A move from MIP to Sage Intacct Strengthens the Mission of HHWP CAC
The Challenge
HHWP CAC manages a diverse range of community programs and over 35 government grants, requiring meticulous financial oversight. Their existing system, MIP Fund Accounting, lacked automation, making processes like grant tracking, cost allocations, and approvals time-consuming and inefficient.
The Solution
By partnering with DWD Technology Group, HHWP CAC transitioned to Sage Intacct, a modern cloud-based financial management system. The move provided automation, real-time reporting, and improved controls, allowing the organization to optimize resources and enhance transparency.
Results with Sage Intacct
As a result of the move to Sage Intacct, HHWP CAC has dramatically improved efficiency, allowing more time and resources to be directed toward its mission.
- Cut month-end close by an entire day, enabling more strategic financial planning
- Digitized requisition and approval processes, eliminating paper-based inefficiencies
- Improved grant tracking and compliance, with dimension-based reporting for over 35 grants
- Enhanced audit readiness, providing auditors with direct system access and reducing manual reconciliation
About HHWP Community Action Commission
HHWP Community Action Commission is a private nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing poverty and strengthening communities in Hancock, Hardin, Wyandot, and Putnam counties in Ohio. Founded in the 1960s as part of the national Community Action Network, HHWP CAC provides essential services, including Head Start, public transportation, housing assistance, energy efficiency programs, and health services.
Location: Ohio, USA
Sage Partner: DWD Technology Group
Growing beyond MIP – the catalyst for change.
“Sage Intacct allows us to scale without increasing overhead. We can efficiently manage additional grants, new programs, and increased reporting demands.”
Josh Anderson
CEO, HHWP CAC
For nearly 60 years, HHWP Community Action Commission (HHWP CAC) has been a driving force for change, helping families overcome poverty and build brighter futures. The organization provides essential services across four Ohio counties, including early childhood education through Head Start, public transportation, energy assistance, housing development, and home weatherization. HHWP CAC’s impact reaches thousands each year, ensuring access to food, shelter, healthcare, and financial stability.
What sets HHWP CAC apart is its commitment to community representation. One-third of its Board of Directors consists of low-income community representatives, ensuring that those directly impacted by its programs have a voice in shaping policies and decisions. Additionally, one-third of the Board is made up of local elected officials, and one-third of is made up of private sector interests. This model reinforces the organization’s mission of local control, local solutions, and maximum feasible participation.
Managing such a diverse array of programs requires strong financial oversight and efficiency. With a $15 million budget and 35 active grants ranging from $5,000 to $4 million, HHWP CAC must precisely track every dollar. President and CEO Josh Anderson recognizes that modern technology is essential to efficiently fulfilling the organization’s mission.
By partnering with DWD Technology Group, HHWP CAC moved from MIP Fund Accounting to Sage Intacct, gaining the automation, flexibility, and transparency needed to expand its impact.
Sage Intacct Overview Demo for CAAs (29:44)
The Need for a More Agile, Scalable System
Like many community action agencies, HHWP CAC operates in a landscape shaped by shifting federal policies and economic uncertainty. Transparency and efficiency are more important than ever, and organizations must demonstrate fiscal responsibility while stretching every dollar to maximize impact. Josh knows that technology is the key to sustainability.
“We didn’t set out to change our accounting system,” Josh says. “Initially, we were just looking for a better requisition approval process. But when we started exploring options, we realized MIP had reached its limits. DWD introduced us to Sage Intacct, and suddenly, we saw enormous new possibilities. MIP felt stagnant, while Sage Intacct continuously evolves with quarterly updates and new automation tools.”
Achieving Quick ROI with Automation
One of the biggest efficiency gains comes from moving to a fully digital requisition and purchasing process. Previously, all approvals required printing and manual signatures, and paper documents could easily be lost or misplaced. Now, all approvals are tracked digitally with the built-in controls of Sage Intacct, promoting compliance and building a clear audit trail.
“This was an instant return on investment,” Josh says. “We now have better control over purchases, faster approvals, and complete transparency—which minimizes the risk of human error.”
Time Savings and Smarter Financial Management
One of the most impactful changes has been in financial reporting and allocations. HHWP CAC cut an entire day from its month-end close cycle thanks to the automated cost allocations feature in Sage Intacct. Reconciling various balance sheet accounts with MIP was a cumbersome, manual process. The switch to Sage Intacct has freed up the finance team’s time for more strategic financial planning.
“With the time we’ve saved, we can dig deeper into our financials,” Josh says. “We no longer scramble to reconcile accounts manually. We have time to plan ahead and ensure our programs are fully funded and sustainable.”
Grant Compliance Simplified
Managing 35 government grants requires precise tracking and compliance reporting. Sage Intacct’s dimension-based accounting allows HHWP CAC to easily track costs and revenue by program, funding source, and restriction type, ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations.
“Assembling our financial statements used to be an enormous challenge,” Josh says. “We’d have to export everything to Excel and manually reformat it for audits. Now, with Sage Intacct, we generate fully auditable reports in minutes. Auditors even have direct access to the system, which we anticipate will reduce audit costs over time.”
A Customized Approach from DWD Technology Group
Implementing a new financial system is no small task, but DWD Technology Group makes it seamless. From the beginning, their team ensures HHWP CAC’s specific needs drive the implementation process.
“I put them through the wringer,” Josh admits. “I had high expectations. DWD met those expectations. They took the time to truly understand our business needs. They ensured we got as close as possible to what we needed right from the start.”
DWD also helped HHWP CAC optimize its chart of accounts and dimension relationships, reducing the risk of miscoding and improving data accuracy.
Positioned for Growth
With plans to expand public transportation and early childhood education programs, HHWP CAC is looking to the future. Sage Intacct removes the financial bottlenecks that once made scaling difficult, allowing the organization to take on new grants and programs without adding administrative burden.
“Sage Intacct allows us to scale without increasing overhead,” Josh says. “We can efficiently manage additional grants, new programs, and increased reporting demands.”
A Model for Other Community Action Agencies
HHWP CAC’s success highlights how modern financial technology can drive better outcomes for nonprofits. Other CAAs facing similar challenges can learn from HHWP CAC’s experience—and see how the right financial system helps organizations maximize their impact.
“I’d recommend Sage Intacct and DWD Technology Group to any CAA with a strong finance team willing to invest the time upfront,” Josh says. “Once you have it in place, you won’t regret it. In today’s climate, robust technology is essential to survival.”
As nonprofits face growing scrutiny over how they manage public funds, the ability to operate efficiently, transparently, and strategically has never been more critical. Sage Intacct provides the tools necessary to meet these demands, and with a dedicated partner like DWD Technology Group, organizations like HHWP CAC can focus on what truly matters—serving their communities and making a lasting impact.
About the Author: Cassie Rock
