The 2026 Nonprofit Outlook: What the Data Actually Says

There may be errors in spelling, grammar, and accuracy in this machine-generated transcript.

Doug Lewis: All right, everybody, welcome back. The most official unofficial Sage Intacct podcast in the world, I believe. That sounded like a question because I'm not entirely sure, but we're going to claim that it is bringing the hottest takes on everything from accounting, technology. Love shiny objects, fluffy dogs. Take your pick. A little bit of everything. We're going to hit [00:00:30] everything you could possibly want in. This might be the most exciting podcast in the world. Alongside me, uh, my sidekicks, as I like to call it, because I have, of course, the main character syndrome. Matt and Emily, welcome back, the two of you. How have you both been?

Emily Madere: Yeah. So I have some big news. So, um, I, um, took a new position with a different firm. So now I'm at CLA, which is, uh, Clifton Larson Allen very excited to be here, but also incredibly thankful for everything that is offered [00:01:00] me. Um, but, you know, excited, excited for the change.

Doug Lewis: Still deep in Sage.

Matt Lescault: Well Congratulations.

Doug Lewis: We're all Sage Intacct still. That's our focal point, correct?

Emily Madere: I am still a Sage Intacct enthusiast. Uh, so still living and breathing it every day.

Matt Lescault: Still selling it. Are we still selling it?

Doug Lewis: Nobody sells. It. Sells itself. Which c? Natalie, one of our guests here will be able to explain that in a moment. But, Matt, anything new with you before we jump into the actual experts that we do have with us today?

Matt Lescault: I [00:01:30] mean, shocker, a week ago I got back from South Africa. So I've been I've been traveling like I always do. So it was really good to see the team. Uh, spoke on behalf of Sage at account techs in Johannesburg. Uh, did a nice, uh, event at Sage offices in Johannesburg. So, uh, that was really great. Exhausting. I feel like every time I go to South Africa, I have less time to do anything that is fun and it's all business. And in fact, some of my team was like, when are you coming back to South Africa? I was like, I was just there. I just didn't have time [00:02:00] to get together with everybody. Uh, so more of the same, I would, I would say.

Doug Lewis: More of the same. Well that's good. Um, I believe that you're exhausted because you look tired and old, but that's okay. That's beside the point. We're not going to dive too deep into that.

Matt Lescault: Hey, look, look, you're just right behind me, buddy. I heard that you might be expecting another one soon. I mean, once you got two, it all goes downhill. That sweet hair of yours might not survive.

Doug Lewis: I am expecting, uh, I have a little girl coming. Uh, this this July.

Emily Madere: Congratulations. [00:02:30]

Doug Lewis: Yes, to compliment my, uh, my two year old boy who's just becoming a nightmare right now. Uh, but again, all of that beside the point. People say you look phenomenal for only being 20 and having two kids already, but let's leave it there. Want to get to the actual experts we have on the call here today? So Natalie Anderson, senior nonprofit industry marketing manager with Sage directly, and Julie Raskin, CFO, Chief Financial officer, head honcho, one could say over at WHT. So at the risk of [00:03:00] sounding like a fool, which I've never done in my life, I'm going to kick it over to you, Natalie. First, can you tell the people a little bit about your role at Sage, what we're going to talk about today, specifically the nonprofit sector, all that fun stuff. Can we get Natalie in a box here for about 60s?

Natalie Anderson: I will try to fit into a box. Thank you for that. Uh, thanks everyone. Um, I'm excited to be here. So yes, I'm Natalie Anderson and I lead product marketing for Sage's nonprofit sector here in the US. And so really what that [00:03:30] means is my role sits kind of in the middle of research, customer conversations and, and real finance challenges. Um, and so it's my job to translate what nonprofit finance leaders are going through into practical advice. And then also, um, insight to take back to our product development team to help influence our product roadmap and what our customers truly need. Um, and what's next from Sage Intacct? Um, do you want me to talk a little bit about the report?

Doug Lewis: So I would love it.

Emily Madere: So [00:04:00] you're like, so it's, it's sounding like you're a nonprofit fairy godmother.

Natalie Anderson: I love that. Um, I wouldn't go that far. Um, but they are the true fairy godmothers helping their missions and, and somehow making it all work in this challenging environment. But I love working with the nonprofit sector. I've been at Sage here, always working with nonprofits for seven years. I worked at a previous technology company that was also focused on nonprofits. So, um, I just love the space because I get to meet really [00:04:30] kind and generous people like Julie. And so it makes my job much more compelling and fun.

Matt Lescault: Does this mean that you're a Charleston resident?

Natalie Anderson: I'm I'm not, but that is a good guess. I also worked for the company that is based in Charleston, but I didn't. I don't live there. I live in Minnesota.

