The Situation
After attending a financial dashboard presentation for a peer nonprofit, CPMCC leadership reached out to Optima for support. With over $10 million in grant funding, the museum had been managing finances using bank balances and multiple spreadsheets—an approach that worked initially but lacked the structure needed to support long-term growth.
While the team had a high-level view of spending across areas like personnel, travel, and programming, they wanted more detailed insights to guide budgeting, compliance, and strategic planning.
Key Actions Taken
Optima partnered with CPMCC to implement foundational accounting systems and operational best practices.
Here’s what we tackled:
✔ Set up QuickBooks with a custom chart of accounts and class codes for program-level tracking
✔ Imported and coded 2 years of historical transactions for baseline visibility
✔ Took over day-to-day bookkeeping including accounts payable, payroll, and monthly close
✔ Launched HR support services to streamline internal operations
✔ Developed AP workflows with coding approval and biweekly aging reports
✔ Created monthly financial reports—including balance sheet, P&L, budget-to-actual comparisons—and custom dashboards
✔ Established a formal budget aligned to programs and funding sources
✔ Began presenting clear financial updates at board meetings for the first time
The Results
● Full financial visibility with monthly reports, dashboards, and board presentations
● Payroll and AP processes improved with greater accuracy and fewer delays
● Budget in place to guide mission-aligned financial planning and execution
● Greater funder confidence thanks to compliance-ready financials
● Leadership and board equipped with timely, actionable insights for smarter decisions