Effortless User Management for Nonprofits | Holdings Guide 2025

Managing a nonprofit means handling more than just the mission. You’re often tracking donations and grants, working with volunteers and staff, and making sure every dollar is handled ethically and transparently. Whether your organization is just you and a few passionate founders, or a large community effort coordinating dozens of programs, managing financial access and team roles shouldn’t slow you down. Holdings was designed with all types of nonprofits in mind—helping you manage money, control compliance, and empower teams with confidence and ease.

This guide will help you streamline user management within Holdings, showing how to safely invite new users, manage permissions, and keep your organization running smoothly. Whether you’re a board member, program director, finance lead, or volunteer coordinator, this guide is packed with actionable steps, best practices, and how-tos tailored to nonprofits of every size and complexity.

Why User Management Matters for Nonprofits

Every nonprofit relies on trust. Donors trust you to steward their gifts responsibly. Partners rely on you to stay compliant. Grantmakers count on you to provide auditable records. That means it’s not just about who has access—it’s how you ensure that access lines up with each person’s role, and that it’s always easy to review, correct, or update.

Mistakes or the wrong access can put funding at risk, cause compliance headaches, or expose confidential data. Good user management is more than just a tech requirement—it’s a foundation for integrity.

Holdings makes segmenting access straightforward, so you can confidently invite volunteers, board treasurers, accountants, and more, assigning each exactly the right permissions for their job—no more, no less.

Getting Started: Creating Your Holdings Account

Before you can invite your team, you’ll need a primary Holdings account for your organization. The sign-up process fits any nonprofit’s workflow:

• If you already use Google Workspace (many nonprofits do, thanks to nonprofit pricing), connect via Google SSO for fast, password-free setup.

• Not a Google shop? Just use your email address and create a secure password.

Once you’re set up, you’ll land on the Holdings dashboard. Think of it as your financial command center—see balances, transactions, and manage who can access what.

Navigating the Team Page: Where Your Organization Comes Together

The Team page is your nonprofit’s digital staff room. It’s where you see everyone involved with your account, what roles they have, and bring on new teammates.

On this page, you’ll be able to:

• View all users, their contact emails, and their assigned roles.

• Switch between programs or fund streams if you’ve set up virtual accounts for grants, projects, or campaigns.

• Access powerful tools for compliance—statements, audit trails, user activity.

This is your home base for controlling who gets access to what funds, which areas, and when.

Understanding User Roles and Permissions in Holdings

Not every user in your nonprofit needs the same level of access. Holdings’ four main roles are purposefully designed for flexible, safe collaboration in the nonprofit context.

This approach lets you safely bring in outside support (like a contract bookkeeper) or empower volunteers, while keeping sensitive data and spending controls in the right hands.

Step-by-Step Instructions: Adding a New User in Holdings

It’s easy to onboard new teammates, volunteers, finance partners, or board members. Here’s how you do it:

1. Go to the Team Page: Log in and select “Team” in the dashboard’s left navigation panel.

2. Click “+ Invite”: Open the “Add a team member” dialog.

3. Choose the Appropriate Role: Select Admin, Member, or Bookkeeper, based on what the user will do (manage grants, review expenses, or simply observe).

4. Enter the User’s Email Address: Double-check there are no typos—this is their unique identifier.

5. Send the Invite: Holdings will email a secure invitation link to your new teammate.

A quick note: The email address you enter is permanent for audit and security—always ensure accuracy.

Built-In Security: The 7-Day Invite Rule

For nonprofit security, every invitation link expires after seven calendar days. This helps prevent unauthorized or forgotten invites from lingering. If someone doesn’t accept in time, you can easily resend a new link.

By keeping the window short, your org limits risk, especially if emails are accidentally sent to the wrong person or an inbox gets compromised. If anything feels off, just resend and start fresh.

