Nuclear Fusion Events (NFE) is an early-stage 501(c)(3) nonprofit developing immersive cultural and educational programming within music and cultural festivals, focused on energy, ecology, sustainability, regenerative practices, and community engagement.
We are preparing for our first meaningful grants, donations, festival partnerships, and program budgets. Before significant funding arrives, we want to establish proportionate financial controls, Board oversight, grant-accounting readiness, and clear reporting practices rather than trying to repair systems later.
NFE also operates alongside a legally separate commercial entity, Orbit Activations LLC. Some future festival projects may involve both nonprofit programming and separate commercial activation activity, creating additional considerations around entity separation, shared costs, documentation, and financial controls.
We have already developed substantial governance and organizational planning, but need an experienced nonprofit finance professional to stress-test the financial structure, identify gaps, and recommend practical systems appropriate for a small pre-pilot organization.
By the end of this project, the consultant will deliver a concise Financial Governance & Controls Assessment and prioritized Year 1 roadmap for NFE.
The assessment should include recommendations for:
• Core financial controls appropriate for an early-stage nonprofit
• Restricted versus unrestricted fund tracking
• Grant accounting and reporting readiness
• Budget-to-actual and Board-level financial reporting
• Documentation, approvals, reconciliations, and recordkeeping
• Form 990 and general nonprofit accounting readiness
• Identification of issues that should be escalated to an outside CPA or legal counsel
• Maintaining clear financial separation between NFE and its related but legally separate commercial entity
• A defensible approach to shared-project cost allocation when nonprofit and commercial activities occur around the same festival project
• Immediate, near-term, and later-stage financial priorities
Success means NFE has a practical financial-governance framework that protects donor and grant funds, supports independent Board oversight, improves funding readiness, and is appropriate for the organization's current size without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
This project is advisory and planning-focused. It does not require the volunteer to provide legal advice, perform bookkeeping, or prepare NFE's tax filings.
