CASE STUDY
Ensuring financial stability and leadership continuity for a leading nonprofitÂ
September 24, 2025
Services: CFO Services
One of the largest health services nonprofits in the United States was suddenly facing a situation when the organization’s longtime CFO departed suddenly. The board found themselves facing a critical leadership gap during a period requiring strong financial oversight and strategic guidance.
The board needed experienced interim leadership to maintain operational stability while conducting a comprehensive search for a permanent replacement—a process that would prove more complex and extended than anyone initially anticipated.
The challenge
The organization faced several interconnected challenges that threatened both their operational continuity and board confidence during a period of significant organizational transition:
Sudden leadership departure: The organization’s longtime CFO departed unexpectedly, leaving a critical gap in financial leadership and institutional knowledge that needed to be filled immediately to maintain day-to-day operations.
Board governance complexities: With a board requiring regular financial reporting and oversight, the organization needed leadership that could effectively communicate with diverse stakeholders and maintain board confidence during the transition period.
Extended search process complications: What was initially expected to be an interim role became significantly more complex when the search process stalled and the newly hired permanent CFO lasted only 8 months before departing, creating a second leadership crisis.
Financial process continuity: The organization needed to maintain their financial close processes, budgeting procedures, and reporting standards without interruption while managing the uncertainty of prolonged leadership transitions.
Additional staffing challenges: When their controller also departed during the extended transition period, the nonprofit faced compound staffing challenges in their finance department that required specialized knowledge to resolve.
For a nonprofit serving over 25,000 people annually and managing complex funding relationships with government agencies, foundations, and individual donors, maintaining financial stability and transparency during leadership transitions was critical to preserving stakeholder trust and operational effectiveness.
BPM’s solution
Recognizing the unique challenges facing nonprofit organizations during leadership transitions, BPM’s CFO Services team implemented a flexible, long-term approach designed to provide stability while building organizational capacity. Tim Jaeger, a director in BPM’s CFO Services group, stepped into the interim CFO role with an initial expectation of a two- to three-month engagement focused on maintaining the status quo.Â
Interim CFO leadership: Tim assumed full CFO responsibilities, providing immediate stability to financial operations and ensuring continuity of critical processes including monthly closes, board reporting, and budgeting functions during the search for a permanent replacement.
Board relationship management: Understanding the complexities of nonprofit governance, Tim developed strong working relationships with the 17-member board, providing regular financial updates and maintaining the transparency and accountability standards expected by board members and stakeholders.
Extended engagement flexibility: When the initial search process stalled, Tim adapted to provide extended leadership for nearly a full year, demonstrating BPM’s commitment to seeing clients through complex transitions rather than abandoning them when timelines extend beyond initial expectations.
Comprehensive budget oversight: Tim became deeply involved with the budgeting team and processes, ensuring that the organization maintained strong financial planning and analysis capabilities throughout the leadership transition period.
Strategic hiring support: After the first permanent CFO hire lasted only 8 months, Tim returned for a second interim engagement, this time also participating in the search process to help identify candidates who would be better suited for the organization’s unique culture and requirements.
Expanded team placement: When the controller also departed, BPM provided an interim controller placement, demonstrating their ability to support multiple levels of an organization’s finance team simultaneously.
Ongoing advisory relationship: Rather than simply completing the engagement and departing, BPM maintained an ongoing relationship with leadership, providing advice on staffing decisions and organizational development as needed.
The results
BPM’s extended engagement with the organization delivered critical stability during a turbulent period and established a foundation for long-term organizational success:
Maintained operational continuity: Throughout nearly two years of CFO transitions, they never missed a financial close, board report, or critical deadline, ensuring uninterrupted service delivery to their 25,000+ annual clients.
Preserved board confidence: Through consistent communication and reliable financial reporting, Tim maintained the board’s confidence in the organization’s financial management, preventing governance challenges that could have emerged during the extended transition period.
Successful permanent placement: By participating in the second search process, BPM helped identify and place a permanent CFO who proved to be a better long-term fit for the organization’s culture and requirements.
Enhanced financial processes: Tim’s deep involvement with budgeting and financial planning processes resulted in improved procedures that benefited the organization beyond the interim period.
Built institutional resilience: By providing both CFO and controller-level interim support, BPM helped the client develop greater resilience in their finance function and better preparation for future transitions.
Established trusted advisor relationship: The successful extended engagement built deep trust between BPM and the organization’s leadership, creating an ongoing advisory relationship that continues to provide value to the organization.
Demonstrated nonprofit experience: The engagement showcased BPM’s understanding of nonprofit-specific challenges, including board governance, donor stewardship, and the unique financial management requirements of mission-driven organizations.
The successful partnership enabled them to navigate a challenging leadership transition period while maintaining their focus on their critical mission of ending the AIDS epidemic and serving vulnerable communities across San Francisco and beyond.
Ready to ensure leadership continuity during transitions?
Is your organization facing unexpected leadership departures, stalled search processes, or board concerns about financial management? BPM’s CFO Services team specializes in providing interim leadership that maintains stability while building long-term organizational capacity.
Whether you need support during rapid growth, leadership transitions, funding processes, or situations where board confidence needs to be restored, our experienced team can provide the strategic leadership and operational experience you need to navigate complex challenges.
Contact BPM today to discuss how our interim CFO and controller services can provide the stability and guidance your organization needs during critical transitions.