Nonprofit Groups Attract CFOs From For-Profit Companies

As a former finance chief of four public companies, including mortgage giant Fannie Mae, David Johnson knows about investments.

“When I think about investment, I immediately think about hurdle rates, return on investment and return on equity,” he said.

At International Rescue Committee, the refugee-aid charity that Johnson joined last March, the term investments refers to the aid it dispenses to support refugees. “It’s almost like we’re speaking different languages,” he said.

Like Johnson, many chief financial officers are making the transition to the nonprofit arena, grappling with unfamiliar nomenclature, accounting rules and cultures.