Building a Strong Nonprofit Financial Foundation with Hiline

"We are all feeling so energized and feeling the time saved. To be able to do the things that we need to do and not all these extra steps that take forever and add frustration is a great relief."

Bethany Creaser
Executive Director, ECA ONONDAGA

Finances before

Scattered financial operations

Lacked a comprehensive solution for accounting, finance, human resource and payroll after transitioning to a new non-profit entity

Manual finance madness

Relied heavily on manual methods, which drained time and resources without proportional value

Closed-off view points

Capabilities confined to the knowledge of the internal team; missing out on best practices from the wider non-profit sector

Mission-draining busy-work

Significant time spent on non-core tasks related to bookkeeping, financial reporting, human resource compliance and payroll operations

Finances with Hiline

Best practice powerhouse

Integrated a vast reservoir of expertise, ensuring best practices guide the organization

Fully managed HR & payroll

Streamlined, compliant, and wholly managed (by the Hiline team) HR compliance and payroll operations

Refocused on mission

Leveraging Hiline’s best-in-class tech, process, and expertise to reclaim the organization’s mission.

Board-ready confidence

Staff rest easy knowing their financial reports are precise and that they’re well-prepared for board meetings and audit evaluations

Time to leave manual and time-consuming AP behind

Everything moves fast these days. That includes your buiness operations. Outdated, slow AP processes can hinder growth and damage relationships. Let's transform your AP into a strategic asset.

Finances Before

Scattered financial operations

Lacked a comprehensive solution for accounting, finance, human resource and payroll after transitioning to a new non-profit entity

Manual finance madness

Relied heavily on manual methods, which drained time and resources without proportional value

Closed-off view points

Capabilities confined to the knowledge of the internal team; missing out on best practices from the wider non-profit sector

Mission-draining busy-work

Significant time spent on non-core tasks related to bookkeeping, financial reporting, human resource compliance and payroll operations

Finances with Hiline

Best practice powerhouse

Integrated a vast reservoir of expertise, ensuring best practices guide the organization

Fully managed HR & payroll

Streamlined, compliant, and wholly managed (by the Hiline team) HR compliance and payroll operations

Refocused on mission

Leveraging Hiline’s best-in-class tech, process, and expertise to reclaim the organization’s mission.

Board-ready confidence

Staff rest easy knowing their financial reports are precise and that they’re well-prepared for board meetings and audit evaluations

Background of the Organization

The Early Childhood Alliance Onondaga (ECA) is dedicated to ensuring that every child in Onondaga County is born healthy and achieves their maximum potential. Founded in 2015, the main objective of the ECA is to unite community leaders, early childhood representatives, and families in order to establish a unified support system. The alliance prioritizes several key areas, such as endorsing optimum child development, bolstering high-quality early literacy settings, enhancing quality across all child care settings, and promoting reproductive health for all women.

Identifying the Gap

Originally, the ECA functioned as a division within a larger entity. However, in the summer of 2023, it chose to operate as a standalone non-profit organization. This shift highlighted the necessity of creating its distinct organizational framework. When all the staff transitioned to the new structure, a noticeable gap emerged in administrative functions that were previously managed by the larger parent organization. Recognizing this, the ECA began deliberating on ways to swiftly set up a dedicated accounting and finance department.

The Proposed Solution

Hiline emerged as a top recommendation, suggested by a stakeholder who had experienced Hiline's services in other engagements. Opting for hilne seemed ideal due to their expertise in addressing the specific requirements of non-profit entities. Furthermore, Hiline offers a robust combination of advanced technology and processes, precisely what the ECA was seeking.

The onboarding process commenced in May 2023. The benefits were immediately apparent, with staff being able to concentrate on their primary responsibilities while Hiline efficiently managed the accounting, finance, and HR domains.

Looking Ahead

Bethany Creaser, the Executive Director, is enthusiastic about equipping each of her directors with individual Profit & Loss statements. This approach grants them greater independence to comprehend and oversee their respective grant revenue and expenses. With this added empowerment, Bethany is optimistic about the organization's future growth. She envisions a scenario where her team operates at peak performance, with Hiline adeptly handling all other aspects.