Matt Lescault: Okay, okay. For those who don't know, a major competitor, if you look it up, won't be hard to figure out is based out of Charleston, and we do a lot of conversions from them in the nonprofit space. Mhm. Um, Natalie, [00:05:00] you had started to mention the 2026 nonprofit outlook paper. And so, yes, we'd like to give you a chance to sort of talk a little bit about that. Uh, very fascinating. We're not we're going to talk through that through this entire conversation. Um, so hit it.

Natalie Anderson: Yeah, sure. So I have been, this is my seventh survey for specifically focused on nonprofits since I've been at Sage. I've been running a survey every single year. Um, and so this year I, we really [00:05:30] were focused on what, what happened in 2025. We'll get into this. But it was a tumultuous year on many levels, but specifically for nonprofits, um, and specifically for finance. And I know Julie's organization was touched by this in many ways. And so she'll, she'll talk about that. But, um, my job was to design the survey itself. I collected all of the responses. I synthesized the results and helped write the paper that you're referring to. And [00:06:00] then kind of gut checked and compared those findings with ongoing customer conversations that I have. Um, and I'm, I'm proud of the report. Um, I, I think Julie will get into this, but I, I think it resonates well because it's not theoretical, it's, it's peer led insights and conversation. So, um, it really reflects kind of what happened in 2025 and then what leaders changed as a result of that and where we're headed as we move further into 2026 [00:06:30] and beyond.

Matt Lescault: Amazing. And just to get it out of the way, we'll make sure that we have a copy of it to download on the, uh, on Sage dot show website. Um, Doug, you're usually the one doing this. I'm going to I'm going to hand it over to Julie. What's, what's what's her intro? Doug.

Doug Lewis: Well, Julie, I'd love to give your, you can give a self intro if you're comfortable with that here, but would love to.

Julie Raskin: I'm fine. I'm fine. So first of all, I'm Julie Raskin, I'm the CFO of WMT educational, telecommunications, [00:07:00] telecommunications. Sometimes we just call ourselves WMT Public media. We are located in Troy, New York, which is right outside of Albany, New York, which is the capital of New York State. And occasionally you hear a little bit of New York City accent. So bear with me. I'm originally from New York City, from Manhattan. We are a $9 million business. We are something called a joint licensee, which means we have both TV and radio stations. We have [00:07:30] four television streams, and we have two distinct radio stations, one classical music, and the other one is a triple A format, which is adult album alternative, which is sort of rock and roll. You know, it's sort of Bruce Springsteen. Adele, you name it, it's there for you.

Matt Lescault: Okay.

Doug Lewis: Real good stuff here.

Julie Raskin: Yeah. Feel good. $9 million business. Around 42 employees. [00:08:00]

Doug Lewis: And you mentioned you mentioned four television streams as well for television. For those who might have no clue how any of this connects or what, who owns what or parent companies, sister companies. What would you say are some of the more popular programing, you know, content pieces that you have that everybody might recognize?

Julie Raskin: So first of all, we are independently owned by the community. We are not part of Hubbard or Sinclair. We stand alone and we, um, we are part of the PBS [00:08:30] Quote Network, which means we pay dues to PBS and we can act, we can, um, have their, um, we can stream their programs and air their programs. So it's such things as Masterpiece Theater that is a PBS program, nature. Um, Antiques Roadshow.

Natalie Anderson: That was.

Emily Madere: My favorite. That one's my favorite.

Julie Raskin: No i mean, that's everyone's favorite.

Matt Lescault: Antiques Roadshow theater was like, my childhood. I just remember that, you know, watching as a little kid. Maybe [00:09:00] I'm dating myself when it comes to Emily, but, uh.

Emily Madere: Hey, I just had a birthday. Okay? I'm. I am now, respectively, an age that I will not.

Julie Raskin: I mean for example, called the midwife is is literally closing down shops after 15 seasons. So, um, if you haven't watched it, it just tugs at your heartstrings. And when I talk about streams, we have four distinct channels. We have, um, our main channel. You can watch Nova and Masterpiece theater and British [00:09:30] and um, road show. Um, we have create, um, which is more arts. We have kids and we have one that's just news and information. So there are four distinct channels or four distinct streams depending how you use media.

Doug Lewis: Well, I use the PBS kids quite regularly these days because my son just will not stop watching Sesame Street, which he absolutely loves. Big Elmo household right now. So big, big fans of Elmo these days. No question about it.

Emily Madere: Um, [00:10:00] so what is you have these different streams of media, but what is your core mission?

Julie Raskin: Our core mission is to have lifelong education. That is our core mission because every show you watch, every program you listen to, such as Beethoven, right? You're learning. We are here to engage and educate our audience.

Doug Lewis: So you're actually living the nonprofit life day in and day out, which the financial [00:10:30] side, which I'd love to jump in here in a minute has to be, I'd say, more challenging than a lot of private sectors out there. To put it nicely would be my guess. Anyways, I don't know, we'll we'll dive into that here in a minute. But, uh, Julie, just to give people some, some idea of, of you stand alone, you made it very clear. You stand alone. You do your own thing. You're about a $9 million nonprofit entity. How many of you are there out there in the US right now?

