How Trustward Helped Augustine Literacy Project Modernize, Save Money, and Strengthen Financial Oversight
The Challenge: Managing Rapid Growth with Limited Financial Support
Augustine Literacy Project (ALP) had doubled in size over three years, serving nearly 500 students with high-impact literacy tutoring across Charlotte-Mecklenburg. As their annual budget neared $2 million, their small finance team—just a Director and a Bookkeeper—was responsible for managing accounting operations.
When both key financial staff members left within a short time, Executive Director Steve Hall needed a reliable solution to keep ALP’s financial house in order.
The Solution: Trustward’s Expertise and Systems Overhaul
Having heard about Trustward’s success with nonprofits, Steve reached out for help. Trustward stepped in immediately, driving four major improvements within the first few months:
- Modernized Financial Systems – Trustward moved ALP’s financial workflows to the cloud, increasing accuracy, saving time, and improving security.
- Higher-Quality Bookkeeping & Transparency – Trustward’s expert accountants refined ALP’s financial processes, providing clearer insights for leadership and the Finance Committee.
- Stronger Financial Reporting & Decision-Making – ALP gained deeper clarity into cash flow and budgeting, helping them make smarter long-term financial decisions.
- Seamless Audit Preparation – Their auditor was blown away by how much more audit-ready ALP had become, completing the audit in record time.
The Results: Lower Costs, Greater Efficiency, and More Mission Impact
Not only did ALP’s financial operations improve across the board, but they also reduced their total accounting costs, freeing up more resources to invest directly in their mission.
As Steve Hall puts it:
“You’re not supposed to be able to simultaneously increase speed, improve quality, and lower costs—but that’s exactly what partnering with Trustward has done for ALP. What was once a necessary evil—accounting and finance—has now become the rocket fuel driving the scalability of our literacy program.”
Is Your Nonprofit’s Growth Outpacing Your Financial Operations?
Let’s talk about how Trustward can help you scale with confidence.