For Non-Profit CFOs and Senior Finance Leaders
The Non-Profit CFO Roundtable
A free peer group, January through December 2027, for the people carrying the finance function at their non-profit, often alone. Real problems. Real peers. No pitch.
15 seats. Applications close December 18, 2026. Decisions and acceptances will be in December 2026.
Built by someone who has sat in your seat
I'm Neil Shah. I've spent more than twenty years as a CFO and finance leader for non-profit organizations of all sizes. The one thing that never changes is how alone the job can feel. Boards want answers. Grants come with restrictions nobody explained clearly. Systems don't talk to each other. And there's rarely anyone in the building who has faced the exact problem you're facing right now.
That's why I started the Non-Profit CFO Roundtable. It's a room where non-profit finance leaders talk through real decisions with peers who have actually made them, before those decisions land on a board table.
Neil Shah Founder, Non-Profit Finance Solutions
Who joins the Roundtable
This cohort is small and curated on purpose. Fifteen seats keep the room honest and the conversation real.
We ran a cohort in 2024 and in 2025.
- Non-profit CFOs
- VPs and Directors of Finance operating at a strategic level
- Controllers and senior finance leaders ready to think like a CFO
- Finance leaders in their first non-profit role
One honest room.
- Format
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Virtual, link sent after acceptance.
- Timeline
- January through December 2027.
- Cost
- Free. No fee to apply or participate.
- What I cover
- Member-driven discussion built around the problems that actually eat a CFO's time — staffing, systems and implementations, board and grant reporting, month-end close, budgeting under uncertainty, and where AI genuinely helps versus where it doesn't yet.
- Ground rules
- Peer-first, non-profit-specific, vendor-neutral. No pitches. No recording, transcription or AI note-taking by anyone, including me. What's said in the room stays in the room.
What I'm asking of you
I'm asking each member to stay with the group for the full year and to attend every session. I know life happens. If a scheduling conflict or something personal comes up and it is truly impossible to make a session, that's okay, and the up-to-three-sessions allowance in the FAQ still applies. I only ask that you tell me before the session, not after.
Session dates
What members say
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I am always looking for thought partnership and innovative solutions to the unique financial and operational challenges we face. I have found invaluable insights from fellow CFOs that have helped me navigate complex issues in my role and within my org. I highly recommend the Roundtable.
James DiCosmoCFO, DREAM -
I have enjoyed my time in the Non-Profit CFO Roundtable. The participants, along with the discussions we have had, have been exceptional. I feel I have both learned as well as offered my experience and expertise to the group members.
Angela OldenCFO, Community Access Unlimited -
The Roundtable has provided me an opportunity to discuss various challenges unique to non-profits with a strong group of CFOs with similar backgrounds. The conversations have been both valuable and thought-provoking.
Arvind KohliCFO, Mid-Ohio Food Collective -
The Roundtable has been invaluable to me. It has helped me think through complex challenges from leaders in my own industry as well as outside of it. In our discussions, I have felt both comforted and also challenged by my peers.
Edward LeeCFO, Calbright College -
Being part of the Non-Profit CFO Roundtable has been a game-changer for me. As a CFO navigating the unique challenges of the nonprofit sector, it's rare to find a space where you can connect with peers who truly get it.
Simone GreenFormer CFO, Envision Education -
Being a part of the Roundtable has been a great experience. I am surrounded by fellow non-profit CFOs who understand the challenges that my organization and I face every day.
Adam MillerCFO, Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation
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The Non-Profit CFO Roundtable offers a unique professional forum for sharing with and learning from a peer group that I simply could not find anywhere else. I relish the opportunity to throw around ideas with members who know exactly where I'm coming from.
Sandip AminDirector of Finance, Food for Climate League -
The Non-Profit CFO Roundtable has been an incredible resource for non-profit CFOs like myself, providing a unique platform for dedicated professionals from diverse non-profit backgrounds and geographical locations to convene.
Michael StimpfelCFO, OneGoal -
I joined the Non-Profit CFO Roundtable right as I stepped into my first CFO role, and it was exactly the support system I needed. Having a trusted space to pressure-test decisions, learn from experienced peers, and talk through real-world challenges made the transition faster, more confident, and far less isolating.
Kristan LivingstonCFO, Olive Crest -
The CFO Roundtable gives me the opportunity to share valuable guidance and feedback with fellow finance leaders while gaining fresh insights and perspectives in return. I highly recommend the Roundtable to any Non-Profit CFO looking to sharpen their skills, expand their network, and drive impact.
William RobalinoCFO, Esperanza -
I was able to participate in the Non-Profit CFO Roundtable and found it extremely helpful. As the sole finance leader in my organization, I often felt isolated solving unique problems alone. The Roundtable gave me practical ideas for issues like budgeting through uncertainty, selecting financial systems, and motivating my team. It helped me work through major challenges and also inspired proactive changes, such as AI adoption and strategic planning improvements. I highly recommend it to CFOs who want to exchange ideas with peers facing similar decisions and pain-points.
Shelley Jacobson HughesFormer CFO, New Schools Venture Fund
Questions before you apply
Is this really free?
Yes.
Is this a pitch for a product?
No. This is a peer community first, vendor-neutral by design. It stays useful even in weeks when nothing is being sold, because nothing ever is.
What's expected of me?
Show up for the live sessions, engage honestly, listen intently without multitasking, and treat what other members share as confidential. Please keep your camera on so we can see each other. If you need to miss a session, see What if I can't make it to a session?
What if I can't make it to a session?
You are allowed to miss up to 3 sessions if you give advance notice prior to the session.
What happens after I apply?
I'm reviewing applications as they come in, through December 18, 2026. Decisions and acceptances will happen in December 2026. A waitlist may apply.
What if I'm not offered a seat in this cohort?
With fifteen seats, not everyone who applies will be offered one this time. If there isn't room for you in this cohort, you may be invited to a future one.
What if I need to withdraw, my employer changes, or there is a conflict of interest?
If you need to withdraw, your employer changes, or you have a conflict of interest, including with a competing organization or a funder, tell me and I will talk with you about your seat.
Apply for the January 2027 cohort
15 seats. Applications close December 18, 2026. I read every application myself, as they come in. Decisions and acceptances will be in December 2026.
Applications for the January 2027 cohort are closed
When you click Submit, your answers are sent through Google Apps Script into a Google Sheet in my own Google account (a personal Google account). Only I see them. I use them to review your application for the January 2027 cohort and, if I can't offer you a seat this time, to consider you for a future cohort. I ask for your LinkedIn profile and organization website to confirm your role. I never sell, rent or trade your information. To see what I have about you, correct it, withdraw your application, or have it deleted, message me on LinkedIn. I'll reply within 14 days.