Devote’s Big Update: New Accounting Tab & Streamlined Workflow
Nonprofit finance teams are navigating a “perfect storm” of challenges. On one hand, a talent shortage has left organizations scrambling to fill critical accounting roles; on the other, funding has become more unpredictable than ever. According to a recent study, 47% of nonprofits report they lack adequate funds to execute core programs in 2025, up from 38% just a year ago. Meanwhile, the U.S. faces a looming shortfall of 3.5 million accountants by year-end, with a 17% decline in accountants and auditors entering the field.
Without reliable staff or steady revenue, nonprofits can’t afford slow month-end closes or manual errors. That’s why automation,specifically purpose-built tools for bookkeeping and grant tracking, is no longer a “nice to have,” but mission-critical.
The Accounting Talent Crunch
Nonprofits typically pay below market rates for finance professionals, making recruitment and retention especially difficult. Baby Boomers are retiring in droves, and fewer new graduates are pursuing accounting degrees. A 7.8% drop in bachelor’s degrees awarded in 2021–22 marks the steepest decline since the 1990s. The result? Existing teams are stretched thin, audit fees are soaring, and organizations face longer close-cycles and higher error rates.
Funding Volatility and Its Toll
Funding streams that once felt dependable have grown erratic. Pandemic-era grants have expired, government reimbursements are delayed, and individual giving has softened. In New York alone, nonprofits are owed $650 million in late state payments, causing 65% of organizations to worry about covering basic operations. With nearly half of all nonprofits operating at a deficit and 80% struggling to retain staff, financial uncertainty has become a constant distraction from mission delivery.
Why Automation Matters
Automated bookkeeping tools can step in where people and budgets can’t. By automating repetitive tasks, data entry, receipt matching, reconciliation, and report generation, nonprofits can:
Slash close-cycles: Cut traditional month-end processes from weeks to days or hours.
Boost accuracy: Eliminate human error in high-volume tasks like transaction matching.
Free staff bandwidth: Allow finance teams to focus on strategic analysis, grant compliance, and donor stewardship instead of manual drudgery.
Automation doesn’t replace finance professionals; it empowers them to work at the top of their licenses—and helps nonprofits do more with less.
What is new in Devote:
To address these pressing needs, Devote has just rolled out a powerhouse update tailored for nonprofits:
All-New Accounting Tab
Centralized hub for card transactions, flagged items, approvals, and missing receipts.
QuickBooks Sync with receipts, classes, and categories auto-attached.
One-click filters by date, merchant, or category.
▶️ Watch the video tour »
Streamlined Workflows
Account Mapping: Map cards and grant subaccounts in clicks; save templates for recurring use.
Post-Approvals: Granular rules and customizable thresholds keep spending secure.
Bulk Actions & Auto-Recon: Multi-select expense tagging and smarter split-transaction detection.
These features eliminate manual bookkeeping bottlenecks, accelerate your close, and ensure every receipt and transaction is audit-ready.
Conclusion
In an era of shrinking talent pools and volatile funding, nonprofit finance teams need automation more than ever. Devote’s latest update empowers you to close faster, reduce errors, and free up your team to focus on high-impact work.
Thanks for reading!
Bryce Hansen
CEO and Co-Founder of Devote
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