NONPROFIT ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL OPERATIONS

Financial Operations Built Around Your Organization

Chicago Bookkeeping Solutions LLC provides nonprofit accounting and financial operations support for 501(c)(3) organizations, from accounting system setup and reconstruction through ongoing monthly accounting, grant-related reporting, and Form 990 preparation.

Every engagement starts with the accounting foundation. Some organizations are ready for ongoing monthly accounting immediately. Others first need their QuickBooks environment set up, migrated, reconciled, or restructured. We separate that one-time foundation work from ongoing monthly service so the scope, cost, and starting point are clear from the beginning.

THE FOUNDATION

Before Ongoing Accounting Begins

Reliable monthly accounting depends on a reliable accounting system. When an organization’s books are incomplete, poorly structured, or moving from another system, we first establish a clean accounting foundation through a separate fixed-fee project.

The right starting point depends on the condition of your records today.

Financial Records Assessment

For organizations that are not sure whether their books are reliable or what needs to be corrected. We review the records, chart of accounts, and reporting structure and provide a written findings memo, and recommended next step.

Ledger Setup

For organizations working from spreadsheets, paper records, or without a usable ledger. We establish a new QuickBooks Online environment, build the nonprofit chart of accounts, bring in the agreed history, and reconcile through the cut-over date.

Ledger Migration

For organizations moving from another accounting platform or QuickBooks environment. We map the existing accounts into our structure, migrate the agreed history, and reconcile the new ledger through the cut-over date.

Chart of Accounts Implementation & Reconciliation

For organizations already in QuickBooks whose structure or history needs to be corrected. We redesign the chart of accounts, map the old structure to the new one, remap the agreed history, and reconcile through the cut-over date.

Foundation projects are separately scoped fixed-fee engagements. Once the books are properly structured and reconciled through the agreed cut-over date, ongoing monthly accounting begins under a separate engagement.

NOT SURE WHERE TO START?

If you are not sure whether your books are reliable:

Start with a Financial Records Assessment.

If you do not have a usable accounting system:

Start with Ledger Setup.

If you need to move from another accounting system or QuickBooks environment:

Start with Ledger Migration.

If you are already in QuickBooks but the structure or history needs to be corrected:

Start with Chart of Accounts Implementation & Reconciliation.

If your books are already current, reconciled, and properly structured:

You may be ready to begin with ongoing monthly accounting.

CORE MONTHLY SERVICE

Ongoing Accounting Built on a Reliable Foundation

Once the accounting environment is properly structured and reconciled, ongoing monthly accounting keeps the books current and useful.

Core monthly service includes transaction review and classification, account reconciliations, balance-sheet management, month-end close, general-ledger maintenance, and recurring financial reporting through the client portal.

The accounting structure is maintained with nonprofit reporting in mind, including program and functional expense reporting, grant-related coding, and continuity into annual Form 990 preparation.

ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL OPERATIONS SUPPORT

Bill Pay & Accounts Receivable Support

Vendor bills, payment workflows, invoicing, and related financial administration can be incorporated into the ongoing engagement when needed. Support is structured around your organization’s approval process, funding requirements, and internal controls.

Budgeting & Forecasting

Funder-ready budgets, multi-scenario forecasts, and budget-to-actual reporting built around your programs and funding sources. Useful for grant applications, board presentations, and annual planning.

Grant, Board & Custom Reporting

Grant expenditure reports, reimbursement support, board financial packets, program-level reporting, and other custom financial schedules can be added based on funder and governance requirements.
Routine grant coding within the accounting records is part of maintaining the books correctly. Funder-specific reporting and administrative requirements are scoped separately based on the work involved.

FORM 990 PREPARATION FEES

Published Fees for Defined Annual Filings

Form 990 preparation is a separate annual service from both foundation projects and ongoing monthly accounting. Organizations receiving ongoing accounting services benefit from records that are already structured around nonprofit reporting requirements, but the annual filing remains separately scoped and priced.

Published fees assume that the organization’s accounting records are complete, reconciled, and ready for return preparation.

What the Published Fees Assume

Published fees assume complete, reconciled, and return-ready accounting records, together with timely access to the governance, compensation, contributor, grant, program, and other information required for filing.

Bookkeeping cleanup, account reconciliation, reconstruction of financial information, prior-year or amended returns, state filings, and work outside the stated scope are quoted separately. Any additional work is identified before it is performed.

HOW FEES ARE DETERMINED

A Predictable Fee Based on the Work Required

Nonprofit revenue can change sharply when a grant is awarded even when the underlying accounting workload changes very little. For that reason, recurring pricing is not based on revenue alone.

Monthly accounting fees are determined using the organization’s actual operating profile, including:

gross annual expenses
average monthly transaction activity
number of accounts requiring reconciliation
material accounting and reporting complexity
additional services included in the engagement

Clients receive a defined scope and predictable flat monthly fee rather than hourly billing for work included in the recurring engagement.

Foundation projects are separately quoted as fixed-fee engagements based on history, reconciliation requirements, source-record condition, and accounting complexity.

What This Means for Your Organization

No hourly billing for work included in the ongoing engagement.
A defined annual scope and predictable monthly expense.
No midyear fee increase solely because revenue grows or a new grant is received.
A fee based on the financial work the organization actually requires.

Your Tech Stack: Built for Modern Nonprofit Operations

Nonprofits need more than spreadsheets and scattered logins. We help implement and maintain a connected financial technology structure that supports the organization, simplifies compliance, and reduces unnecessary administrative work.

Core platforms may include QuickBooks Online, Melio, Givebutter, and the secure client portal. Each system is selected and configured around the organization’s actual workflows. Some tools may be managed directly by your team, while full-service support is available when the financial workflow is included within the engagement.

The right technology structure reduces duplicate entry, strengthens documentation, and removes the administrative bottleneck between leadership and reliable financial information.

QuickBooks Online Through TechSoup

Eligible 501(c)(3) organizations may qualify for discounted QuickBooks Online access through TechSoup. Where appropriate, we help determine the correct QuickBooks environment and whether the engagement requires a new ledger setup, migration, or restructuring of an existing file. Licensing eligibility, subscription-transfer options, and migration requirements depend on the organization’s existing QuickBooks environment and current Intuit and TechSoup program terms.

View the TechSoup QuickBooks Offer

DETERMINING THE RIGHT STARTING POINT

Chicago Bookkeeping Solutions primarily works with small and midsize nonprofit organizations that need a reliable accounting foundation and an ongoing financial relationship.

The first conversation is used to understand your organization, the condition of your current records, your reporting obligations, and what financial support you need going forward.

If your books are already current, reconciled, and properly structured, we can discuss ongoing monthly accounting directly. If they are not, we will identify the appropriate foundation service first so the accounting relationship begins from a reliable starting point.