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In 2026, nonprofit finance isn’t just about reporting what happened — it’s about shaping what happens next. Ellie Hume (Regional Director, at Your Part-Time Controller) leasds a forward-facing conversation on financial leadership that starts with one powerful idea: your organization’s strongest advantage is what you choose to control.

If your nonprofit is ready to “spiral up,” this episode offers a finance-and-management playbook that turns mindset into momentum—so you can stay steady, stay strategic, and stay fundable.

Ellie reframes today’s uncertainty—funding volatility, staffing pressure, new compliance expectations—as a call to build resilience through intentional decisions. She challenges leaders to stop relying on “SALI” (Same As Last Year) and instead strengthen revenue diversification: monthly giving programs, new grant relationships, and smarter prospecting that expands beyond familiar funders.

From the finance seat, Ellie makes scenario analysis feel practical and doable. Build multiple budget versions, monitor what’s changing, and be ready to adjust the levers as reality shifts. Financial data becomes fuel for action when it’s used for forecasting and decision-making—not just for looking in the rearview mirror.

The conversation also brings AI down to earth. AI isn’t “coming someday”—it’s already embedded in accounting systems and donor databases. Ellie talks about adopting tools with purpose, using them to reduce administrative drag, increase speed, and free staff to focus on higher-value work. As Ellie puts it: “Control what you can control, and that is your mind and the actions that result from what you want to do.”

Finally, Ellie connects governance, compliance, and cybersecurity to financial stewardship. Cyber risk and fraud are rising, and boards have fiduciary responsibility to protect organizational assets. That means budgeting for safeguards, setting internal guardrails for AI use, and even seeking funding specifically for infrastructure that protects mission delivery.

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Our national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits!
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