Rhizome is a youth-led nonprofit building collective power for young people to create a safer, happier, healthier world. Co-founded in 2021 by 90 young people across 20 states, Rhizome trains high school leaders to organize, engage civically, and grow into purposeful leaders. Through shared decision-making systems and youth-led programming, the organization creates opportunities for young people to practice democracy, develop action plans, and build power in their schools and communities.
The Challenge
As Rhizome grew quickly, its financial systems struggled to keep up with the organization’s momentum. After having difficult experiences with previous bookkeeping support, the team determined that their goal was to find a way to get clean, organized books, timely payments, clear communication, and dependable financial information. For a fast-growing nonprofit with an ambitious mission, Rhizome needed an accounting partner they could trust to bring consistency and confidence to their financial operations.
The Solution
Rhizome partnered with Jitasa to strengthen its bookkeeping and accounting processes while preserving the organization’s unique operational structure. From the beginning, Jitasa took time to understand how Rhizome worked, how its systems were organized, and how regular financial activities could be integrated into its existing infrastructure. With clear communication, timely tax information, dependable payment support, and a depth of nonprofit experience, Jitasa helped Rhizome feel confident that its finances were being handled with care.
The Result
With Jitasa’s support, Rhizome’s leadership gained more time and attention to focus on fundraising, programming, and impact-oriented operations. Instead of worrying about whether bookkeeping would become a source of unexpected stress, the team could move forward with confidence knowing that its financial records were organized and reliable. For a growing nonprofit, that trust created valuable peace of mind and allowed Rhizome to stay focused on empowering young civic leaders.
Why Jitasa?
When Rhizome searched for an accounting partner, the team considered around 10 different firms. Jitasa stood out for its trustworthiness, nonprofit expertise, and alignment with Rhizome’s culture. The team valued Jitasa’s curiosity, detail-oriented approach, and willingness to understand the organization before the partnership formally began. More than a bookkeeping provider, Jitasa became a thoughtful partner Rhizome could trust as the organization continued to grow.
Every point of contact we’ve had at Jitasa has been warm, kind, professional, and trustworthy. For a quickly growing nonprofit, being able to trust the people managing your finances is absolutely invaluable. Jitasa has allowed our team to put more time and attention toward our impact, knowing our finances are being taken care of behind the scenes.”
Jacob Banobi
Co-CEO, one of 90 Co-Founders at Rhizome
Rhizome