Not-for-Profit Accountants.

Most NFP organisations operate with income from government grants, philanthropic funding, donations, membership fees, and earned income from services or events. Each funding source has different conditions, reporting requirements, timing, and restrictions. Without proper systems, you can’t demonstrate to funders how their money was spent or prove you met grant conditions.

Walker Hill sets up financial systems that track income by source, allocate expenditure to specific grants and programs, maintain acquittal records throughout the funding period, and produce reports that satisfy different funder requirements without maintaining completely separate accounting systems for each grant. You’ll have the financial data funders need when acquittals are due.

Registered charities must lodge Annual Information Statements with the ACNC by deadlines that don’t align with tax lodgement dates. Your financial reporting must meet the appropriate tier level (small, medium, or large) based on your annual revenue. Reports must comply with Australian Accounting Standards while remaining accessible to public audiences who review your ACNC register entry.

Walker Hill prepares ACNC-compliant financial reports at the correct tier level, lodges your Annual Information Statement on time, ensures your organisation’s ACNC details remain current, and advises on governance obligations that flow from ACNC registration. We also monitor for ACNC compliance trends and regulatory changes that affect your obligations.

NFP organisations face increased public scrutiny around how resources are used. Donors want to know their contributions make a difference. Grant funders want evidence of outcomes. Boards need confidence that finances are managed responsibly. Members expect transparency. Meeting these diverse accountability expectations requires more than compliant financial statements.

Walker Hill provides reporting that demonstrates financial accountability in ways different stakeholders can understand. We prepare board reports that highlight key issues and trends, develop reporting templates that show program costs and impact, create summaries for annual reports accessible to public audiences, and help you communicate financial information in ways that build confidence and trust.

Funders and donors want to see that most resources go to programs, not administration. But proper cost allocation is complex. Staff work across multiple programs. Overhead supports all activities. Shared resources benefit everything. Many organisations either don’t allocate overhead properly or use simplistic methods that don’t reflect reality.

Walker Hill implements cost allocation methodologies that fairly distribute overhead across programs, track direct costs to specific activities, calculate true program costs including proportionate overhead, and produce reporting that shows both direct and fully allocated costs. You’ll understand what programs actually cost to deliver, not just what direct expenses they incur.

Many NFP organisations experience cash flow stress despite having strong funding commitments. Grants might be paid in arrears after expenses are incurred. Donations concentrate around financial year-end or fundraising campaigns. Membership renewals come in annual lumps. Meanwhile, staff wages and operational costs are monthly. These timing mismatches create cash flow challenges.

Walker Hill builds cash flow forecasts that account for funding timing, highlight periods where cash will be tight, advise on working capital needs, and help you plan for gaps between incurring costs and receiving reimbursement. We also advise on strategies like building reserves, staggering program starts, or accessing funding lines to manage timing issues.

Many NFP organisations operate with basic bookkeeping, volunteers managing finances, or systems inherited from previous treasurers. As organisations grow or regulatory requirements increase, inadequate financial systems create risks around compliance, decision-making, and accountability. Upgrading systems requires investment that feels like overhead rather than mission delivery.

Walker Hill implements financial systems appropriate to your organisation’s size and complexity, trains staff and volunteers in using systems effectively, establishes processes that support good governance, and builds financial management capacity within your organisation. Good systems are efficient long-term investments that reduce ongoing effort and risk.

Boards are responsible for financial oversight, but many board members aren’t financial experts. Treasurers might have relevant skills but not NFP-specific knowledge. Financial reports can be impenetrable. Strategic financial decisions get deferred because the board lacks confidence or information. Poor financial governance creates risks for the organisation and personal liability for directors.

Walker Hill provides board reports in accessible formats, attends board meetings when needed to present financials and answer questions, advises boards on financial governance practices, develops financial policies appropriate to your organisation, and supports treasurers in fulfilling their responsibilities. Strong financial governance protects both the organisation and individual board members.

Many NFP organisations operate project to project, grant to grant, without long-term financial planning. This hand-to-mouth existence makes strategic planning difficult, limits your ability to invest in organisational development, and creates ongoing stress and uncertainty. Building reserves feels impossible when current funding barely covers current needs.

Walker Hill helps you develop financial sustainability strategies, model scenarios for different funding outcomes, identify opportunities to diversify income, advise on building reserves from surplus when it occurs, and create multi-year financial projections that support strategic planning. Financial stability strengthens your organisation’s capacity to deliver its mission over the long term.