Modernizing Financial Operations for a Workforce Development Nonprofit

The Kentucky Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (KRAEF) supports culinary education and workforce development initiatives across the state. From sponsoring high school culinary competitions to running ServSafe training for adults re-entering the workforce, their programs serve a wide range of constituents—from teens in hospitality pathways to career changers seeking stability and skills.

Behind the scenes, however, financial operations had long been a source of stress. KRAEF runs multiple programs, each with its own funding source—some from state workforce development funds, others from private foundations or event revenue. Managing expenses, categorizing transactions, and staying compliant with different grant requirements had become a full-time burden on a very lean team.

The Challenge

Before switching to Givefront, the foundation managed finances manually. Program expenses were tracked in Excel. Credit card statements were downloaded and sorted each month. Receipts were submitted late—if at all—and reimbursements could take weeks to process. Reporting for funders meant combing through card transactions, trying to match purchases to budgets and back into compliance.

Each year, when audit season or grant reporting rolled around, the team scrambled to rebuild the paper trail. There was no real-time visibility into how much had been spent from a specific grant, let alone tools for preventing overspending in the first place. The finance team had little control over day-to-day transactions and even less confidence that programs were staying within fund guidelines.

Why Givefront

Givefront offered KRAEF a way to modernize without overhauling their entire workflow. The foundation was able to maintain its internal structure—separate budgets for ServSafe, ProStart, scholarship funds, and operations—while giving program leads more autonomy over spending.

The core of the implementation started with virtual and physical cards, issued to staff and instructors across the state. Each card was linked to a specific fund or budget, and spending limits were enforced automatically. Staff could purchase supplies for classes, travel to trainings, or cover event costs without waiting for approvals or fronting their own money.

Spend controls were applied by fund—so, for example, ServSafe cards could only be used for instructional materials and exam fees, while scholarship fund cards were limited to specific categories like hotel reimbursements or registration subsidies.

Real-Time Visibility and Control

Givefront’s live dashboards gave the finance team new visibility into day-to-day spending. Instead of waiting until the end of the month, they could see fund balances and card activity in real time. Each transaction was automatically categorized and mapped to IRS 990 categories and grant requirements.

Receipts were no longer a bottleneck—staff could snap a photo, email it in, or text it directly to Givefront. The system matched receipts to transactions automatically, and flagged any that were missing, out of policy, or over budget.

With every expense mapped to a specific fund, audit prep and grant reporting became significantly easier. Reports could be generated by fund, date range, or user—with receipts, vendor names, and category breakdowns included.

Reimbursements and Bill Pay

KRAEF also implemented Givefront’s reimbursement workflow. Instructors and part-time staff could submit a photo of a receipt, select the program it belonged to, and receive ACH reimbursement within days. This was especially valuable for rural instructors who had previously waited weeks to be reimbursed for meals, travel, or supplies.

The foundation also began using Givefront for vendor payments. Invoices for speakers, training partners, or venues were uploaded, categorized, and paid via ACH or check. W-9s and 1099 tracking were handled automatically.

Results

Since implementing Givefront, the Kentucky Restaurant Association Educational Foundation has dramatically reduced the administrative burden of managing multi-program spending. The finance team now spends less time tracking down receipts, reconciling transactions, or building reports for funders—and more time planning programs and securing new funding.

Givefront has helped them scale operations without adding more staff or sacrificing financial transparency. With real-time controls and automated compliance, the foundation can grow confidently while staying accountable to every dollar they spend.