When Hope Is Alive started, Lance Lang, the executive director, did everything that needed to be done. He paid all the bills, deposited all the checks, and receipted all the donors. He also met with men in recovery from addiction and potential ministry partners and donors.

Two years in, HIA was growing steadily in its budget, staff, supporters, and clients. Lance knew he needed help.

“I was getting to the point of being overwhelmed,” Lance said. “I couldn’t do it all myself anymore.”

As Lance spent time with various mentors, he asked how they did things and what resources they used. One mentor said he knew someone who could help. He introduced Lance to Michael Smith with DecisionGrid.

“I still didn’t know what I needed or exactly what we would be getting,” Lance said. “It was a big risk for us to put money toward it given the size of our budget. Plus, I still wanted to have control.”

HIA’s mission is to inspire hope, build foundations, and change the lives of people affected by addiction. They do this by providing mentoring homes and family services. They also hold regular events to connect and encourage those affected by addiction.

“Signing up turned out to be an incredible value for us,” Lance said.

Lance says the benefits to HIA have been two-fold. The organization now has five staff members.

“My personal development as a leader has been essential to us experiencing the growth we have in the past year,” Lance said. He credits the mentoring he gets from Michael as key to that.

Lance said he has grown in his ability to lead the board, to make staff decisions, and to grow personally. He says he can now read financial statements accurately and assess what will give HIA the highest return on investments. DecisionGrid prepares the financial reports he needs for board meetings.

“I also feel informed as a leader on our finances,” Lance said. “Within two clicks I know where we stand.”

He said this allows him to better answer questions from potential donors.

“People who are considering giving money understandably tend to ask tough questions.”

Before signing up, Lance was concerned that using DecisionGrid bookkeeping services  would create more work. Now, he is glad he has been freed up to act more effectively.

“As a leader I can focus on what I need to do,” Lance said.