--- title: "Harness | Back Office & CFO Support for Charter Schools, School Districts & Nonprofits" url: "https://harnesspotential.net/" description: "Harness provides outsourced back office and CFO support for charter schools, school districts, and nonprofit organizations. Services include accounting, budgeting, accounts payable, HR/payroll, compliance reporting, and executive strategy." organization: "Harness, Inc." founded: 2023 founder: "Carrie Wagner, CPA, MBA" contact_email: "ranie@harnesspotential.net" services: - "Accounting, Finance & Budgeting" - "Accounts Payable" - "Reporting & Compliance" - "HR & Payroll" - "Attendance Accounting" - "Executive Strategy" audiences: - "Charter Schools" - "School Districts" - "Nonprofit Organizations" - "Mission-Driven Organizations" area_served: "California" --- # Back Office & CFO Support for Charter Schools, School Districts, and Nonprofit Organizations Harness provides the infrastructure behind impact — so you can close faster, stay audit-ready, and focus on mission instead of spreadsheets. ## Key Capabilities - Real-time financial transparency - Board-ready customized dashboards - Shortened close - Paperless AP and approvals - Technology-forward approach ## Who We Serve ### Schools & Charter Schools End-to-end financial operations for school and charter leaders who need clarity, confidence, and control. - Audit-ready monthly close - On-time CA compliance (CALPADS, P1/P2, SACS) - Clear cash forecasting - Board-ready financials ### Nonprofits & Mission-Driven Organizations Financial clarity and operational stability so you can focus on impact, not spreadsheets. - Restricted vs unrestricted tracking - Grant reporting and audit-ready docs - Board-ready cash and runway forecasting - Clean close and clear narratives ## Our Services ### Accounting, Finance & Budgeting Accurate books, on-time closes, audit readiness, and flexible budget models with monthly forecasting. ### Accounts Payable Streamlined, paperless AP with approval workflows, audit trails, and controlled payment execution. ### Reporting & Compliance Board-ready deliverables and on-time submissions including CALPADS, SACS, grants, and filings. ### HR & Payroll Payroll setup and processing, retirement reporting, employee self-service portal, digital onboarding, and salary schedules. ### Attendance Accounting Paperless monthly reports and P1/P2/Annual submissions with accuracy and compliance assurance. ### Executive Strategy Strategic financial partnership for leadership and boards with ongoing guidance and scenario planning. ## Client Testimonials > "Harness has streamlined our bill pay in a way we could only dream about before. The time it saves our team, the level of transparency in our approvals, the ability to search for any invoice at any moment is a game changer for us." > — Linda Christiansen, Director of Finance, ICEF Public Schools > "Harness performs all of our accounting and finance functions and has significantly reduced staff time spent on fiscal operations. We highly recommend them to any organization looking for more efficiency." > — Carlos Garcia Saldan, Executive Director, Odyssey Charter Schools > "Harness truly understands the unique compliance and reporting needs we face, and they've kept us audit-ready every step of the way. It's been a huge relief having experts we trust handling such an important part of our operation." > — Ana Andres, HR and Accounting Coordinator, Odyssey Charter Schools ## Why Harness? Founded in 2023 by a seasoned school leader and former C-level executive, Harness was built to give schools, charters, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations a smarter, more strategic approach to back-office support. We focus on the right steps and processes so you'll better understand your financial position — with reports that are easy to track and read. - **Small, agile, and deeply experienced** — we provide personalized support that larger firms can't match - **Cutting-edge tools and AI-powered systems** — modernizing outdated processes to make operations faster and clearer - **First-hand industry knowledge** — we understand the challenges schools, charters, and nonprofits face because we've lived them - **Commitment to clarity and care** — your mission is our priority - **Focused on skilling and training** — empowering your team to become better stewards of their financial responsibilities ## Our Team ### Carrie Wagner, CPA, MBA — Founder and CEO Carrie Wagner founded Harness in 2023 to reimagine back-office support for mission-driven organizations — delivering expert financial and strategic guidance so they can focus on what truly matters: their impact. Prior to Harness, Carrie founded the Girls Athletic Leadership School Los Angeles (GALS), the first all-girls charter middle school in LA. She previously served as COO of Bright Star Schools, CFO/COO of Citizens of the World Charter Schools, and spent 9 years at ExED as President and COO. Carrie holds an M.B.A. from UCLA Anderson, a B.S. in Accountancy from Notre Dame, and an M.A. in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). ## Frequently Asked Questions **What is Harness?** Harness is an outsourced back office and CFO support firm that serves charter schools, school districts, and nonprofit organizations. Founded in 2023 by Carrie Wagner, CPA, MBA, Harness provides accounting, finance, budgeting, accounts payable, HR/payroll, compliance reporting, attendance accounting, and executive strategy services. We use technology-forward systems and AI-powered tools to modernize financial operations for mission-driven organizations. **What types of organizations does Harness work with?** Harness specializes in serving charter schools, school districts, and nonprofit or mission-driven organizations, primarily in California. We provide end-to-end financial operations for school leaders who need clarity, confidence, and control over their back office, as well as financial stability for nonprofits so they can focus on impact rather than spreadsheets. **What services does Harness provide?** Harness offers six core service areas: Accounting, Finance & Budgeting (accurate books, on-time closes, audit readiness, monthly forecasting); Accounts Payable (paperless AP with approval workflows and audit trails); Reporting & Compliance (CALPADS, SACS, grant reporting, board-ready deliverables); HR & Payroll (payroll processing, retirement reporting, digital onboarding); Attendance Accounting (paperless P1/P2/Annual submissions); and Executive Strategy (financial partnership for leadership and boards with scenario planning). **How is Harness different from larger back office firms?** Harness is small, agile, and deeply experienced. Our founder has served as COO of Bright Star Schools, CFO/COO of Citizens of the World Charter Schools, and President/COO of ExED. We combine first-hand industry knowledge with cutting-edge tools and AI-powered systems, delivering personalized support that larger firms cannot match. **How do I get started with Harness?** Schedule a no-obligation 15-minute discovery call through our [contact page](contact.html). We'll discuss your needs, confirm fit, and outline next steps. You can also email us directly at [ranie@harnesspotential.net](mailto:ranie@harnesspotential.net). ## Contact Ready for financial clarity? [Schedule a discovery call](contact.html) or email [ranie@harnesspotential.net](mailto:ranie@harnesspotential.net).