Julie Raskin: There are over 500 PBS and NPR stations.

Doug Lewis: Wow. [00:11:00]

Julie Raskin: So there are many of us.

Julie Raskin: Within this network. And, um, it's been challenging for all of us.

Matt Lescault: As I say, is that going to be 500 individual, uh, nonprofits? When you said stations, I just want to make sure that it's.

Julie Raskin: Yeah, nonprofits. Some of them are state, um, run. Um, some of them are standalones. So within New York State, I would say we have 5 to 6 television stations and we have more than that for radio [00:11:30] stations, which are all within the PBS, NPR, um, realm.

Matt Lescault: Amazing. Okay, I don't know.

Julie Raskin: So for example, in Minnesota there is the Minnesota state Channel, right? You have NPR?

Natalie Anderson: Yes.

Julie Raskin: So, um, radio.

Julie Raskin: Yeah. Right.

Julie Raskin: So again, all of what's so great is that all of us are unique, but yet we're all the same.

Doug Lewis: Well, all the same, but uniquely different, I imagine. Yeah. They want to kick it back over [00:12:00] to you if it's all right. Getting back to the nonprofit outlook 2026, nonprofit outlook here, 29 pages, if I'm not mistaken. Uh, it was, you know, listen, for a nonprofit outlook. It wasn't a boring read, in my opinion, to be honest with you start to finish, but I'm just reading off.

Emily Madere: You before, before we had this scheduled, I, I, I read the whole thing, um, because I'm, I'm doing more work in nonprofit these days. So I kind of wanted a good overview of what happened. And let me tell you, it was incredibly helpful. And this was like before we even had [00:12:30] this scheduled.

Matt Lescault: I think me and Doug are in the boat that like I read it this morning, I did read it the full 29 pages. I just had to wake up a little bit extra early to make sure that, uh, that we did, but it was I second that. I think that, um, the content was very informative, but very deep and rich and really gave a, a concept across the spectrum of nonprofits. So this wasn't just about Sage Intacct. This was really about what nonprofits experienced in 2025, [00:13:00] how that's impacting 2026, what their decision making is, what their strategy is. Um, and, uh, you know, I'd actually like to, if you don't mind. Sorry, Natalie. I was going to kick it over to Julie because she had, when we started, uh, before we started recording today, started talking about how impactful it was for her. And so, Julie, I'd love to hear your side of that and what it meant to you to, to get that report.

Julie Raskin: Well, I've been living it. I mean, it really resonated with me, um, because we've had to make [00:13:30] so many decisions and really big decisions. These weren't sort of the pandemic decisions that all of us made. Um, and these weren't even the 0809 financial crisis. So I'm really dating myself. But these were really fundamental core decisions in terms of are we able to continue operating as a business?

Matt Lescault: Well, there was a attack on public broadcasting in [00:14:00] general, and I don't want to get too, uh, I don't want to get political about it. But there was really an approach here that decreased funding in a way that I'm sure organizations really had to, to look at what the future had in store.

Julie Raskin: Well, and there was so we received around $1.5 million from the federal government. So when this started unfolding, the question was, could we survive [00:14:30] without it? And what would be the mechanisms? And we decided as an organization, which was interesting how people looked at it in the report was that we were not going to reduce services, and we were not going to cut staff. So with those two provisos, my job was how could we arrange it? How could we work the numbers? What was my planning? So when we talk about scenario planning, it was a very [00:15:00] binary. It was either we get money or we don't get money. Right? That was the proposition. When we had COVID, back when we were trying to figure out what was going on in Covid in 2020, I had around 15 scenarios. It was not binary. It was sort of like, do we cut staff? Do we get rid of our match? Do we reduce services? So I had 15 scenarios back in the [00:15:30] financial crisis. In 0809. We had no clue what was going on. We had no clue. Suddenly the spigot of money turned off. I would sit around and I would say to the membership, what's going on? They would say, don't know. So this was a very different way of doing scenario planning and planning for the future.

Matt Lescault: And so how'd you go about it?

Julie Raskin: Well, again with two provisos. We were [00:16:00] not going to reduce services and we were not going to cut staff. We had to be strategic in terms of both our revenue and expenses. Right. So let me say this is what I did starting with the pandemic. I set up a reserve account. Now, did I know that in 2025, 2026, I was going to lose federal funding? No. I said, let me set up a reserve account. We have a little wiggle room. I'm going to put it in. [00:16:30] I'm going to do ladder t bills and I start I set up that account. Now, I was fortunate because I had five years of setting up the account and watching it grow. Not knowing. And I would say to people, well, this is rainy day money. Not ever realizing that the rainy day was coming. So when I set up my budgets and I was doing my budgets during [00:17:00] the Sage Future conference last year.

