Our guest Karen Houghton, CEO and founder of Infinite Giving, brings a unique perspective as someone who's been on both sides: founding and running nonprofits, working 10 years in venture capital, and now building solutions specifically designed for the nonprofit sector.

Shocking stats revealed:

• 90% of nonprofits can't accept stock donations (missing out on $8,000+ average gifts)
• The average nonprofit juggles 14 accounts across 7 different providers
• Donors lose 35% of their intended donation when forced to liquidate stocks first
• Asset-based giving is up 135% while traditional giving declines

Key takeaways:

• Why the US banking system (built 100+ years before nonprofits existed) fails tax-exempt organizations
• The hidden operational costs of "free" traditional banking solutions
• Why high-capacity donors hold wealth in assets, not cash – and what that means for fundraising
• How modern nonprofits can compete with universities' billion-dollar endowment strategies

Perfect for:

• Nonprofit executives, board members, and development staff
• Anyone curious about the intersection of finance and social impact
• Founders looking to understand systematic market inefficiencies

Useful links:

• Infinite Giving: https://infinitegiving.com
• Download the Asset-Based Giving Report: https://hubs.ly/Q03tW7860
• Hiline (Full-service nonprofit financial operations): https://hiline.co
• Karen Houghton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenchoughton/

About Fiscally Awesome
Fiscally Awesome is produced by Hiline, where we make small business finances stress-free so you can focus on building a great company. Visit our website or connect with us on LinkedIn to learn more.

Hosted by Matt Gardner, CEO and Co-Founder of Hiline. New episodes drop every other Thursday.

Ever wondered why some nonprofits thrive while others struggle to stay afloat? It's not just about passion for the mission – it's about having the financial systems that support sustainable impact.

In this episode, Matt sits down with a nonprofit executive director who transformed her organization from paper-heavy, months-behind reporting to real-time financial visibility. From managing 65+-person teams at major nonprofits to launching a new organization from scratch, she shares the hard-won lessons about why financial systems aren't optional, they're essential.

What You'll Learn:

• Why waiting months for financial reports kills strategic planning
• How modern tech can transform nonprofit operations (without the overwhelm)
• Why workforce challenges are creating new budget realities
• The mindset shifts needed to navigate funding uncertainty
• How to build systems that scale from startup to established nonprofit

Links & Resources:

• Early Childhood Alliance of Onondaga: https://ecaonondaga.org
• Contact Bethany: bcreaser@ecaonondaga.org
• Connect with the Hiline team: hiline.co/get-started
• Free Nonprofit Budget Template: hiline.co/ledger/tools/nonprofit-budget-template

Connect With Us:

Subscribe for more insights on making finance less scary and more strategic!

About Fiscally Awesome
Fiscally Awesome is produced by Hiline, where we make small business finances stress-free so you can focus on building a great company. Visit our website or connect with us on LinkedIn to learn more.

Hosted by Matt Gardner, CEO and Co-Founder of Hiline.

In this episode of Fiscally Awesome, Hiline CEO Matt Gardner sits down with multi-time founder Eli Portnoy to explore how customer obsession directly drives financial success. As the CEO of BackEngine and veteran of three successful companies, Eli reveals why most businesses are flying blind when it comes to understanding their customers—and how that ignorance costs them real money.

What You'll Learn:

• Why customer sentiment is a leading indicator of financial performance
• How "going quiet" is actually your biggest churn warning sign (not complaints!)
• Why setting up finance infrastructure on day one saves you massive pain later
• The AI revolution that's finally making customer intelligence scalable
• Real examples of how customer feedback directly impacts revenue and retention

Related Links:

• BackEngine: https://www.backengine.com/
• Connect with Eli Portnoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliportnoy/
• Connect with Matt Gardner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattgardnercpa/
• Book mentioned: "The Hard Thing About Hard Things" by Ben Horowitz: https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Thing-About-Things-Building/dp/0062273205
• Hiline x Digits: https://www.hiline.co/services/real-time-accounting

About Fiscally Awesome
Want to unfu*k your finances? Fiscally Awesome is produced by Hiline, where we make small business finances stress-free so you can focus on building a great company. Visit our website or connect with us on LinkedIn to learn more.

Hosted by Matt Gardner, CEO and Co-Founder of Hiline. New episodes drop every other Thursday.