"I had a lot of cleanup to do. Barbara was able to help me fix some basic errors that I wouldn't have had a clue to. She's an expert in QuickBooks. She actually teaches it at a community college locally."
— Jan Jarrett, Part-Time Administrative Consultant
The Challenge
Jan Jarrett serves as part-time administrative consultant for Better for Pennsylvania, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit advocating for fair pay, affordable care, and democratic representation for Pennsylvania families. Despite her administrative expertise, Jan found herself overwhelmed by the organization's bookkeeping needs after a difficult handoff from a previous accounting firm.
"I needed the help. I am not a bookkeeper. There was a gap between [our previous accounting firm] and me. And at the end of that engagement, they slammed everything into QuickBooks without going through it, and so I really needed help to clean that up."
The financial records were in disarray, and Jan needed more than just cleanup — she needed someone who could help establish proper expense categories and classes, and correctly account for payroll expenses. Complicating matters further, Better PA manages two distinct streams of restricted funding: grants allocated for 501(c)(3) activities and funds allowable under 501(c)(4) rules, requiring Jan herself to make allocation decisions.
Jan explored local bookkeeping and accounting services, but most weren't accepting new clients or insisted on taking complete ownership of the finances — an arrangement that simply didn't fit the organization's structure. She needed a collaborative partner, not a replacement. BELAY offered exactly that.
The Solution
BELAY matched Jan with Bookkeeper Barbara Adams, and the relief was immediate. Barbara brought deep QuickBooks expertise to the engagement — she even teaches QuickBooks at a community college — making her an ideal fit for the cleanup and restructuring Jan's books required.
"Barbara helped me with all of that. I was completely relieved. I had a lot of cleanup to do. Barbara was able to help me fix some basic errors that I wouldn't have had a clue to. She's an expert in QuickBooks."
Barbara established proper expense categories and classes within QuickBooks, corrected foundational errors left behind by the previous firm, and took ownership of ongoing bookkeeping tasks. She updates ledgers on a weekly basis and generates end-of-month financial reports, giving Jan consistent visibility into the organization's finances without requiring her to manage every detail herself.
The relationship is built on clear communication and flexibility. Jan feels comfortable reaching out with questions at any time, and Barbara's responsiveness has made the partnership feel collaborative rather than transactional — precisely the dynamic Jan had been searching for.
"We got the books straightened out. The cleanup was a win."
— Jan Jarrett, Part-Time Administrative ConsultantThe Impact
With Barbara's help, Better for Pennsylvania's books are now clean, organized, and properly structured. The cleanup that once seemed like an insurmountable burden became one of the clearest wins of the engagement.
"We got the books straightened out. The cleanup was a win. She's a huge help. [Barbara] understands my limitations, and so she's able to help me. And if I ask a question of her, she's responsive."
Beyond resolving the immediate backlog, the partnership has positioned Better PA for what promises to be a significantly more demanding year ahead. With Congressional races on the horizon in 2024 and the organization planning active engagement in Pennsylvania's state House and Senate elections, Jan anticipates a sharp increase in expenses — and more complex reporting requirements, since the organization must report political activity expenditures to the state.
Rather than facing that complexity alone, Jan is already working with Barbara to prepare. The foundation they've built together gives Jan the confidence to scale the organization's financial operations through an election cycle — with an expert partner she trusts by her side.