Natalie Anderson: Oh my.

Julie Raskin: So when everyone was having fun in Atlanta, I would go to the classes and then I would go back and spend hours in front of my laptop, looking at every expense, looking at every tweak in revenue. So going back to the report, revenue diversification is key because we're looking at a reduction [00:17:30] of $1.5 million, 1.6 million. So suddenly a portion of our revenue diversification was reduced. So we had to start saying, how could we right the ship?

Matt Lescault: And to be clear in the report, it talks about 47% of organizations looked at revenue diversification as their strategy coming out of 2025 and how the impact of funding and things changed their, [00:18:00] their, their strategy. So, and I had I had a quick question for you. Did you did you actually take the survey? Were you one of the respondents for this survey?

Julie Raskin: You know, when I was reading it, I felt I was speaking, but I don't remember.

Julie Raskin: But I mean, again I could have said all these things, but what I want to talk about is revenue diversification is the key to successful revenue. Diversification is the net. And we get so hung up on gross [00:18:30] and, you know, income and expenses and bottom line. At the end of the day, you can diversify your revenue. But if you're not bringing in what you need for your bottom line, it hasn't really helped. It's a good talking point to your board, but it really doesn't achieve the goal, which is maximum maximizing your revenue for your mission.

Emily Madere: And so I'm sure you have, I think you mentioned at the beginning of the call a group [00:19:00] of other people in your position is this was this kind of the same thing that they they did when this happened, or did they not kind of plan for a rainy day?

Julie Raskin: Well, we all are in different places. Um, one station, um, in the Mid-Atlantic started a certain appeal, a special appeal to, to increase their reserve account, which was outside of membership. So they did a special appeal [00:19:30] to their major donors, sort of almost like a capital campaign.

Natalie Anderson: Was that this year? Julie or Julie or last year, as a result.

Julie Raskin: Of.

Natalie Anderson: The.

Julie Raskin: Changes in June and July of 2025? Okay. So it was right before we actually heard the news about the rescission. So they started going out and being very upfront saying, you're going to lose your money. So we had certain kinds of phrases. We called it rescission, rage and [00:20:00] just rage. Um, because people felt very much empowered that public people were not going to take their public media away. So we had rage giving.

Emily Madere: And so Natalie, you.

Doug Lewis: That's the best term I think I've ever heard.

Emily Madere: You kind of facilitated these conversations. Is this kind of across the board what you were hearing?

Natalie Anderson: Yeah, I think it it varies obviously based on [00:20:30] organization, and Julie's sector has maybe more federal exposure than some other nonprofits, but we kind of saw it across the board, whether or not nonprofits were federally funded or heavily reliant on federal funds or not, there was a ripple effect across the entire sector. Right? Everyone felt some sort of impact based on the changes that occurred last year. And there were a lot of them, right? I mean, we talk [00:21:00] about it in the survey where we can't point to one or finance leaders couldn't point to one specific event that caused them to have this unpredictability, this instability. Um, but it's, it was everything from, you know, the, it started with the uniform guidance changes. And then things went crazy right around the time of the inauguration with the executive order halting, um, a lot of federal funding. Um, the one big beautiful bill act which affected, which Cost cuts to things like Medicare [00:21:30] and Snap programs and Head Start. So there was really this ripple effect across the entire nonprofit sector. Um, and so I think every organization is taking a different approach to revenue diversification, like Julie said. The bottom line is the most important thing, but I think it's really a focus on ensuring that you are not too reliant on any one funding source or income stream and making sure that you have thought about, okay, what happens if this one thing dries up? And doing some of that scenario planning that Julie spoke about? [00:22:00]

Julie Raskin: So we get money from, from a lot of organizations for underwriting this. This message is brought to you by X.

Natalie Anderson: Mhm.

Julie Raskin: And, um, we started seeing some real ripple effects because guess what? A lot of our underwriters are health care organizations. And suddenly with the ripple there, they could not suddenly bring the messages to their audience. Right? Think about our demographics. Or maybe you don't think about them, but the average age of a PBS [00:22:30] viewer is 65. So they're going into nursing homes, they're going into adult care facilities, they're going into adult homes, and they're using hospitals. And these hospitals no longer can underwrite and tell the seniors that they're out there. So suddenly we start seeing underwriting decreasing because [00:23:00] of the health care sector issues.

Matt Lescault: So you had a multiple kind of funding issues that you were dealing with. So when we talk about diversifying, diversifying the revenue, what are the strategies that you're you're doing right now? Like in the, in the report, it talked about some organizations going into a earned revenue model or shifting more into earned revenue. I think increasing donations is, is, is widely being, being used as a strategy, which when I read that, I saw that as a big risk [00:23:30] point because there's only so much of a donation base available to nonprofits from a, from, from a sector. And so if every nonprofit is going to try to increase their, their, their donor revenue, it's sort of like you're going to be self competing. So are there other strategies that that you took and what did that look like? And what does that look like today?

