deserve predictable costs, not billing surprises. Our pricing is structured by organization size, with no hidden overages.
Final pricing based on service scope. Contact us for a free quote today!
Additional Services Available
Beyond core accounting and bookkeeping, we also offer:
Controller Services: Higher-level financial oversight, policy development, and internal controls review
Part-time CFO Services: Strategic financial leadership for organizations that need CFO-level thinking without a full-time hire
Payroll Coordination: Payroll processing aligned with your accounting system and functional expense allocations
Bill Pay Services: Accounts payable management tool options on your behalf
Sales Tax Compliance: State-specific filings where required
Audit Preparation & Support: Full support through your financial audit or agreed-upon procedures engagement
Financial Dashboards: Visual reporting tools for board meetings and leadership reviews
Onsite & Remote Support: In-person visits available for transition periods or special projects
Why Work With a Nonprofit-Specific Accounting Firm?
Huge accounting firms serve nonprofits as an afterthought. The rules, reporting requirements, and operational realities of nonprofit finance are substantially different from for-profit businesses; and firms that don't specialize inevitably bring a for-profit lens to nonprofit problems. Working with a firm that focuses exclusively on nonprofits means:
Your accountant already understands ASC 958, restricted funds, and functional expense allocation
You won't be educating your accountant about how grants work
Your financial statements will look the way your board, auditors, and funders expect
Compliance isn't a scramble: it's built into how we work
Nonprofits that work with generalist accounting firms frequently discover misclassified restricted funds, incorrectly structured charts of accounts, and financial statements that can't be used for grant reporting or audit purposes. Getting it right from the start, or fixing it properly, requires specialists.
FAQ
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Fund accounting is a system of bookkeeping used by nonprofits to track money by its intended purpose rather than simply as profit and loss. Each "fund" represents a pool of money with specific use restrictions; such as a restricted grant, an endowment, or a capital campaign. Fund accounting ensures that donor-restricted money is only used as designated, which is required for compliance and financial transparency.
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Bookkeeping is the day-to-day recording of financial transactions; money in, money out, categorized and allocated. Accounting is the broader process of analyzing, interpreting, and reporting on those records. Nonprofits need both: solid bookkeeping creates the foundation, and accounting turns that data into financial statements, compliance reports, and strategic insights. Many organizations outsource both functions together for efficiency.
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Yes. QuickBooks Online can be configured for nonprofit fund accounting using classes, locations, and custom tags to track restricted vs. unrestricted funds, separate programs, and grant budgets. However, proper setup is critical; a generic QuickBooks file not structured for nonprofits will produce reports that don't meet GAAP or funder requirements. We set up and configure QuickBooks specifically for nonprofit reporting standards. Book a free consultation today.
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We structure your books specifically so that your 990 is easy to prepare. While tax preparation is a separate service, we ensure your functional expense allocations, revenue categorizations, and supporting schedules are maintained year-round so there are no surprises at filing time. We also offer 990 preparation as an add-on service.
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When you outsource your accounting to us, we become your accounting department. You'll have a dedicated primary associate who manages your books, supported by a full team for specialized needs. Monthly, we handle transaction entry, reconciliations, and financial statements. You get all the expertise of a professional accounting department at a fraction of the cost of in-house hiring.
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We work primarily with QuickBooks Online and Odoo , and also support Sage Intacct, Wave, Digits, and other systems as well. For organizations on other platforms or spreadsheets, we can assist with migration to a more appropriate system.
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Especially for small nonprofits. Hiring an in-house bookkeeper or accountant with nonprofit expertise is expensive and hard to do. Outsourcing gives you access to a full team of nonprofit accounting specialists for a predictable monthly fee — typically far less than a single part-time employee — while giving you better coverage, continuity, and compliance than a solo hire can provide.
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We set up a dedicated fund or class for each grant in your accounting system, track all related income and expenses against that grant's budget, and produce funder-specific financial reports on the schedule you need. When grant reimbursement requests or compliance reports are due, the numbers are already organized.
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We can layer in at any level. Some organizations use us for accounting, reporting, and oversight while keeping a part-time in-house bookkeeper. Others outsource both functions entirely. We'll work with your existing team or replace the function entirely; whatever makes sense for your organization.
Ready to get started?
Your books should work for your mission, not against it. Contact us today and find out exactly what proper nonprofit accounting looks like for your organization.
✓ Serving Nationwide in The U.S.