Rising Sun Accounting

What Rising Sun Accounting does

Rising Sun Accounting is a Seattle-based professional services firm founded in 2015 by Samuel Dahlin that provides outsourced accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, and tax services exclusively to non-profit organizations. The firm serves 250+ small and mid-size non-profits with annual budgets ranging from $15,000 to $5 million, offering weekly, bi-monthly, quarterly, or annual engagement cadences delivered in-person in the Pacific Northwest and remotely nationally. The service portfolio spans bookkeeping, monthly/quarterly financial reporting, payroll, budgeting and planning, grant tracking and reporting, state and local tax filing, audit preparation, and IRS Form 990 preparation and e-filing, with the 990 line acting as the firm's signature offering at 150+ filings per year.

The technology stack is commodity SaaS rather than proprietary. Client records run on QuickBooks (Online and Desktop), payroll is delivered through a Gusto partnership with QuickBooks integration, and client communications are protected by Paubox encrypted email. The firm has no mobile app, no public API, and no disclosed AI or automation capabilities beyond what is embedded in its underlying software vendors.

The business operates on a professional services fee model with no disclosed revenue. Pricing is engagement-based: 990 filings range from $75 (990-N) to $1,500 (full 990 for organizations with gross receipts over $2.5M), while bookkeeping and accounting work is quoted on a per-engagement basis. The firm is bootstrapped and founder-owned, with 10 staff, and acquires customers through its website, client referrals, Google Business Profile reviews, and listings in the Gusto partner directory and 501 Commons non-profit service directory. The customer base is diversified across education, food security, environment, international development, arts, and community services, with named clients including Ballard Food Bank, Stewardship Partners, and the Foundation for the Seattle Colleges.

Name

Rising Sun Accounting

Legal name

Rising Sun Accounting

Website

https://risingsunaccounting.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rising Sun Accounting is a Seattle-based, founder-owned firm founded in 2015 that provides outsourced bookkeeping, payroll, accounting, and IRS Form 990 preparation exclusively to 250+ small and mid-size non-profit organizations with annual budgets of $15,000 to $5 million.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Accounting and Bookkeeping Services: Weekly, bi-monthly, quarterly, or annual accounting and bookkeeping services provided to non-profit organizations on a recurring basis.
2. Payroll Services: Full-service payroll processing through Gusto partnership, including direct deposit, electronic filing of payroll taxes and forms, and W-2/1099 processing.
3. IRS Form 990 Filing Services: Annual Form 990 preparation and e-filing services with tiered pricing based on organization gross receipts. Services include deadline tracking, extension filing, and compliance assistance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Rising Sun Accounting provides outsourced bookkeeping, payroll, accounting, budgeting, grant reporting, state and local tax filing, audit preparation, and IRS Form 990 preparation and e-filing services exclusively to non-profit organizations. The firm delivers these services on weekly, bi-monthly, quarterly, or annual schedules through a combination of in-person engagement in the Seattle area and remote delivery nationally, supporting more than 250 non-profit clients with annual budgets ranging from $15,000 to $5 million.

Product overview

Rising Sun Accounting is a service-based firm providing outsourced accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, and tax services exclusively for non-profit organizations. The offering consists of interconnected core services: Bookkeeping Services (recording income, tracking pledges, reconciling accounts), Financial Reports (monthly/quarterly reporting), Payroll Services (via Gusto partnership), Budgeting & Planning, Grant Reporting, State & Local Taxes, IRS Form 990 Preparation & E-Filing (their signature service filing for over 150 non-profits annually with tiered pricing), and Audit Preparation. These services work together to provide comprehensive financial management for non-profits ranging from $15,000 to $5 million annual budgets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bookkeeping Services Recording income as received, tracking pledges and invoices, recording expenses and allocating between programs, fundraising, and administration, reconciling bank accounts, investment accounts, and credit card statements for non-profit clients.
• Financial Reports Preparation and analysis of monthly or quarterly financial reports for management and board to monitor organizational financial health of non-profit clients.
• Payroll Services Full-service payroll provided through Gusto partnership, including direct deposit, automatic electronic filing of payroll taxes and forms, and IRS Forms 1099 and W-2 e-filing for non-profit clients.
• Budgeting & Planning Working with non-profit management to prepare annual budgets and establish plans to maintain financial health and stability.
• Grant Reporting Tracking restricted income and expenses with specific financial reports for grant applications and reporting for non-profit clients.
• State & Local Taxes Filing City and State B&O taxes, WA Secretary of State Annual Reports and Charity Renewals for non-profit clients.
• IRS Form 990 Preparation & E-Filing IRS Form 990 preparation and e-filing services including deadline tracking, extension filing, and annual filing for non-profit clients, with tiered pricing based on organization gross receipts.
• Audit Preparation Assistance with CPA audits including documentation and schedules preparation, coordination with auditors, and serving as point-person throughout the audit process for non-profit clients.

