Ausherman Family Foundation Back‑Office Support Grants is sponsored by Ausherman Family Foundation. Build capacity of nonprofits by strengthening back‑office functions like staffing, transportation, compliance, and operations.

Back-Office Support Grant | Ausherman Family Foundation Back-Office Support Grant Designed to build the capacity of nonprofits by strengthening back-office functions, these grants will help nonprofits increase efficiencies, lower operating expenses, increase employee retention and ensure compliance while allowing more time to be dedicated to mission related activities.

In this first phase, AFF will focus on bookkeeping including bill processing, bill paying, payroll processing, and general accounting supports. In future phases, additional solutions may be available. Applications for all grant requests must be made via our online portal.

Requests received via email, phone, or direct mail will not be reviewed. What to Know Before Applying: Accounting Grant Accounting Back-Office Support Program and Timeline AFF has contracted with LSWG on their Book$mart Program. The grant is considered a phase-down program, meaning that in year one, all expenses for LSWG’s Book$mart program are funded at 100% by AFF.

In year two, the program will be funded at 50% by AFF. Organizations may continue to participate in the Book$mart program, beyond the end of their second year, at full cost. There is no application deadline, but only a limited amount of these grants will be awarded during this first phase of the pilot.

We will be selecting four organizations through a competitive grant application process for the first year. Based on the success of the first year of Phase 1, AFF envisions adding additional nonprofits in subsequent years to expand the capacity and service delivery of numerous nonprofit organizations throughout our community.

AFF has no intention of receiving nonprofits’ financial information directly from LSWG, recognizing the relationship between the nonprofit and the firm should not be met with a conflict of interest. The Foundation may request standard accounting reports typical in grant applications from the nonprofit throughout the period of the engagement.

Qualifying for a Back-Office Support Grant Organizations must have an operating budget of $500,000 or less to be eligible for the first phase. Any organization needing accounting assistance including bill processing, bill paying, payroll processing, and general accounting. Requesting organization’s missions must fall into one of the Foundation’s areas of interest.

The organization must provide services to Frederick County, MD, residents. Grant seekers will receive email confirmation when the application is received. Ausherman Family Foundation Staff may request additional information prior to LSWG and AFF Trustees review applications.

The Multi-Year Grants Committee will review applications. Four nonprofits applications will be presented to the full Board of Trustees for the funding decision. Grant seekers will be contacted and informed of the Trustees’ decision.

If the request is approved, grant recipients will review and sign a Grant Covenant/Agreement which can be accessed via the online portal. Report Expectations for Accounting Support Grants This is at the discretion of the Executive Director, but in most cases one report is assigned via the grant portal. The purpose of the report(s) is to inform the Ausherman Family Foundation of the organization’s achievement of their goals.

View a Copy of the Application Login to the Grant Portal to preview the Grant Application, click here.

Click here to view a PDF of the Back-Office Support Grant: 2023 Back-Office Grant Application The Foundation’s research about capacity building strongly suggests that there are opportunities for its nonprofit organization grantees to share back-office services through arrangements that will free up resources for program-related activities and remove administrative burden on mission-oriented staff.

It is not uncommon for nonprofit organizations to have a lot of passion, but they may lack the resources to hire the skilled talent they need to manage the back-end operations efficiently. Instead, they often bring in volunteers or those they can afford instead of people who can enhance key accounting processes and help the organization succeed and grow.

Coming out of COVID, it’s more important than ever that nonprofits find ways to be more efficient and to deliver more sophisticated business services. We believe that by providing this shared service we will help the nonprofits increase efficiencies, lower operating expenses, increase employee retention and expand the quality of back-office functions. What to Expect – Book$mart AFF has contracted with LSWG on their Book$mart Program.

A dedicated Book$mart team will remotely handle all your nonprofit accounting needs, including bill processing, bill paying, payroll processing and general accounting. A special accounts payable email address will be created for you/vendors to send bills to “ 2:=E@iJ@FC4@>A2? J?

2>6o3:==]4@>');"> moc. llib@”emanynapmocruoy “ LSWG will process all of your bills and route them to a designated person, for approval using either a computer browser or a mobile device. Approved bills will be paid on schedule electronically or with a bill.

com check. You will have access to review all bills that have been processed and can easily search by vendor, date or amount. LSWG will handle all payroll processing for you using a “Best in Class” payroll application.

Your organization’s designated person will provide approved hours/attendance to LSWG and will have access to review all payroll details. All employees will be paid with direct deposit or a debit card. Pay stubs will be delivered electronically to all staff.

No payroll details are delivered to your office. LSWG will prepare your financial statements each month and you will have real time access to your financial statements any time you want to review them using a browser, your cellphone or a tablet. Monthly financial overview – each month your account manager will discuss your financial statements and your operations with you.

The call will be flexible to suit your schedule. The anticipated price is $500 – $1000 per month, depending on complexities. It should be noted that AFF has no intention of receiving nonprofits’ financial information directly from the accounting firm, recognizing the relationship between the nonprofit and the firm should not be met with a conflict of interest.

The Foundation may request standard accounting reports typical in grant applications from the nonprofit throughout the period of the engagement. How will it be delivered : A standardized set of tools assures best-in-class service. Bill .

com : Book$mart’s Accounts Payable solution is an invoice image repository and a structured business process workflow tool to ensure that only approved bills are paid and that prompt, timely, and accurate payments are made. SHS Services : Book$mart’s payroll service partner is a highly responsive, reliable provider that is bonded, insured, and credit-worthy.

Expensify : If company credit card management or employee expense reporting is needed, Book$mart will use the leading virtual card management and expense reporting system in the US. Privacy and confidentiality : No longer is payroll and expense paying handled in your office. Resilience : When staff or volunteers turnover occurs, there is no interruption in your business accounting processes.

Bills get paid, payroll is always accurate and on-time, bank accounts are reconciled, and financial statements are accurate. No retraining every time you have turnover. Access Anywhere/Anytime : Review your finances when it’s convenient for you.

No backlog : Your accounting is no longer just an extra duty or an after-thought. It’s always done, on time, in balance, reconciled and ready for your review. Expertise : A qualified person handles your finances instead of making it an extra duty of one of your staff or board.

Focus : Your employees or board members dedicate all of their efforts to your mission. Virtual Controller : You will have a regularly scheduled, monthly discussion of your financial results with a CPA to help you understand your business finances better.

The next step : LSWG will document your organization’s processes, prepare a Report of Recommendations for your nonprofit and summarize strengths and weaknesses of your current practices. Our Report of Recommendations will form the backbone of a new Accounting Manual that will add structure and improvements to your accounting process.