James Kennedy sits down with Stephen Newland, founder of Money Path, to unpack what it really takes to keep a nonprofit financially healthy as it grows. They cover Stephen’s unusual early-career work at Delta Air Lines, what he learned running a financial education program at a large church, and why money is never “just numbers on a spreadsheet.” From cashflow forecasting to grant reporting to board-ready financial clarity, this episode is a practical guide for nonprofit leaders who want better control without burning out.
About Stephen Newland
Stephen is a fractional CFO and nonprofit finance leader based in Atlanta. He’s traveled to 38 countries (including an unforgettable stay in Jerusalem) and brings a rare mix of corporate finance, startup finance, and nonprofit operations experience – plus a strong focus on the psychology behind money and decision-making.
What You’ll Learn:
- Cashflow Forecasting for Nonprofits: Why a rolling 12-month cash view reduces stress and improves decision-making – especially during growth spurts.
- Money Is Emotional (Even in Business): What Stephen learned working 1:1 on budgets, and how it applies to founders, boards, and executive directors.
- Funding Mix Strategy: Grants, donors, events, earned income – how to think about the “right” mix based on your mission and momentum.
- Grant Reporting & Compliance: The extra reporting layer nonprofits need and how to keep it clean and audit-ready.
- When to Bring in a Fractional CFO: The red flags that signal you’re outgrowing DIY finance (typically around ~$1M–$10M in annual revenue).
Episode Highlights:
- Stephen’s “hard mode” travel lessons: problem-solving, perspective, and decision-making under pressure.
- The surprising story behind pricing “Human Remains” logistics in airline cargo and what it taught him about cost, capacity, and constraints.
- Why leaders feel financial anxiety even when the numbers look fine, and how clear reporting helps.
- A practical view on “good debt vs bad debt,” and what Stephen learned from Dave Ramsey’s framework.
- How nonprofit finance principles are ~90% the same as commercial finance – just with a few critical differences.
More About Stephen’s Role:
Through Money Path, Stephen helps nonprofits (often in the ~$1M–$10M range) build confidence and clarity through better cashflow visibility, leadership reporting, budgeting, and financial systems that scale. His goal is to help executive directors and leadership teams stop operating in the dark – so they can focus on the mission without worrying about what the numbers might be hiding.