Julie Raskin: Okay. So first of all, we hired our first ever grants manager. So all of us use grants. Yes. So we all [00:24:00] used to do grants ad hoc. And there, you know, you would put together some verbiage, financial statements, yada yada, yada. We hired someone so we could be more targeted. So that's one, two client services. We do a lot of, um, as I would say, you bit work, right? So we're stepping up our game and we're really monitoring our net on that three. We stepped up our automobile donation program, and maybe you aren't really [00:24:30] aware of that, but it's a really easy way for people to donate their vehicles. No mobiles, sailboats, um, and get a tax donation. Right. It's easy peasy. And the more you, you talk about it on air and even on your mailers, your direct mail, the more money you get. So again, that was another, um, strategy. We've increased our announcements [00:25:00] on air and on radio, television and print. Three we, um, upped our notification about our real estate program, run through the same organization as the automobile donations. And we now can accept donations of real estate and the same organization Um also, um is doing things with um parking spaces. So let's say you purchased a parking space in New York City [00:25:30] and there is a price tag attached to that. They will also, um, sell it for you as a non profit. Now in Albany, Schenectady, New York, not much of a market. But imagine if you're in Manhattan there is a market.

Matt Lescault: Yeah.

Julie Raskin: So again that is a really key diversification. So for example the station down in um in Texas, in San Antonio received a donation of um, [00:26:00] a house worth over a half $1 million.

Natalie Anderson: Wow.

Julie Raskin: That is being sold. So there is money in that kind of practice.

Matt Lescault: So I'm going to throw this into the outlook. So section two of the, uh, of the guide really talked about the 2026 outlook. And with all these things that you've changed for the organization or the organization has changed collectively to diversify revenue and so forth. Where is your confidence [00:26:30] in where you guys are going for 2026 or have been going in 2026?

Julie Raskin: Well, I am supremely confident. How do you like that?

Matt Lescault: So this is what I found amazing, is that 72% of people were very confident or somewhat confident. And I think that speaks to the agility of the nonprofit space and of leaders in the nonprofit space. And [00:27:00] I was I was actually blown away by that stat. Natalie. I don't know how you felt about and being the one compiling it, but with all of the challenges that came with 2025, I didn't expect that as a as a result.

Natalie Anderson: Yeah, I agree, I was surprised at kind of the pragmatism that leaders expressed in the survey, the the realities of what they were facing. And yet, despite all of that, this kind of optimistic viewpoint emerged. And I think that comes from earned confidence. Right? [00:27:30] The sector has been through a lot. So I think leaders like Julie are cautious yet confident and optimistic. Um, most leaders, nonprofit finance leaders that I spoke to know that it's not if but when the next disruption occurs. And so it's just ensuring that you have that mindset, um, that things probably will change and ensuring that your organization is ready kind of come what may, and that you have better visibility and better processes in place now so [00:28:00] that you are prepared when that disruption hits.

Julie Raskin: So when we're looking at our membership revenue for fiscal year 26, which means our fiscal year is July through June, we're looking at no dip from this year.

Matt Lescault: Amazing.

Julie Raskin: Wow. So we're looking at the rage giving becoming constant, not in constant rage, but continued affection for the organization. So [00:28:30] to give you some stats that we've heard, we we have earned year to date April equal to our last fiscal year membership revenue. So we have still two and a half months to go, but yet we have equaled last year's membership because people are still giving. People are still feeling valued in the service. We have um, far [00:29:00] exceeded our um, card donations. We have received two real estate donations this year. We are on track with our client services business. So when I'm looking at the budget. My biggest concern is keeping expectations in line. Right? And how do we manage expenses? Because at the end of the day, we may be nonprofit, we may want to serve a purpose, [00:29:30] but I don't like us to be in a deficit position. Outside of depreciation, right. If you're losing money, you cannot continue to serve your mission.

Matt Lescault: And you dip into your reserves, and then you don't have really a long term forecast or sustainability for the organization. So I mean, that makes complete sense.

Julie Raskin: So I had forecast, because we didn't really see we didn't understand how membership was going to react. Right? I had [00:30:00] said that we were going to use our reserves, my rainy day fund. I won't have to use it for this fiscal year. The rainy day fund will remain intact.

Matt Lescault: No pun intended.

Julie Raskin: Yes.

Doug Lewis: No pun intended whatsoever. Natalie, you want to kick something over to you to hear? And I'm going to read this directly off the report here so I don't mess it up. The survey itself served over 100 nonprofit finance leaders, CFOs, controllers, accounting managers, executive directors across compliance heavy and [00:30:30] reimbursement driven sectors, health care, human services, education. So, you know, Julie's scenario. Do you see that across the board in everybody that you spoke with and surveyed? Do you see that there are any sectors or different missions in different verticals that maybe are facing less, more challenges than others? Is it pretty difficult across the board? You know, what have you kind of uncovered from that perspective?

