In a recent episode of The Charity Charge Show, host Stephen Garten sat down with Joe Scarano, the founder of Araize and creator of FastFund, a cloud-based nonprofit financial software platform. With over three decades of experience in the nonprofit tech space, Joe brings deep insight into what makes nonprofit financial operations distinct—and how purpose-built tools can make all the difference.
About Araize
Araize is a software company dedicated to empowering nonprofits with professional-grade financial tools designed specifically for their unique needs. With over 30 years of experience serving the nonprofit sector, Araize understands that traditional accounting and fundraising software often falls short when it comes to fund accounting, donor tracking, and grant compliance.
Their flagship solution, FastFund Online, is a cloud-based suite that includes modules for accounting, payroll, and fundraising, allowing nonprofits to streamline operations in a single, secure platform. FastFund is FASB-compliant, easy to use, and tailored to help organizations of all sizes manage restricted and unrestricted funds, generate audit-ready reports, and simplify their back-office workflows.
Araize stands apart by offering free onboarding, live support from accounting professionals, and modular pricing, so nonprofits only pay for what they need. Trusted by thousands of mission-driven organizations, Araize continues to be a leader in nonprofit financial technology—helping changemakers focus more on their mission and less on their spreadsheets.
Why Nonprofits Need Specialized Financial Tools
Nonprofits face unique challenges that traditional business accounting software, like QuickBooks, often fails to address. From managing donor-restricted funds to generating audit-ready, FASB-compliant reports, nonprofits operate under complex financial requirements.
Joe emphasized that off-the-shelf tools weren’t built with these nuances in mind—especially when it comes to segregating financial activity by net asset class or tracking grant spending across time.
That’s where Araize’s FastFund suite comes in.
“We designed FastFund specifically for nonprofits. Our goal has always been to simplify fund accounting, donor management, and payroll—without sacrificing the reporting and compliance that nonprofits need to stay audit-ready,” says Scarano.
All-in-One SaaS for the Mission-Driven
FastFund is more than just accounting software—it’s a fully integrated solution with modules for accounting, payroll, and fundraising, allowing nonprofits to streamline operations in one secure, cloud-based system. Joe highlighted that with software-as-a-service (SaaS), nonprofits benefit from:
-
🔐 Enhanced security compared to outdated desktop tools
-
🌐 Anytime, anywhere access across devices
-
🛠️ Free onboarding and ongoing customer support from accounting professionals
-
📊 Custom-built financial reports tailored for grants, audits, and funder requirements
Onboarding and Support: The Hidden Superpower
One key point in the episode was the importance of onboarding and training. Many nonprofit leaders don’t have formal accounting backgrounds, yet they’re responsible for financial management. Scarano explained how Araize provides hands-on support to every client, ensuring they’re set up for success.
“You can’t just hand over the software and expect it to work like magic. We walk every customer through setup, offer training, and help them understand how to use FastFund for their specific needs.”
Diversity in the Nonprofit Sector
Joe and Stephen also explored the incredible diversity within the nonprofit world—from small community organizations to large institutions with complex financial structures. Despite their differences, they all share the need for better back-office systems that are affordable, intuitive, and mission-aligned.
Key Takeaways from the Episode:
✅ Araize’s FastFund software is built specifically for nonprofit accounting, payroll, and fundraising.
✅ It enables organizations to produce FASB-compliant financial reports and segregate funds properly.
✅ SaaS offers reliability, security, and access flexibility for nonprofit teams.
✅ Araize provides free onboarding and live support from experts in nonprofit finance.
✅ Effective financial systems help nonprofits build donor trust and long-term sustainability.
