Laura

Also can you tell us what accounting system and what payroll system you are using?

My recommendation is always to have as much cash deployed at local institutions as possible. Utilizing sweep accounts, CD’s, and local saving accounts should generate 4.5% or so,

I have used Neon. It sucked.

Donor Perfect is a good system. I would also say that if you can find a system that has an integration with your accounting system it will ensure that your number come closer to matching and make the reconciliation much better.

My advise is ask. So send something out through your email list. Basically post a position. I agree that Nonprofit CFO’s would be ideal also make sure that you have a clear job description for the position. That will help anyone who is interested. Other options are potentially city staff, young professional groups, and chambers.

Having been in all sizes of orgs and gone through the transitions here are some recommendations.

Payroll: don’t use QB for Payroll. Look at other payroll/HRIS systems out there. I really liked Paylocity but there are others.

In the NPO space there are other options including Aplos that I really liked.

If you end up having multiple people in the…

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For us it depends. On travel we cover a per diem instead of reimbursements. Airfare and hotels are either on a company card or reimbursed. The more company cards deployed for travel the better in my world. More important for me is that the expenses are within budget and approved by supervisors.

My advise is to explore options where government gives or sells the buildings to the NPO or has a long term lease. Otherwise the leases run the risk of being impacted by changing political climates. But absent that understanding the risk is important if you are going down that path.