Presenter
Beth Larsen is SVP of Client Accounting & Advisory Services at JMT Consulting, where she partners with nonprofit organizations to strengthen financial systems, improve cross-functional alignment, and support better leadership decision-making.
Introduction
Nonprofit organizations often struggle not because of a lack of strategy, but because strategy is not consistently reflected in daily decisions, budgeting, and operations. As organizations grow, silos naturally form between finance, programs, development, and leadership, creating disconnects that quietly limit mission impact.
In this webinar, JMT Consulting explores why silos exist, where they most commonly form, and how finance can serve as a strategic connector across the organization rather than a standalone compliance function.
What Challenges Do Nonprofits Face When Operating in Silos?
Organizational silos can create hidden costs that impact both performance and people, including:
- Misalignment between strategy, budgets, and operational capacity
- Delayed hiring and missed opportunities due to timing gaps
- Manual, duplicative processes across teams
- Leadership frustration and staff burnout
- Confusing or disconnected reporting for boards and executives
Without intentional system design, even well-run organizations can struggle to turn strategy into consistent action.
Finance as a System, Not a Department
Finance is not a single function. It is an interconnected system that touches every part of the organization. Silos most often form at the handoffs between teams, when ownership is unclear or information is incomplete or late.
This session examines how integrating finance into planning, monitoring, and collaboration can strengthen decision-making and improve organizational outcomes.
How Integrated Finance Supports Mission Impact
This webinar walks through practical frameworks and real-world examples that show how nonprofits can:
- Align strategy, budgeting, and operational planning
- Incorporate restricted resources into forecasts and decision-making
- Improve cross-functional collaboration and accountability
- Provide leadership and boards with clearer, decision-ready insights
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify common nonprofit silos and their operational impact
- Understand finance as a strategic connector across functions
- Align restricted resources with operational and financial planning
- Apply cross-functional frameworks to improve collaboration
- Strengthen leadership and board decision-making through integrated insights
Get support tailored to nonprofit finance teams and explore how JMT can help strengthen your systems and year-end reporting.
Q&A
Q1: What does it mean when nonprofits operate in silos?
Silos occur when teams such as finance, programs, development, and leadership operate with disconnected information, timelines, or goals. This often leads to misaligned decisions, inefficiencies, and reduced mission impact.
Q2: Why do silos commonly form in nonprofit organizations?
Silos are rarely intentional. They typically develop as organizations grow, funding becomes more complex, roles specialize, and teams manage different reporting and compliance requirements.
Q3: How can finance help break down organizational silos?
Finance can act as a strategic connector by integrating budgeting, forecasting, grants management, and operational planning across teams, rather than functioning solely as a reporting or compliance role.
Q4: What are the risks of not addressing silos in a nonprofit?
Unaddressed silos can result in delayed hiring, manual workarounds, staff burnout, leadership frustration, and financial decisions that do not fully support program goals or long-term strategy.
Q5: How can nonprofit leaders start reducing silos today?
Leaders can begin by establishing shared planning cadences, clarifying ownership across functions, and ensuring financial information is integrated into strategy, budgeting, and operational decisions.
