Are Your Financial Reports Being Ignored? Part 2: The Action Plan for Increasing Engagement & Better Meeting User Needs
In Part 1, we uncovered why nonprofit financial reports often sit unopened or unread in board members’ and program managers’ inboxes. Back by popular demand, Part 2 moves from diagnosis to solutions! Join Buu-Linh Tran (JMT Consulting), Michael Gellman (Fiscal Strategies 4 Nonprofits), Joanne Duncan (JM Duncan Consulting), and Sam Gaillard (CFO & COO, CWI Works) for an interactive panel discussion. We will break down practical solutions to eliminate access and comprehension hurdles, transition your reporting from mostly backward-looking to forward-looking through tactics using rolling projections, KPIs, financial dashboards, and harnessing modern ERP technology and AI to build a truly collaborative financial culture.
Learning Objectives
- Dismantle Access & Comprehension Barriers: Implement practical, everyday strategies to build financial literacy and eliminate technical friction for non-finance leaders.
- Master Forward-Looking Projections: Move beyond static historical statements by embedding rolling year-end forecasts and early warning KPI windows that guide strategic decision-making.
- Harness Technology & Collaborative Culture: Leverage modern ERP tools, role-based dashboards, and conversational AI to foster cross-functional collaboration and shared financial accountability across your organization.
A. Michael Gellman, CPA, CGMA, is an independent fiscal and financial strategist for nonprofit organizations and co-founding principal partner of Fiscal Strategies 4 Nonprofits, LLC (FS4N) and co-founder of Sustainability Education 4 Nonprofits, LLC (SE4N), where he helps organizations build financially sustainable futures while strengthening mission delivery and organizational capacity. A recognized leader in nonprofit financial management, Michael brings decades of experience guiding organizations through strategic planning, financial sustainability, budgeting, and effective financial communication. He is also an adjunct instructor at Georgetown University and regularly presents for national nonprofit associations, government agencies, and leadership programs on topics related to nonprofit finance and long-term organizational success. Learn more at Sustainability Education 4 Nonprofits: se4nonprofits.com.
Buu-Linh Tran, CPA, is SVP of Financial Solutions for JMT Consulting, where she helps organizations strengthen financial management through purpose-built technology, strategic advisory services, and business process transformation. With more than 30 years of experience in public accounting and consulting, Buu-Linh specializes in financial system selection, ERP and FP&A solutions, and guiding organizations through digital transformation initiatives that improve operational efficiency and decision-making. She frequently partners with executive leadership teams to assess finance operations, implement technology solutions, and support long-term organizational success
Joanne Duncan is a nonprofit leader with extensive expertise in strategic planning, financial management, operational transformation, and financial reporting for nonprofit organizations. She has held executive roles such as chief financial officer, division president and chief operating officer in nonprofits in the DC area. In her consulting work, Joanne continues to emphasize the importance of transparent financial reporting, ensuring that financial information is communicated in accessible ways to support decision-making and organizational accountability. Joanne is a certified public accountant and has an advanced degree in taxation.
Samuel Gaillard is the Chief Financial & Operating Officer of CWI Works. Prior to working for nonprofit organizations, Sam spent over 20 years working in public accounting. He provided audit, accounting, consulting and tax services to a variety of nonprofit organizations specializing in organizations that receive their primary funding from government agencies. Sam has a B.A. in accounting from the Catholic University of America. He attained the CPA designation, is a Certified Global Management Accountant, and is a member of the American Institute of Public Accountants.
