FrontStream simplifies tax compliance with Avalara
Avalara helps fundraising software provider streamline exemption management and tax returns, boosting team efficiency
Results
10-20 hours/month saved
~$3–4K/month efficiency gain
Reduced compliance risk
Scalable tax solution
Summary
Tax challenges
- Manual processes
- Poor exemption management experience
- Multistate compliance
Results
- 10–20 hours/month saved
- ~$3K–$4K/month efficiency gain
- Reduced compliance risk
- Scalable tax solution
Company overview
Customer
FrontStream
Industry
Technology
Integrations
Founded with a mission to support nonprofit organizations, FrontStream provides fundraising and donor management software to charitable organizations across North America. The company is driven by a strong mission to help nonprofits make the world a better place. Its platform empowers organizations to raise funds, engage donors, and manage campaigns more effectively.
Tax challenges
FrontStream initially relied on manual, Excel-based processes to manage sales tax compliance. However, as the company grew and expanded its presence across states, compliance became increasingly complex. At first, the company attempted to address this with a tax automation solution. But the solution it selected created major inefficiencies in certificate management and system performance, generating more work for the finance team rather than less.
Thanh Nguyen, Senior Accounting Manager, saw firsthand how the clunky interface and unreliable functionality of that system delayed operations, reduced efficiency, and introduced risk, particularly in managing exemption certificates. “We would upload tax certificates from our customers into our tax automation solution,” Thanh explained. “And sometimes they’d upload correctly, but other times they wouldn’t. The system was clunky and prone to errors — it slowed us down instead of helping.” Within a single year, Thanh led the implementation of two tax solutions — first with that vendor, and then quickly pivoting to Avalara when it became clear the original solution couldn’t deliver on exemption certificate management.
Why Avalara?
Thanh led the evaluation of alternative solutions and ultimately recommended Avalara based on its proven reliability, user-friendly interface, and leading industry reputation. “You get what you pay for,” Thanh said, emphasizing Avalara’s consistent delivery and clear communication.
The implementation was smooth, with Avalara providing well-organized project management and responsive support. Thanh appreciated the clarity and predictability of the onboarding process, which reinforced his trust in Avalara as a long-term partner.
Tax challenges
- Manual processes
- Poor exemption management experience
- Multistate compliance
“The peace of mind Avalara gives us is huge. We know our calculations are right, certificates are managed, and returns are filed.”
—Thanh Nguyen,
Senior Accounting Manager, FrontStream
“The peace of mind Avalara gives us is huge. We know our calculations are right, certificates are managed, and returns are filed.”
—Thanh Nguyen,
Senior Accounting Manager, FrontStream
Results
By automating exemption certificate management and returns filing, Avalara now saves FrontStream 10–20 hours per month and an estimated $3,000–$4,000 per month in equivalent staff time. The system provides seamless integration, more accurate tax calculations, and peace of mind in compliance across multiple jurisdictions. Thanh credits Avalara with enabling the finance team to scale effectively without needing to grow headcount. “Now we’re positioned to handle future growth — whether we’re 200 or 500 employees — without stress,” Thanh shared. Avalara also reduces audit risk and offers valuable learning resources through its Ambassador Program, which Thanh actively participates in.