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GustocoreTechnology or IntegrationRising Sun Accounting partners with Gusto to provide affordable, full-service payroll for their non-profit clients. The partnership includes direct deposit, automatic electronic filing of payroll taxes and forms, W-2 and 1099 e-filing, and integration with QuickBooks Online or Desktop.
• 501 CommonsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a local service provider in the 501 Commons directory, a resource for non-profit organizations seeking professional services in the Pacific Northwest.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bench: Bench is a tech-enabled bookkeeping platform providing monthly bookkeeping, tax filing, and financial reporting for small businesses. Comparable to Rising Sun in recurring bookkeeping and tax service delivery, though not specialized in the non-profit vertical.
• Pilot: Pilot is a tech-enabled bookkeeping, accounting, and CFO services firm serving SMBs and startups. Comparable to Rising Sun in core bookkeeping and back-office accounting offerings, but uses a software-led delivery model rather than non-profit specialization.

Direct peers

• CFO Selections: CFO Selections provides fractional CFO and outsourced financial management services primarily to non-profit and middle-market organizations. Comparable to Rising Sun in serving small/mid-size non-profits with outsourced finance functions, with overlap in bookkeeping and financial reporting offerings.
• BerryDunn: BerryDunn is a CPA and business consulting firm with a dedicated non-profit practice offering audit, tax, and advisory services to exempt organizations. Directly comparable to Rising Sun's non-profit specialization and 990 preparation services, serving similar small-to-mid-size 501(c)(3) clients.
• Withum: Withum is a Top-30 CPA firm with a recognized non-profit practice providing audit, tax, and outsourced accounting services to charitable organizations. Comparable to Rising Sun in non-profit-specific 990, bookkeeping, and outsourced accounting offerings for small and mid-size 501(c)(3)s.
• Wegner CPAs: Wegner CPAs is a non-profit-specialty accounting firm providing audit, tax, and consulting services to 501(c)(3) organizations. Directly comparable to Rising Sun Accounting in vertical focus on non-profits and 990 filing expertise, though it serves a larger and more enterprise-tier client base.
• The Bonadio Group: The Bonadio Group is a Top-50 CPA firm providing audit, tax, and consulting services with a strong non-profit industry practice. Comparable to Rising Sun in serving 501(c)(3) clients with bookkeeping, payroll, and 990-related compliance, but at materially larger scale.
• Marks Paneth: Marks Paneth is a Top-100 accounting firm with a dedicated non-profit practice group providing audit, tax, advisory, and 990 services to charities and foundations. Comparable to Rising Sun in exclusive non-profit focus and comprehensive service offerings, but operating at significantly larger scale.
• Whitley Penn: Whitley Penn is a full-service accounting firm with a dedicated non-profit industry group providing audit, tax, and advisory services to exempt organizations. Comparable in non-profit vertical focus and 990 filing expertise, though with broader geographic reach.
• Fiscal Management Associates: Fiscal Management Associates provides financial management consulting and outsourced accounting services exclusively to non-profits. Comparable to Rising Sun in vertical specialization on the non-profit sector and offering of financial operations support, though primarily advisory rather than recurring compliance work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rising Sun Accounting