Northern Rivers Family Services is a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering children, adults, and families across New York, providing a wide range of services, including mental health care, educational programs, community-based services, and more. Their work impacts over 18,000 individuals each year across 41 counties, supported by a team of 1,400 staff members. Given the scale of their work, managing financial operations efficiently is critical to ensuring they can continue to deliver high-quality services.
As Northern Rivers grew, so did the complexity of their budgeting needs. With four affiliated companies under their umbrella, each with unique financial requirements, the need for a more advanced budgeting system became clear. Effective financial management was not just about keeping the organization running—it was about sustaining the mission and continuing to provide critical care for families and communities across the state.
In a recent conversation, Tom Amburgey, CEO of Euna Solutions, sat down with Tom McBride, Controller at Northern Rivers, to discuss their transition from their previous system to Euna Budget Professional. During the conversation, McBride highlighted how the shift to Euna Budget had transformed their budgeting process, offering greater flexibility, automation, and efficiency for the organization.
Why Change Budget Solutions?
For years, Northern Rivers used another budget solution to manage their budgeting process. But as the organization expanded, it became evident that it wasn’t meeting their growing needs. “We had been using it for a long time, but it started showing its limitations,” McBride explained. One of the biggest challenges was the reliance on manual processes, particularly when managing payroll and budgeting across their four companies.
“The system wasn’t flexible enough to handle our complexity,” McBride said. Tracking payroll for employees shared across different companies required tedious, manual effort, which was prone to errors. As Northern Rivers continued to grow, these inefficiencies became more apparent. “We needed a platform that could scale with us and automate the work we were doing manually,” he added.
Euna Budget Professional: The Right Solution
When the opportunity arose to transition to Euna Budget, Northern Rivers saw the potential for a more streamlined, efficient process. Euna Budget offered the customizability and automation that the organization had been missing. “It was a big investment and a big leap for us, but we knew the long-term benefits would be worth it,” McBride shared.
The system immediately solved several key issues Northern Rivers had been facing. Payroll budgeting, which had been a manual, error-prone process with their previous system, became fully automated. “Now, we make one change, and it flows everywhere. It’s a huge time saver and eliminates the need for manual tracking across multiple systems,” McBride explained.
Another major improvement was the increased engagement of program staff. Previously, program staff had limited visibility into their budgets, but Euna Budget provided a clear, user-friendly interface that allowed them to input, adjust, and manage their budget details directly. “The new system gives our staff more ownership of their budgets. They can see all the justifications, vendor details, and everything they need to manage their programs effectively,” McBride said. This level of visibility and accountability has made a significant impact on the organization’s ability to make informed decisions quickly.
A Smooth Implementation with Excellent Support
Despite the complexity of the transition, McBride praised the smooth implementation process, made possible by the excellent support from the Euna Budget team. “We were running parallel projects during the implementation because it overlapped with our fiscal audit, but the Euna team, especially Oscar, made it so much easier,” McBride said. Oscar, who had experience with Northern Rivers’ prior budgeting system, helped them transfer their existing setup and optimize it for the new solution.
“It was a relief to have someone who understood our needs and could guide us through the process. Whenever we had concerns, they were addressed quickly, and the support was always top-notch,” McBride emphasized. The implementation, while challenging due to the organization’s complexity, went smoothly, and Northern Rivers was able to get up and running in time for their next budget cycle.
Major Wins with Euna Budget Professional
The shift to Euna Budget brought significant improvements to Northern Rivers’ budgeting process. One of the most notable changes was how they presented their budgets to the board. Previously, they relied on static PDF reports, but with Euna Budget’s OpenBook feature, they were able to create dynamic, web-based presentations. “The feedback from our board was overwhelmingly positive. The new format made the data more engaging and easier to understand,” McBride shared.
Time savings have also been a major benefit. “Our budgeting meetings used to run for hours, but now they end early, and we’ve needed fewer meetings overall,” McBride said. Program staff can now input data ahead of time, allowing the finance team to focus on analysis rather than manual data entry during meetings. While they haven’t fully quantified the time savings yet, McBride noted that the efficiency improvements are clear.
Looking Ahead
As Northern Rivers continues to explore the full capabilities of Euna Budget Professional, McBride is optimistic about the future. They’ve already begun using the platform for grant proposals and RFPs, and they’re preparing to implement the Capital Budgeting module. “We’re really excited about what’s next. The system has already made a huge difference, and we’re confident that it will continue to provide even more value as we move forward,” McBride said.
The transition to Euna Budget has not only improved Northern Rivers’ financial operations but has also enhanced their ability to deliver on their mission. With a more efficient budgeting process, the organization is better equipped to focus on what truly matters—serving children, families, and communities across New York.
Looking to Improve Your Budgeting Process?
Northern Rivers transformed their full-cycle budgeting process with Euna Budget Professional, gaining increased collaboration, flexibility and efficiency. If you’re ready to streamline your budgeting process and improve decision-making, Euna Budget Professional can help. Let us show you how our solution can support your organization’s budgeting needs and simplify your process.
Watch the full Northern Rivers interview here!
Meet Tom McBride and Tom Amburgey
