"What's extremely helpful, again for my donors but also my board, is that having the financial aspects handled by a third-party accounting firm really removes a lot of responsibility for processes and procedures internally and removes a significant amount of risk for the organization."
Finances Before
Finances With Hiline
About Life Choices Center
Life Choices Center is a small nonprofit resource center serving the community for over 32 years. They help men and women before, during, and after unplanned pregnancies through educational programs, informational services, and material resources. All their services are completely free, regardless of status, and they even serve undocumented individuals. In addition to their in-person services, Life Choices Center offers virtual options, including family court-approved parenting classes twice weekly and one-on-one virtual mentoring.
The Challenge
Life Choices Center had tried various approaches to manage their finances, including outsourcing to independent contractors and bringing operations in-house. As a small nonprofit where leaders wear multiple hats, maintaining proper financial oversight proved challenging. Soon the financial inconsistencies became increasingly concerning, especially given the organization's responsibility to donors.
"We had done a few different models for our bookkeeping and payroll. Initially when I started there 10 years ago, the cost was extraordinary based on the budgets that we had. We shifted to an independent person who did our bookkeeping and payroll through QuickBooks. When that person moved on, I thought, let's try to bring it in-house. But it was overwhelming and it became difficult to oversee. I also wanted there to be a compliance approach where our finances were above reproach as far as our donors were concerned."
The Solution
Hiline implemented a comprehensive operational accounting solution that addressed Life Choices Center's specific nonprofit needs and integrated its entire financial ecosystem together. This system included:
1. Integrated Financial and HR Management
Hiline provided a unified approach to bookkeeping, payroll, and HR, removing administrative burdens from the executive director while ensuring compliance with regulations that were constantly changing.
"The ability to incorporate HR with our payroll took a lot of burden off of me. We are in a state that has a lot of oversight and laws that seem to be ever-changing. Having that burden taken off of me around those requirements was for the safety of the organization, but also for the betterment of our employees."
2. Grant Management Systems
Hiline established formal record-keeping systems for grant management, simplifying reporting and ensuring compliance with grant providers.
"One improvement was our record-keeping around our grants. Hiline implemented solutions and forms so that our board or anyone external who wanted to see that information could easily access it. My reporting for follow-up with grant providers became much simpler and more concise."
3. Enhanced Financial Controls
Hiline introduced a virtual credit card system, tailored specifically for Life Choices Center's needs. This system provided greater control over expenses and peace of mind for employees by:
- Allowing Life Choices Center to assign vendor-specific cards with customized spending limits
- Reducing the risk of unauthorized expenses
- Giving autonomy with appropriate boundaries to staff members
- Streamlining expense management while enhancing accountability
- Giving the director greater oversight without increasing her administrative burden
4. HR Compliance Management
Hiline ensured all hiring and termination processes followed proper procedures, protecting the organization from compliance risks.
"Our financial-related operations were probably not handled in the most concise way before – just with a small staff not having the right experience and with turnover. It's nice to be able to send that information to one person who does all of the hiring, making sure all the documentation is completed the right way, as well as when terminating someone, ensuring we're going through the right process to protect the organization."
The Results
Partnering with Hiline transformed Life Choices Center's financial operations by allowing their leadership to redirect focus from administrative tasks to mission-critical activities. The comprehensive operational accounting solution delivered several meaningful improvements:
- Reduced Administrative Burden – Leadership no longer struggles with complex financial and HR processes
- Enhanced Compliance – All financial operations now meet regulatory requirements and donor expectations
- Streamlined Operations – Financial systems run smoothly with expert oversight
- Risk Mitigation – Third-party management removed internal process responsibilities
- Simplified Audit Readiness – Recent legal audit requirements were already covered through Hiline's services
These improvements have provided Michelle and her team with peace of mind knowing their financial operations are being handled professionally while they concentrate on serving their community and advancing their mission.
How Hiline Can Support Your Nonprofit
Is your nonprofit spending more time on spreadsheets than your mission?
Hiline's operational accounting services can free your team from financial busywork while ensuring compliance with funders and regulators. Our nonprofit-specific expertise transforms your entire financial ecosystem—from daily transactions to strategic financial planning.
Contact us today to learn how our tailored operational accounting services can help your nonprofit focus on impact, not paperwork, with real-time financial visibility that enables confident decision-making.
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