Trust is at the heart of everything we do at the Otsego Community Foundation. While grants, scholarships, and community investments are the visible outcomes of that trust, a great deal of work happens behind the scenes to ensure those resources are managed with care and integrity.
Our Operations Manager, Katie Warner, is at the center of much of that work. She helps keep OCF running smoothly by overseeing financial processes, ensuring compliance, managing records, supporting our designated and agency fund advisors, and helping our team operate efficiently and effectively. She is often the person connecting the details, solving problems, keeping the staff on track, and reminding us that we can have a little fun while getting the job done.
One of the many ways Katie helps steward the charitable assets entrusted to OCF is through the Foundation's annual independent audit. While much of this work happens behind the scenes, it plays a critical role in ensuring transparency, accountability, and strong financial stewardship.
In this month's feature, Katie takes us Behind the Numbers to share why OCF's annual audit matters and how it helps build and maintain the trust our donors, fundholders, nonprofit partners, and community place in us every day.
Behind the Numbers: Why OCF's Annual Audit Matters
When people make a gift to the Otsego Community Foundation, they place a great deal of trust in us. Whether that gift supports a scholarship, a local nonprofit, or a donor-advised fund, we have a responsibility to ensure those charitable dollars are managed with care.
One of the most important ways we demonstrate that commitment is through our annual independent financial audit.
Think of an audit as a financial checkup. An independent accounting firm reviews the Foundation's financial statements, processes, and controls to confirm that our records are accurate, funds are being managed appropriately, and we are meeting our legal and fiduciary responsibilities. It's an important tool that helps ensure transparency, accountability, and strong stewardship of the charitable resources entrusted to OCF.
This year's audit was conducted by Dennis, Gartland & Niergarth (DGN), an independent auditing firm that has worked with the Foundation for many years. We also benefited from the expertise and support of our CPA partner, Steve Bisher of Bisher Wade CPA, whose guidance continues to strengthen our financial operations and reporting practices.
In keeping with our commitment to good governance, OCF took an additional step this year by conducting a competitive review of our audit services. We issued requests for proposals and met with other qualified firms to evaluate whether our current audit relationship remained the best fit for the Foundation. After carefully reviewing the options, we determined that DGN continues to provide the expertise, value, and service OCF needs, and we are pleased to have renewed our partnership with them for another three years.
While an audit may not be the most exciting topic, it is one of the most important ways we ensure that charitable funds are protected and managed responsibly. It also reflects our commitment to continually evaluating our practices and seeking opportunities to improve.
The final audit report is reviewed by OCF's Finance Committee and Board of Directors and is available upon request, along with our Form 990 and other key organizational documents. We believe transparency is more than simply providing information, it's about building relationships and trust. We welcome questions about our financial stewardship and encourage community members, donors, and partners to reach out. These conversations provide an opportunity to not only share information, but also offer context, answer questions, and discuss the impact of the charitable resources entrusted to our care.
We are honored to serve as stewards of the generosity that strengthens our communities and are grateful for the trust our donors, fundholders, and partners place in us every day.