Managing Pending Invites and Resending Access

Life gets busy, emails are missed. Holdings gives you clear status updates. On the Team page, you’ll see anyone still “Pending.” To resend their invite:

1. Select the user in question.

2. Use the “Resend Invite” feature—this generates a fresh secure link.

No extra steps, no new fees. It’s all about keeping your process smooth and reducing admin work.

Security Features for User Management

Holdings was built from the ground up for nonprofits that need both flexibility and robust protection.

Key security features include:

• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Ensure users securely log in, adding vital protection for organizations stewarding donor data.

• Role-Based Access Controls: Only allow authorized staff to move funds or access grant/expense records.

• Audit Trails: Every user action—every payment, every edit—is logged. This is key for grant audits, annual reviews, and building trust.

• Virtual Cards: Issue spending cards to staff or volunteers, with controls over what, where, and how much can be spent—no more out-of-control receipts or risky P-cards.

Best Practices for Onboarding and Permissions

Smooth team onboarding makes life easier for everyone. Here are some strategies tailored for nonprofits:

• Send a Personal Welcome: Beyond the automated email, a friendly Slack or email can help new users feel comfortable.

• Assign Access Thoughtfully: Give only what’s needed—protecting sensitive data and donor privacy is part of your duty.

• Monthly Role Review: Check your Team page regularly, removing users who’ve left or shifting access as programs evolve.

• Onboarding Checklists: Consider shared checklists, like “accept invite, set up MFA, review permissions.”

• Encourage Open Feedback: Ask if the sign-up process made sense. Continuous improvement means fewer headaches for everyone later.

Troubleshooting & Frequently Asked Questions

• What if a user doesn’t get their invite email?
  Have them check spam and promotions folders. If still missing, simply resend the invite.

• Can roles be changed later on?
  Yes! Admins and SuperAdmins can update any user’s role and permissions as staff or projects shift.

• How do you remove a user from access?
  Click the user’s name and select “Remove from team.” Rights are revoked instantly—a vital tool for maintaining compliance.

• Do you limit the number of users our org can have?
  Absolutely not. We welcome teams big or small, with no fees for adding as many members, volunteers, or vendors as you need.

Real-World Nonprofit Scenarios for Holdings User Management

Onboarding an External Accountant
You’ve hired a contract bookkeeper for your year-end review. Invite them as a Bookkeeper, so they can review records but not move money or edit fund designations. Remind them to accept their invite within 7 days. This balances transparency for reviewers and safety for your assets.

Empowering a Program Director
Your youth programs lead needs to manage expense cards for volunteers. Add them as an Admin, granting full authority to issue cards, see virtual accounts, and oversee spending—no need to go through central finance for every little purchase.

Transitioning Roles
When a board treasurer or finance committee member steps down, simply remove them from the Team page. Their access is revoked instantly—no back-end IT support required, minimizing data risk.

Understanding the Power of Virtual Accounts

Managing multiple grants, funds, or programs used to mean a forest of spreadsheets—or risky “mental” accounting. With Holdings, you can create distinct virtual accounts for each grant, campaign, or restricted fund.

Assign unique permissions to each virtual account. For example, restrict a food pantry program coordinator’s card to only their designated grant funds. This prevents accidental overspending and simplifies compliance.

Holdings Pricing: Built for Nonprofit Transparency

We know every dollar counts. Holdings offers:

• No account or transaction fees for domestic transfers.

• 2% return on all eligible balances (variable, credited monthly).

• Integrated accounting for $20/month.

• Bookkeeping support starting at $100/month.

• Funds insured up to $3 million through our FDIC partner network.

• No surprise costs—fees are clear and upfront.

This means less worry about bank charges draining your hard-raised donations or grants.

Why Mobile-Responsive Matters for Nonprofits

Nonprofits aren’t always behind a desk. You might be in the field, at a community event, or reviewing grants after hours. Holdings’ site is fully mobile-responsive, so you can add users, check recent card activity, or approve expenses from any device, without wrestling with app updates.

Flexible for Every Nonprofit

Whether you’re a solo founder with 100 hats, a grassroots organization with programs run by volunteers, or a national nonprofit with a full CFO office, Holdings is designed for your needs.

