ESP Accounting

What ESP Accounting does

ESP Accounting is a boutique Certified Public Accounting firm founded in 2013 by Erin Sacco Pineda, CPA, headquartered at 1286 University Avenue in San Diego, California. The firm operates with 1 to 10 employees and is licensed to practice in both California and Hawaii. Its entire practice is dedicated to serving 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, making it a focused specialist rather than a generalist CPA shop.

The firm's core services include outsourced accounting, Form 990 tax preparation, nonprofit-specific consulting, and fractional CFO services for organizations that lack in-house financial leadership. Its technology stack is built around cloud-based accounting platforms with a secure client portal and paperless auditing tools, which enable remote collaboration with nonprofit clients and reduce document-handling friction during audits.

The business model follows standard professional-services economics: hourly and project-based fees for recurring accounting and annual tax work, with higher-margin advisory and CFO engagements layered on top. The firm generates visibility and referral flow through founder-led participation in AICPA, CalCPA (including a Board directorship), NPMS, and a long-running teaching role at the University of San Diego's Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program. The firm has no external funding, no M&A history, and no disclosed AI capabilities, positioning it as a specialized, founder-led practice rather than a scaled platform.

Name

ESP Accounting

Legal name

ESP Accounting

Website

http://www.esp-cpa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ESP Accounting is a San Diego-based boutique CPA firm founded in 2013 by Erin Sacco Pineda that exclusively serves 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with outsourced accounting, Form 990 tax preparation, consulting, and fractional CFO services across California and Hawaii.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Accounting and Tax Services

NAICS

Offices of Certified Public Accountants (541211)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Reporting & Technical Accounting Advisory (GAAP/IFRS) (BPAHABAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

General Ledger & Close (Journal Entries, Month-End Close, Reconciliations) (BPAAAGAC)

Keywords

• Nonprofit accounting services
• 501(c)(3) tax filing
• Nonprofit audit services
• Form 990 preparation
• Small business bookkeeping

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Accounting Services: Professional accounting services including write-up services, full-charge bookkeeping, software setup and management, CFO services, and historical clean up or reconciliation projects. Billed as professional services engagements.
2. Tax Services: Tax preparation and consulting services for nonprofits including Form 990 preparation, electronic filing, and ongoing tax advisory. Licensed in California and Hawaii for state, local, and federal tax matters.
3. Consulting Services: Accounting consulting services including governance training, QuickBooks training, internal controls training, developing accounting policies and procedures, CFO or bookkeeper oversight, financial forecasting, and accounting software analysis.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ESP Accounting is a CPA firm that provides accounting, tax preparation, and consulting services exclusively to nonprofit organizations, particularly 501(c)(3) entities, in California and Hawaii. Its core offerings include Form 990 preparation, financial statement preparation, audits, bookkeeping, QuickBooks setup, and strategic nonprofit consulting, delivered through cloud-based tools and a secure client portal.

Product overview

ESP Accounting is a CPA firm specializing in nonprofit accounting, offering integrated professional services rather than a unified software product. The firm provides a portfolio of interconnected service offerings including a Secure Client Portal for file exchange, Paperless Auditing Tools for documentation management, Cloud-Based Accounting Solutions, and Best in Show Tax Software for electronic filing. These service features are delivered alongside core Accounting Services, Tax Services (covering preparation and consulting), and Consulting Services. The firm, led by Erin Sacco Pineda CPA, was founded in 2013 and serves nonprofit organizations with services ranging from day-to-day bookkeeping to full CFO functions, leveraging cloud-based technology to provide efficient, cost-effective accounting solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Nonprofit Accounting Services Outsourced accounting services for nonprofit organizations, including general ledger management and financial reporting, delivered using cloud-based accounting tools.
• Nonprofit Tax Preparation (Form 990) Preparation and filing of IRS Form 990 and related nonprofit tax returns for 501(c)(3) and other tax-exempt organizations using dedicated tax software.
• Nonprofit Audit Services Independent audit engagements for nonprofit organizations, utilizing paperless auditing tools and a secure client portal for document exchange.
• