Child First Authority, Inc.
What Our Client Says
"As a new executive director, this was my first audit team, up close and personal, that I started with from the beginning, and we've stayed with Gross Mendelsohn because the team is super efficient, accurate, responsive and personable."
— Danista Hunte, Former Executive Director
About Child First Authority, Inc.
Founded in 1996, Child First Authority, Inc. was established by Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development as a response to a city-wide listening campaign and call for safe, productive learning environments for kids during out-of-school hours and during the summer.
The Situation
In 2017, Child First was on the hunt for a new audit firm that would not only provide them with a financial statement audit, but teach the organization’s leadership about the audit and the findings.
They initiated an RFP process, and Gross Mendelsohn’s Nonprofit Group, which has extensive youth-focused nonprofit expertise, submitted a proposal. Child First hired Gross Mendelsohn’s Nonprofit Group to perform its annual audit and file the organization’s Form 990.
In Our Client's Words
"As a new executive director, this was my first audit team, up close and personal, that I started with from the beginning, and we've stayed with Gross Mendelsohn because the team is super efficient, accurate, responsive and personable.
One of the things I was clear on, since I was new to the executive director role in 2017 and new to managing an audit, was that it was something I wanted to learn.
Lisa Johnson and Kevin Connelly are very good at providing detailed explanations.
They are good about sharing general accounting principles and explaining why they are doing what they are doing as new accounting rules come into play per legislation. They are always giving us a heads-up on what's coming down the pike and how it's going to impact Child First.
So, I see them not just as a team that does the work, but they provide guidance and coaching for me in this role and I find that extremely helpful. I continue to be very happy and impressed with the service that we get from the team. I think we [Child First] have grown as a result of the relationship."
— Danista Hunte, Former Executive Director