Non-Profit Accounting Services

Our team understands that each grant has unique tracking requirements and restrictions. We’ll work with you to ensure costs are allocated correctly to the appropriate program and funding source.

We will guide you through the entire grant cycle, including generating budgets for grant proposals and ensuring timely, accurate filings. Of course, everything we do is in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

We are deeply familiar with the audit process for non-profit organizations. In fact, several of our team members were auditors earlier in their careers. We understand what auditors are looking for. That’s why, throughout the year, we’re organizing your accounts so we’re prepared for your annual audit and any state or federal compliance audits. We strive to make the audit as pain free as possible by taking the lead with your audit firm. That way, you have more time to focus on your agency’s mission.

We can deliver budgets at multiple levels — at the agency level, the program level and the grant level. We can provide a multitude of monthly reports comparing budget to actuals to ensure that program managers always have the information they need to understand how their respective programs are performing.

Managing restricted funds comes down to creating and implementing systems that ensure all restrictions are documented and addressed at every stage. We’ll help you manage net assets with donor restrictions so they comply with all grant stipulations and we’ll oversee GAAP reporting for your organization’s audits.

With ARI, you will not only work with a staff or senior accountant, you will work with an experienced CFO who is well versed in the unique aspects of your non-profit organization. At your request, a member of your ARI team will attend meetings with your finance committee and/or board of directors and will address any questions or concerns that arise.

We have non-profit clients that retain an in-house bookkeeping resource and clients that rely on us for everything, including bookkeeping support. We will work with you to determine the solution that best fits your needs.

With ARI, you get a team of accountants — with years of collective experience, so you reduce risks related to turnover and eliminate a potential single point of failure.

Yes, we offer that as part of our monthly services. This includes drawdowns from federal agencies and invoicing and reporting state granting agencies.

Our fees are based on the complexity of your business, your transactional volume and our ability to automate and streamline systems and procedures. Most clients find that engaging us results in cost savings.

We operate on a flat monthly fee. This enables you to accurately forecast and budget your cash flow. For special services or one-time projects, we bill at an hourly rate and always provide an estimate before starting.

Our average full-service fee ranges from $2,000 to $6,000 per month but can vary based on many factors. Read this blog to see what factors influence cost.

No. We charge a flat monthly fee. This enables you to accurately forecast and budget your cash flow.

And, if you ever want to terminate our engagement, all we require is 30-days’ written notice. And the same goes for us. If, for some reason, we determine ARI is not a good fit for your organization, we will provide you with at least 30 days’ written notice.

Our typical lead time is 30 to 60 days from the time we have a signed engagement letter from you. This allows us time to compile our team and develop a transition plan. For further details on our transition process, read this article. 

We commit to responding to emails or phone calls within 24 hours, but you will find that we typically respond much faster. We need to understand everything that is going on with your business and, to do so, requires constant communication.

We transfer data in a variety of ways. We strive to find the most efficient, most secure method that works for both your organization and ARI. This may include using Microsoft ShareFile, or having direct access to your bank statements, credit card statements and/or payroll service. Check out this article to find out how we provide multi-layered data security.

We typically do not go onsite to perform accounting work. Of course, we’re always available to meet with you upon your request or to attend Board meetings or management team meetings. However, by working in a central location, we eliminate travel time and have access to state-of-the-art technology and accounting systems.

We will assemble a team that is assigned to your engagement. The size of the team will be determined by the size, volume, and complexity of your organization. This group effectively becomes your accounting department and will strive to understand every aspect of your business, including your organization’s goals.

Although results can vary, many of our clients have saved 25% to 40% by outsourcing their accounting function to us.

Here are some examples of how we save you money:

• We assemble a team of individuals with redundant knowledge so there is never a single point of failure with respect to staffing.
• You avoid all of the associated direct and indirect costs associated with having an employee, including payroll taxes, health insurance, worker’s comp insurance, benefits, paid time off, training expense, management time, office space and IT requirements. And, you don’t have to spend time recruiting and hiring when you have employee turnover.
•  The fees you pay to a CPA firm to review your financial statements and conduct audits are often less because your books and accounting records are clean and delivered on time.
•  By implementing technology and creating efficiencies, your team has more time to focus on your business.
•  You have accurate, reliable and timely financial reports at your fingertips, allowing you to make more informed business decisions that can influence your bottom line.

Discover other benefits of outsourcing your accounting function.

The vast majority of our clients use QuickBooks desktop or QuickBooks online. We do have clients on other platforms including Sage, Black-Baud, Financial Edge, MRI, and Timberline. We also use a variety of property management software systems such as Yardi.

We are based in Glastonbury, Connecticut and the majority of our clients are in the New England region. However, because of our reputation and the outstanding client service we provide, we have extended our reach beyond New England. With the help of technology, we see no limitations in where our clients can be located.

Yes, if you are trying to determine if outsourcing your accounting is the right choice for you, there is never a cost for a consultation with us. We go through a detailed eight-step process to understand your organization, your current situation, and your accounting needs. This allows us to recommend the best strategy to move forward. Read this article to discover more about our process.

If you are looking for a short-term solution to manage your accounting function or you have a special project you need to complete, ARI is likely not the right firm for you. At ARI, we look for longer-term engagements in which we can truly provide value by serving as your experienced accounting professional.

Yes, according to our engagement agreement, we can attend your monthly, quarterly or annual finance or Board of Directors’ meetings, either in person or virtually, based on your needs. For many clients, we also present annual budgets to their management team and answer questions that arise.