Natalie Anderson: Yeah, I think as I mentioned [00:31:00] earlier, there were specific sectors within the nonprofit space that were hit harder than others in terms of the changes in federal funding and the increased scrutiny over Mission, and whether or not missions aligned with the values that the administration wanted to see and whether or not they would receive funding as a result of that. Um, so, you know, areas like public broadcasting, areas like health care and human [00:31:30] services were hit really hard. Um, like I mentioned earlier, folks, things around Medicaid snap, um, head start those, those organizations that are more, uh, exposed to federal funding were harder hit. But as I mentioned, there was a ripple effect across the industry. Like Julie was speaking about with the, um, some of the sponsors also being affected and therefore affecting her organization in other ways.

Doug Lewis: And, you know, data always [00:32:00] lags, right? So we're always looking at past data to really figure it out and kind of project what we're looking at moving forward. So with everybody that you surveyed there, the importance that these nonprofit organizations are starting to place on their technology solutions. Are we going up and or is it about the same? Or is it less important? Where does the actual technology driving, tracking and projecting all of the financial components of running a nonprofit organization? Where does that fall on their priority list these days?

Natalie Anderson: Well, I [00:32:30] think one of the things that folks learned was that if you had the technology and the processes in place before, some of the changes and disruptions occurred, and this kind of honestly can go back to COVID in terms of the preparedness for unforeseen circumstances. Uh, if you had those in place and you were established in your processes, you were much more likely to be resilient and able to weather the storm, [00:33:00] if you will. Um, and those that weren't in that position are now kind of taking a hard look and saying, what do we need? What do we need to do to ensure that when the next disruption occurs, we are prepared and we're ready. And so I think from a technology standpoint, it's more important than ever because speed is more important than ever. And when organizations are bogged down with manual work, um, calculations and spreadsheets, scenario planning and spreadsheets, it's just not an efficient use of the time. And so, um, that's [00:33:30] where technology can really give them more time back, more time for strategy, more time for forward thinking, and ultimately more time to devote to their mission.

Matt Lescault: So I want to do something off the cuff here with Julie. So the question, you probably already read it, but I want you to answer it with me in real time. In what ways did technology contribute to your organization's resilience in 2025? [00:34:00] It says select all that apply. So I'm going to read them. And one by one you yes or no. And I just I'd love to hear your your your answers to this. So faster reporting and compliance.

Julie Raskin: Oh, that really helped us. I mean, we really needed it because we needed to give get real time data. Information is, is really so crucial right now, especially when you're looking at, um, I want to say net. I mean, I'm really focused [00:34:30] on Net because if you're spending so much money, um, and you and you're bringing in a lot of money, but you're spending so much money and you end up with pennies. Why are you doing it?

Matt Lescault: Mm. Yeah. All right. Next one. Automated manual accounting.

Julie Raskin: I'm not quite sure. I mean, so this just within the past month we implemented an AR solution. So even though it wasn't in 25 and 26 we said it's [00:35:00] time.

Matt Lescault: Well I think maybe 25 impacted that decision to invest.

Julie Raskin: Oh yes. And I want to say that it has succeeded beyond my wildest dreams.

Matt Lescault: Okay. Scenario planning and forecasting. Sorry, but.

Julie Raskin: I want to go back to AR because I think that's really important. People pay pretty fast, right? You know, we're public media. You know, we're Barney, we're Elmo. People want to pay us, you know, very little bad debt.

Natalie Anderson: You don't want Barney coming after you.

Julie Raskin: No, no. I mean, no. [00:35:30] Yeah.

Natalie Anderson: He's big.

Doug Lewis: That sounds like an actual nightmare that I have. Yeah.

Emily Madere: I think I've had that nightmare. Yeah.

Julie Raskin: So what happens is, is that when we get an underwriting agreement, we immediately put it into I'm a Sage Intacct customer. We immediately put it in Sage Intacct. So a lot of our invoices are future dated, right? With this new AR solution, people are paying the invoices that are dated in the future, which is something we never expected. [00:36:00] We thought they would just pay the current they're paying future, which means we had to actually find out how to how to match the two. So when they talk about all these things about, you know, your A or becomes faster and quicker, and I've said to myself, I'm just doing it. Um, I've been really shocked and we've been like two months. It's been two weeks. We're now live two weeks. We have seen within one hour of implementation, three customers paying [00:36:30] within one hour. Wow. And within two weeks we've had three customers doing future invoices.

Matt Lescault: So it's all about cash turnover rate, which is a huge indicator and health component, especially when you can take cash that isn't technically earned and invest that and see now a diversified revenue stream through investment activities, even if it's low interest rate investment activities. I got to keep going here. So sorry. [00:37:00] No no no no. Never apologize. Scenario planning and forecasting.

