For ministry leaders, every moment spent on administrative tasks is a moment not spent on the mission. Mark Luckey, Executive Director of Every Child Ministries, knows this all too well.
His organization is dedicated to helping children thrive in Africa, but disorganized finances were consuming precious time and resources, pulling focus away from their vital work. That is, until partnering with BELAY provided clarity, confidence, and a fresh focus on future goals.
A Mission to Empower
Every Child Ministries has a clear and powerful mission. They work with children and families in Africa who are living in poverty by giving them the resources they need to build a better future.
"We are all about finding ways to help kids thrive in several different countries in Africa," Mark explains. "Mostly it's about giving people the tools they need whether that's training or literally tools to do the work that they need to do because they want to care for their kids."
"We work with churches, schools, community leaders — whoever will help us build stronger families for these kids," Mark shares.
But behind this impactful work, a significant internal challenge was brewing.
A History of Unsuccessful Solutions
Like many small nonprofits, Every Child Ministries faced challenges in managing its finances effectively without a dedicated internal team.
"Being a small organization, we were not able to have our own finance manager or CFO. We just don't yet have the funds for that," Mark notes.
Their attempts at outsourcing were only "partially successful," leaving them in a difficult position. The former outsourcing partner was responsible for some serious financial mishaps that had significant consequences.
"We lost a lot of money by making mistakes," Mark admits. "Thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars just got used incorrectly or we lost track of that."
Mark knew something had to change.
"As a board, we just started talking, you know, what would be a better approach? And that's when we got connected with BELAY."
Finding a True Expert
Every Child Ministries had a specific and complex need. They relied on Aplos, a fund accounting software designed for nonprofits, to manage dozens of restricted funds.
"The reason why we have Aplos... is because it's specifically a fund accounting software," Mark explains. "It just becomes very complicated to keep those funds in something like QuickBooks. When it comes to donations, we can't just throw all the money in one pot and pay salaries with it. We've got to use it for what it was designated for."
This made finding the right financial professional crucial. BELAY matched them with a bookkeeper who already had experience with their specialized software. This expertise was a game-changer, allowing for a smooth and immediate transition.
"It certainly helped that they didn't have to learn a whole new software system," says Mark.
But the ministry soon realized they needed more.
"What we realized through that process in working with BELAY was that we also needed somebody a little bit higher to provide some oversight," Mark recalls.
That’s when BELAY introduced them to Sara, a fractional CFO — just one example of how BELAY scales solutions to grow with your needs, whenever you need them.
The Power of a Fractional CFO
Sara’s arrival was transformative, especially for Mark.
"She works primarily with me, and she reports to the board. That has been a huge help. Because I'm not a financial guy," he confesses. "I don't speak the right language."
Board meetings, once a source of frustration, became productive and clear.
"When it comes to giving a board report, I don't always have the answers for them," Mark says. "Having Sara at the meeting... she can answer those questions or say, 'I know how to find that answer, I'll get it for you.' Whereas I couldn't."
"For a small organization, from the perspective of an Executive Director who is not trained in finances, having someone come alongside me to explain some of those things and report to the board has been worth its weight in gold right there."
This high-level support is invaluable to Mark. With Sara managing their finances, they felt confident and reassured, free from the fear of repeating past mistakes.
"To know that somebody's got an eye on it that's not going to let those mistakes happen again. Yeah, that gives a lot of peace," Mark reflects.
Reclaiming Time for the Mission
The most significant impact of BELAY's partnership was the gift of time. Before, board meetings were dominated by financial issues, leaving little room for strategic discussion.
"In a board meeting, they might spend an hour on finances because there were so many issues," Mark says. "It doesn't leave you a lot of time to have discussions about the vision for the future and where we're heading and the ministry that we want to do."
With BELAY providing accurate and clear reports, everything changed.
"Now we spend maybe 15 minutes reviewing the financial report with Sara and then we are on to ministry. If you multiply it out that's a lot more hours every year that the board gives to vision, that we all can just focus on the future," he shared.
"We talk a lot more about the future of the ministry now in our meetings than we ever could before. I have to believe that will pay a lot of dividends in the future."
This shift is at the heart of why financial clarity is so critical for mission-driven organizations.
As Mark puts it, "If your books aren't right and you don't have accurate reports, you're going to spend a lot of time dealing with financial reporting issues and a lot less time on the future of your ministry and the vision of your ministry."
Your Ministry's Future Awaits
Every Child Ministries’ story is a powerful reminder that solid financial stewardship is the foundation upon which great ministry is built. By partnering with BELAY, they solved their complex accounting challenges, scaled their support as their needs grew, gained peace of mind, and — most importantly — unlocked countless hours to focus on their mission
If you are leading a nonprofit or ministry and find yourself bogged down by financial complexities, BELAY has Financial Solutions that fit your organization and free you up to lead.