BELLFORGE ARTS CENTER

"A valuable service for smaller nonprofits like us"

The Bellforge Arts Center – a regional multi-arts complex being built on the grounds of the historic Medfield State Hospital in Massachusetts – is a beacon of cultural and artistic expression, dedicated to fostering community ties and providing an inclusive environment where art thrives. Rooted in nature and a legacy of healing from the 1896-vintage hospital — the first of its kind built using the cottage-style plan designed to maximize daylight, fresh air, exercise and socialization for residents — Bellforge today nurtures community, creativity and self-expression through the arts. Concerts, festivals, community events, and more than 200 miles of nature trails and outdoor recreation space offer an experiential place for people to make and enjoy art and engage with each other and the land.

With Bellforge in the midst of a $25 million capital campaign to renovate buildings that have been abandoned for 20 years, the auditors recommended converting the accounting system from cash to an accrual basis. Executive Director Jean Mineo had never kept books on an accrual basis and knew she needed help with the transition, so she hired YPTC. “We have been very happy,” she says. “We’re a small nonprofit and there is no way we could have managed that transition internally ourselves.”

YPTC Associate Anna Kim provided summary reports and stayed on after the transition project to help Bellforge automate some of its accounting software. “Anna’s been really proactive; her communications and follow-up are excellent,” Mineo says. “She’s helped us to evaluate how we’re functioning and she’ll assist us during the audit at the end of our fiscal year and answer questions for us.”

“It’s been very positive all the way around,” Mineo says. “YPTC offers a valuable service for smaller nonprofits like us. We are so very mission-focused, but you also have to be able to keep the books.”