Julie Raskin: Very important. Uh, I mean, I'm forecasting. So again, our fiscal year ends June 30th. I'm even though it's a fabulous fiscal year, right? Better than my dreams. Um, definitely not a nightmare. Um, I'm still forecasting because people still want to know where we can end up and knowing where we're going to end up is only going to inform fiscal year 27, right? You have to know where you're going [00:37:30] to end. 26 to figure out.

Matt Lescault: 27 so I'm going to stop asking these questions. I'm going to go right to the last one and say, how is there 17% of, of, uh, organizations that said that tech didn't contribute like that? Is that is wild to me.

Julie Raskin: Well, I don't understand it because I haven't spoken to them.

Matt Lescault: To them now. So what would you say? What would you say to them?

Julie Raskin: Stop by and see how we do our work and [00:38:00] how quickly do we do our work?

Matt Lescault: Well, you said $9 million organization with 42 employees. Mhm. Finance department.

Julie Raskin: So it's myself, two others, and a half time HR person. And even with an eight a half time HR person, I still had an HR solution.

Matt Lescault: So what you're saying is that we should post your phone number on this podcast so that we won't actually do that. I think there's some privacy components there that.

Julie Raskin: Well, I think.

Matt Lescault: Actually, [00:38:30] I don't even know if they gave us your phone number. So it's okay.

Julie Raskin: You have my email address. The important thing is that, look, everyone wants work life balance. And if you don't have the right technology in place, you end up working 24 over seven and no one wants to do that. So you have to really look at the ROI in any of your IT solutions in any of your tech solutions. So I looked at the HR automation [00:39:00] and I said, mm. And then I said, I'm going to do it because this is how I can then deploy my HR person to do other, more meaningful work. Matching cash receipts is not meaningful, but being able to analyze underwriting is.

Matt Lescault: I love that you say that because I think so many people associate automation to loss of job, and you said it. And this is why I try to say so often you just said it and it was perfect. I moved that person into [00:39:30] a more valuable role for the organization. And that's what tech allowed me to do. And man, if we could get everybody to think like that, would, would every organization run smoother and be more effective? Um, now I have to be cognizant of time, Doug. Keep us, keep us on track here.

Doug Lewis: I'll do my best. But Matt, you, you kind of opened up Pandora's box with your one question of the 17%.

Doug Lewis: You know, I got to get your opinion on this, Natalie, to, you know, that for [00:40:00] whatever reason, almost 20% think it's going to be either somewhat easier or much easier from a difficulty perspective. Managing the nonprofit organization compared to the previous year. Who are they? Name the names. What in the heck are they doing that people? I mean, you got to have some insight there. Or maybe they just misunderstood the question, I don't know. That's a lot of people to misunderstand the question. What are your thoughts on that?

Natalie Anderson: I don't think they misunderstood. I think it's people like Julie. I mean, they've they've lived through 2025. [00:40:30] And although they don't know what's going to happen in 26 and 27 and beyond, I think it's that lived experience and that, um, preparedness for the future that allows people to be optimistic and to think like, hey, now we've been through this, we kind of know what worst case scenario is in some cases. Um, and now we know how to tackle it in the future. And, and hopefully those people I would, you [00:41:00] know, venture to assume they probably do have the right technology and tools in place that will allow them to, um, move forward into the future with much more ease.

Doug Lewis: And what would those tools and technology be? Natalie. Just for anyone who's curious and doesn't know.

Natalie Anderson: Um, I would highly recommend Sage Intacct, um.

Emily Madere: No? You?

Natalie Anderson: I know, I know, um, no, but really in the data we surveyed both Sage Intacct customers and non Sage [00:41:30] Intacct customers, which gave us the ability to compare, compare and contrast. And I think, I think, um, I don't have the data exactly in front of me. I think it was 88% of Sage Intacct users said that they were confident that their system could, um, help them forward into the future. I can't remember the exact question. Um, and then compared to like 53% of non Sage Intacct users and, and I think it just speaks to if you are on, if you're a nonprofit and you're on a legacy system that's [00:42:00] not built to handle some of the complex changes to compliance that were rolled out last year, um, not built to handle multiple multi entity, not built to handle, um, you know, fund to fund accounting, you are going to, you know, struggle and, and have a harder time, um, weathering the storm and, and also being able to predict the future and, um, keep your organization afloat and not be able to lay off your staff like [00:42:30] Julie.

Doug Lewis: Now that, that makes all the sense in the world. And, you know, in the sake of time, we could probably 29 pages, we can go through this just for probably 4 or 5 hours here. But to, to bring us closer to wrapping here, Julie, I'd love kind of a two part question for you and then I'll kick it back over to you. Natalie. So, Julie, if you could boil it down to kind of your single biggest takeaway from the 2026 nonprofit report here. And then the second part is for all the finance leaders and nonprofit organizations listening that are [00:43:00] maybe a little confused, struggling, trying to figure things out. One piece of advice that you could give them from actually sitting where you sit and having been successful.

