Hindsight is 20/20: Observations into the Best and Worst Practices in Nonprofit Finance

In 2023, AAFCPAs celebrates 50 Years of Impact! Time and deep nonprofit experience have been wonderful teachers for us. With new clients, AAFCPAs’ Managed Accounting & Advisory Solutions practice is brought in to leverage this experience. We often start engagements by cleaning up books and modernizing processes and technologies. Some of our observations into the best and worst practices in nonprofit finance may seem obvious and basic. But they are worth sharing, so others may avoid the same mistakes.

In this fast-paced session, recorded April 2023 at AAFCPAs’ Nonprofit Educational Seminar, our Consulting CFOs provide real world examples of lessons learned while objectively digging into client operations.

Download the full slides from AAFCPAs’ Nonprofit Seminar >>

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About the Authors

Joyce Ripianzi, CPA

Joyce is a Partner in the Consulting Division of AAFCPAs and a member of the firm’s growing Managed Accounting Solutions (MAS) practice, which provides “right-size” outsourced accounting solutions, from cloud-based bookkeeping to CFO deliverables, designed to optimize the effectiveness of the modern finance function. Joyce has 30+ years of diverse experience in public accounting at national and regional CPA and consulting firms. She is also a former CFO of an 18-million-dollar organization.

Amy Staunton, CPA

Amy is a senior member of AAFCPAs’ Managed Accounting Solutions (MAS) practice, providing high-level, outsourced CFO services for nonprofits, foundations, and grant-making organizations. She serves as an active partner to the CEOs of AAFCPAs’ nonprofit MAS clients, bringing a forward-looking and proactive stance to managing the agency’s finances. Amy understands the nuances inherent in the sometimes exasperating world of nonprofit finance, including innumerable compliance requirements, resource constraints, and nonprofit culture challenges. She has strong strategic business planning expertise and is passionate about the strategic side of the position, but also has a solid technical accounting background, intellectual curiosity, and hands-on involvement.

Lauren M. Duplin, CPA

Lauren is a senior member of AAFCPAs’ Managed Accounting Solutions (MAS) practice, providing high-level, outsourced CFO services for nonprofits, foundations, and grant-making organizations. She specializes in serving AAFCPAs’ clients in education, community & economic development, and human & social services. Lauren serves as an active partner to the CEOs of AAFCPAs’ nonprofit MAS clients, bringing a forward-looking and proactive stance to managing finances.