Cash and reimbursements
See how much cash you have, how much is restricted, what funders still owe you, and where late payments are causing strain.
How it works
A clear path to finances your team can run on its own.
Every engagement moves through three stages, in order. First we establish what’s true. Then we build what’s missing. Then we run the monthly cycle with your team until the system holds.
01
Certainty Report
$3,500 · fixed fee · about two weeks
02
Build
Scoped after the Certainty Report · about 30 days
03
Operate
Scoped after the Certainty Report · typically 60–90 days
01
The Certainty Report
Find the pressure points before deciding what to build.
Required first stage · $3,500 · about 2 weeksWe go through your books, grant agreements, payroll, reimbursement invoices, and reporting deadlines. Then we show you what’s working, where risk is building, and what needs attention first.
Audit readiness
Know which grant or process would cause the most trouble if an auditor looked at it tomorrow.
Priority findings
Get a plain-English written report on what’s working, what’s at risk, and what to fix first.
A scoped next step
If a Build makes sense, the findings set its scope, timeline, and price.
The report is yours whether or not you continue. The Certainty Report is real, complete work — not a sales pitch dressed up as an assessment.
02
The Build
Turn the findings into tools and clear operating rules.
Scoped after the Certainty Report · about 30 daysWe build the budgets, tools, and written rules your team needs to manage grants — so no one has to rebuild the same information every month.
Organizational budget
One plan that connects programs, grants, staffing, overhead, and unrestricted funds.
Salary matrix
A clear view of how each position is funded, including payroll taxes and benefits.
Grant Rulebooks
One page per grant showing how to bill, what records to keep, what the grant won’t pay for, and every deadline.
Allocation plan
Written rules for splitting staff time and shared costs across grants and programs.
We also set up the calendars, deadlines, and monthly routines that keep everything current. It all lives in your accounts and belongs to your organization.
03
Operate
Your team learns the system by running the real monthly work with us.
Scoped after the Certainty Report · typically 60–90 daysWe run the new system with your bookkeeper, not in place of them. Your team learns it by doing the actual month-end close, reimbursements, budgeting, and reporting.
Reimbursement invoices
Funder invoices prepared with the backup each grant requires, then tracked until they’re paid.
Grant budgets
Budgets built from real staffing and program costs, including for time-sensitive applications when we have capacity.
Monthly finance picture
Closed books, grant spending, a cash outlook, and one consistent summary for leadership and the board.
A deliberate handoff
Your bookkeeper takes over the monthly routines, with the tools, calendar, and documentation already in place.
This stage has an end date. If you don’t have a bookkeeper, we can provide one. Afterward, you can keep our support for specific finance work or run the system fully in-house.
Clear roles from the start
Your team stays in control. We build the system and help you run it.
What we need from you
- Read access to your accounting records
- Copies of your grant agreements
- Your reporting deadlines and past submissions
- One kickoff hour with the people who know the work
What stays with your team
- Bank access stays read-only
- Your team approves every payment and submission
- We don’t pay bills or chase receipts
- Your organization owns every tool and document we build
Start with what’s true
Every engagement begins with the Certainty Report.
Book a 30-minute call to talk through your organization, your funders, and where the pressure is showing up. If the Certainty Report isn’t the right next step, I’ll tell you.