We’re glad you’re here. Meet MAAP.
About Us
Hello! We’re Mission Accounting and Advisory Partners.
We transform the way your Rescue Mission experiences the accounting function.
We’ve ended accounting’s woeful reign as a compliance chore, lagging indicator, and useless jumble of columns.
And bring it to you as a tool that you get to reign with.
With MAAP, accounting is a:
- User-friendly answer to your questions.
- Real-time performance accelerator.
- Support for building a wise strategy.
- Resource for delivering an uninterrupted mission.
- Lever that empowers your leadership.
Meet the Partners
Denise M. Henning, CPA
Denise has spent more than 30 years in finance and accounting, with more than 20 devoted to nonprofits as the founder of her own namesake firm. Additionally, she has focused the last 10 years of her career on Gospel Rescue Missions, including serving as Chief Financial Office of City Mission in Washington, PA.
Denise is one of those people every rescue mission wants in their corner: gifted with finances even when there aren’t enough of them. Innovative in building growth strategies when resources are tight. Impeccable with reports when data is everywhere. And ready to give all her energy to a worthwhile mission.
Teaming up with fellow founder Dan Schmidt was an easy call for Denise. After working with him on a few projects, she recognized his talent with financial systems, his heart for rescue missions, and his knack for accounting humor that’s actually funny.
Denise holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from The University of Toledo. She lives with her family in Upper St. Clair, PA.
Dan Schmidt
Dan has nearly 25 years of accounting experience in both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Like Denise, Dan also founded his own firm, EBCFO, which equips executive leaders with financial solutions.
Dan is an expert fractional CFO. With experience in a variety of financial leadership roles, he has a specialty in helping organizations get clear, usable data from modern systems that he customizes just for them.
He also shares Denise’s appreciation for nonprofits, and even founded one called Ecatalyst in Colorado Springs, CO. to facilitate collaboration between local growers and chefs.
When Dan started working with his fellow founder Denise, he knew their combined skills would help rescue missions level up operations in a way that few, if any, accounting firms could.
Dan earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Truman State University in Kirksville, MO. He lives with his family in Colorado Springs, CO.
What We Believe
We have strong views about accounting for rescue missions because we want you to have the tools and technology you need to serve those who come to your doors for help.
Here’s our perspective.
Accounting is a steward, not a gatekeeper.
Your financial information belongs to you, not to the accounting department. Accounting must keep the data secure and accurate, but one of their primary roles is to make it accessible to you, quickly and easily.
You’re not supposed to need an interpreter for accounting data.
You should be receiving financial data in a format that makes sense to you, and can be customized to your requests. You should be able to understand the data, explain it to your board, and use it in decision making.
There’s almost always data to answer your questions.
It’s a tale as old as time: a nonprofit wants to know about an outcome and the reasons for it. Leadership can’t find proof of cause and effect, so the outcome can’t be reliably repeated or avoided.
But proof is in your data somewhere. You shouldn’t need detective skills to find it.
Instinct is good. Instinct plus data is better.
Making decisions on instinct, perception, and learned patterns is what humans do. We’re good at it. When you add data to the mix, you become exceptionally good.
There’s no reason your rescue mission can’t lead with its mission and with data. Data helps you laser-focus your ministry and the people it serves.
It’s okay that you don’t know what to ask for.
If your car breaks down, you don’t have to figure out the problem or solution. That’s your mechanic’s job.
In the same way, if your rescue mission’s finances aren’t in the shape they should be, you don’t have to know what’s wrong or how to fix it. That’s your accountant’s job.
A good accountant recognizes financial challenges and can deliver an answer, recommendation, or solution.
It’s not just your software.
Your accounting software may be outdated, clunky, or not scalable. But if accounting isn’t empowering you, it’s never just one thing that’s the culprit.
The financial data within your systems, and the workflows by which that data enters and leaves, are factors too.
Rescue Mission operations are an ecosystem. It has multiple layers. If you’re looking to improve those operations, you should be ready to embark on a multi-layer project.
Why We’re Different
There are lots of accountants. But not like us.
We build custom solutions.
Notice we didn’t merely say custom reports. You do get those, and they’re more tailored than anything on the market. But we build you an entire operations solution of financial reports, data, workflows, and systems based on best practices for rescue missions. It is one-of-a-kind, made just for you.
We are end-to-end partners.
MAAP is here for you from initial financial health assessment to technology implementation to outsourced accounting services that includes ongoing support. We’ll even stay aboard as your Controller or CFO for however long you need us. Our willingness to stick around after our solution should tell you we stand by it.
The main thing about us is you.
We have lots of reps at rescue missions under our belts. But we have yet to see two identical rescue missions. There are just too many ways they’re unique.
The people they serve and their history, culture, and challenges. The teams they employ and their programs, plans, and future.
Our purpose is to empower this uniqueness and keep it running.
We spend the time and effort to get to know you and build an accounting organization that does your mission justice. It is our honor to do this.
Let’s Meet for Real.
We think you’ll like working with us. You’ll be surprised at how approachable and usable your financial information can be, even for the stakeholders that challenge you the most.