Tech Impact
"Their work saves my organization a ton of money...."
Coming from a background in Information Technology, and heading an organization whose mission is to empower communities and nonprofits to better serve our world, Tech Impact Executive Director Patrick Callihan knows well the value of outsourcing technical specialty services. “When I started here, Your Part-Time Controller was already in place, and I immediately understood the value proposition of outsourcing my accounting,” he says.
“I realized that with YPTC I was getting a skill and a lot of experience that I didn’t have in-house,” he notes. And with only about 20 employees, it did not make financial sense to have a full-time accountant on staff.
Fast-forward to the present, and Callihan is even more impressed with YPTC’s services. “As I review their work I find that they are extremely efficient in what they do. They invest in good people, and train them well, so we get great efficiencies from them. They don’t cut corners or compromise. Their work is fast and it saves our organization a ton of money.”
Tech Impact helps build the technology capacity, stability, security, effectiveness, and impact of hundreds of nonprofits nationwide. Its many programs include strategic technology consulting, planning computing infrastructure, workforce development programs, bridging the digital divide, and database development. The organization takes care of other nonprofits’ technology at prices they can afford so they can focus on more important things – their missions.
Which is exactly what YPTC does with accounting and controllership, and the similarity of back-office services and value proposition is not lost on Callihan. “To hire someone on staff would cost me a lot of money and you never know what you’re getting,” he says. “Plus, if they don’t work out that leads to even more problems, and then you have to find someone to fill the seat again.”
YPTC Associate Jeremy Akers comes in to the Tech Impact office to prepare the general ledger and monthly reports for the board, assist the grants administrator and provide materials for the auditor. “He keeps all of his papers in great working order and I know that if anyone on Eric’s staff left he would backfill the position immediately.”
Callihan also likes the fact that as YPTC’s staff have become more familiar with the organization and its operations, they have become even more efficient over time. “That’s a big plus for me,” he says.
“A side benefit is that I’m also getting a third party watching over our funds and seeing how the money flows,” he adds. “It gives me a certain measure of confidence knowing I’ve got another set of eyes looking at our operations. I sleep better at night.”