• Segmentation Without Spreadsheets: Track each grant, fund, or project cleanly in virtual accounts.

• Safer Spending: P-card-style virtual or debit cards for teams, with spending visibility and controls.

• Bookkeeping Help: Out-of-the-box support if you don’t have internal finance staff.

• Data Compatibility: Use Holdings on its own, or sync and export to your existing systems (like Sage Intacct or QuickBooks).

Integrations That Empower, Not Replace

We don’t expect you to switch from the tools you already use. Holdings can:

• Plug into Sage Intacct, QuickBooks, or your favorite accounting apps.

• Export clean finance data by grant, fund, or program—no more manual sorting.

• Automate repeating tasks, or just keep everything in one place if you’re not using any other systems.

Our goal is to enhance your workflow, not disrupt it.

Instructions: Onboarding Checklist for Nonprofits

For quick reference, here’s how to add users and get set up:

1. Create your Holdings nonprofit account (using Google SSO or email/password).

2. Complete your organization profile (with EIN, address, primary contacts).

3. Set up your default grant, program, or fund structure in virtual accounts.

4. Decide access roles for your team (Staff, Board, Volunteers, Accountants).

5. Go to the Team page and select “+ Invite.”

6. Enter emails, assign roles, and click Send Invite.

7. Remind new users to watch for the email—and accept within 7 days.

8. Encourage all users to activate Multi-Factor Authentication on their accounts.

9. Regularly review your user and permission list as staff, grants, or needs change.

Security and Audit: Protecting Every Gift and Grant

Holdings was built with nonprofit compliance in mind. Every user action is logged, so you can:

• Show donors or grantors exactly how money was handled.

• Prepare for audits at any time, whether you have formal annual reviews or more informal external spot-checks.

• Track who approved which expenses, and which staff or volunteer used each card or account.

This isn’t just about defense—it makes proactive stewardship part of your everyday workflow.

Customizable Permission for Volunteer-Driven Teams

Many nonprofits rely on flexible, project-based teams. Holdings’ user management adapts as people come and go:

• Easily add or remove volunteers after a campaign.

• Limit or expand roles for trusted, long-term staff or consultants.

• Never worry who accidentally has access to grant funds after leaving.

Frequently Used Nonprofit Terms & Features in Holdings

• User Identifier: Each person’s access is tied to their unique email for traceability.

• Virtual Accounts: Designate specific cash pools for each restricted gift, endowment, or project.

• Audit Log: See every action, from approval of expense to card issuance.

• API & Integrations: Automate data flow with external grant management, CRM, or HR tools.

• Spending Controls: Set and change limits in real time as needs shift across programs.

• Data Export: Easily pull compliant reports for board, auditor, or grantmaker review.

Removing the Barriers: Easy for Lean or Complex Teams

Even the smallest group can do big things. With Holdings, the same powerful tools scale, whether you’ve got one director and a pile of receipts, or a CFO and a program staff of 50.

No more “manual tracking” of who has access, fretting about offboarding, or struggling to find the right spreadsheet during an audit.

Looking Ahead: User Management That Grows With You

As your nonprofit wins new grants, launches new programs, or brings in new partners, Holdings flexes with you. You don’t have to overhaul your finances with each change. Just adjust roles, invite or remove users, and update permissions as needs grow.

The result: better transparency, simpler audit prep, a lighter compliance burden, and less risk—no matter how simple or complex your organization’s structure.

Ready to Empower Your Team?

Holdings was built for nonprofit leaders who want to focus on impact—not paperwork or back-office firefighting. Add users with confidence, segment funds by grant or program, and know that every action is trackable, secure, and compliant.

Whether you’re managing a single food pantry or a multi-state organization, Holdings puts modern user management—and all the controls you need—right at your fingertips. And if you ever need help, our support team is just a click away.

Let’s make money management for good easier than ever. Invite your team, assign the right roles, and get back to building a better world. Holdings takes care of the rest.