Nonprofit finance often lags behind for-profit organisations due to funding constraints, donor reporting requirements, and long-standing perceptions of finance as a back-office function rather than a strategic partner. In this episode, Kevin Appleby speaks with Ilana Esterrich, GrowCFO Mentor and experienced nonprofit CFO, about closing this perceived 10-year gap by evolving the CFO role from retrospective accounting to forward-looking strategy, donor partnership, and operational discipline. Drawing on her cross-sector and military-informed leadership experience, Esterrich highlights the importance of investing in finance, legal, and technology capabilities, embracing scenario planning, and aligning financial leadership with mission outcomes to enable sustainable scale.