Since nonprofits often run-on tight budgets, it is often difficult to recruit a full-time finance position on staff. Numbers 4 Nonprofits (N4N) provides an alternative to that by attracting high level professionals with an abundance of expertise to contract with nonprofits. Clients benefit from the outside perspective and 15+ years of experience and knowledge of best practices that working with 80 different nonprofits brings. “I want to be a part of a community that is strong overall. If we can support people to continue to do the good work that they’re doing, that’s fulfilling. It’s good work and we’re good at it,” Nick explains.
N4N prioritizes employee well-being and carbon reduction. Nick values providing work life balance to his team of 17 employees, and does everything in his power to make things flexible. Each person is on a team of 4-5 people who check in as a group on a routine basis, and every employee has a regular meeting with HR to make sure they are supported. Like many organizations, the pandemic served as a period of reflection in terms of what aspects of “normal” work were worth returning to. It allowed them to make sure they were matching capacity with realistic expectations and taking the time to ensure people were satisfied. Because they mostly work remotely, employees’ commute related carbon emissions are minimized. Prior to the pandemic, employees travel almost daily to meet with clients and with other team members. With the N4N 17 employees not undertaking daily work commutes, they now avoid approximately 51,411+ lbs. of CO2e annually. This is the equivalent to carbon sequestered from 386 trees seedlings grown for ten years.
When asked what a sustainable future looks like to him, Nick describes a world where “everyone is able to have a roof over their head, food in the fridge, a network around them that supports them. I’m hoping as a society we can continue to have those conversations where one day we can look back and laugh at where were vs where we are. I’m going to continue to help people who help others and that will be my contribution.”