Julie Raskin: Well, what I really liked about the nonprofit report was that I found out I was not alone, that there are many people out there who, um, who really, um, understand what is going on. And we're sort of all in this ecosystem together and we can all learn and develop together. So that's what [00:43:30] I took away. I was like, yes, it resonates with me. Yes. And it resonated with my team and it resonated with other CFOs within public media who I shared it with were all living it. And we're all succeeding. And what I would tell any executive director or any kind of manager is figure out what your KPIs are, What makes a success. And be not [00:44:00] afraid to say we have to do better with our mission. And by doing that, you have to continually look at your net. I know there are a lot of words, but it all is a circle. You can't support your mission if you don't have a strong net.

Doug Lewis: Now that makes all the sense in the world. I'd be curious to see how many people aren't approaching it that way. Um, but I guess, you know, you're always surprised. Um, shockingly, sometimes what seems like the most simple advice is the most impactful. [00:44:30] So that's, that's extremely helpful. Thank you. Natalie, you want to kick a similar question over to you then since you spent what I can imagine would be countless hours compiling this report, going through the data, putting this thing together. What would be your single largest takeaway on your side of things from the 2026 report and sitting there from Sage directly, what do you think would be the most publicly approved advice for all nonprofit leaders moving forward from a financial perspective.

Natalie Anderson: I would [00:45:00] say in terms of my biggest surprise or takeaway was that it was clear to me through the data that finance leaders are done chasing certainty, right? The days where we used to want to 100% predict the future so that we can we know how to execute to get to that goal is done. It's it's now the focus has shifted to resiliency and being able to plan and be resilient when the next disruption occurs. [00:45:30] Um, and tell me your second question again, Doug.

Doug Lewis: Biggest, the biggest piece of advice that you would give to finance leaders and nonprofit organizations moving forward?

Natalie Anderson: Well my biggest piece of advice would be, um, just from, again, from the data organizations that were investing in visibility and discipline and flexibility are best positioned to, uh, you know, take their organizations through the next disruption. So I would say ensure that you [00:46:00] are, you have the right tools in place. Um, so that you are also better positioned, uh, when the next disruption hits.

Doug Lewis: Sound advice all around, all around. So. Julie, Natalie, if you haven't listened before to kind of wrap things, for whatever reason, they fall into this trap where I just have to throw out a horrible dad joke and have everybody guess the answer and see where we're at here. But I always love offering it up to our our guests. If you have a terrible dad or mom joke that you love [00:46:30] to throw out there, I'd love to take a guess. So I'll give you the offer and you can throw it right back if you don't want it.

Natalie Anderson: I've got one. I have two young kids. We have a lot of debt, a lot of dad jokes in our house, and we have a lot of eye rolling at mom and dad. But specifically my husband, He's the king of dad jokes. Um, so one of his favorites is, what do you call it when two octopus do a favor for each other?

Doug Lewis: Whoo! [00:47:00]

Doug Lewis: Wow. I don't even have a guess. Oh, boy.

Emily Madere: This is a crazy one. Um.

Natalie Anderson: Oh, my gosh, my husband's gonna be so excited that I shared this. He's gonna be.

Emily Madere: Okay. I'm gonna say, like, I don't. I don't even know. I, I, but I need to know the answer.

Matt Lescault: I feel like it has to do with the tentacles, but I, I.

Doug Lewis: I was, I was like an Octa-favor I, I, I don't know, it wasn't.

Matt Lescault: All right, give [00:47:30] it to us.

Doug Lewis: Nothing's there. All right. Let's hear it.

Natalie Anderson: Squid pro quo.

Doug Lewis: Oh, God.

Emily Madere: Okay. Okay.

Doug Lewis: Oh.

Emily Madere: It was nice having you on.

Doug Lewis: I appreciate.

Doug Lewis: It. It was.

Doug Lewis: Oh, boy. That's a good one. I'll have to steal that and pretend, but, you know. Thank you. That was that was phenomenal. Natalie. Julie, thank you both for joining us so much. Today we will have the link to the report, uh, on this episode released as well. So check it out. 29 pages, shockingly light read. And you know, as far as nonprofit [00:48:00] reports go, pretty darn entertaining, I would say. But thanks for joining us again and hope to have you back here in the future.

Emily Madere: Thank you.

Natalie Anderson: Thanks for having us.

Matt Lescault: As we move forward this podcast, we've talked about it being international and focused around multiple regions. Obviously, today's episode was focused around the US and how US policy has impacted nonprofits, uh, today and in the future. But [00:48:30] the lessons learned today are very applicable around nonprofits worldwide. And as NGOs and Npos nonprofits continue to face struggle and look to find ways to adapt and address their needs. This is the type of information that supports us all.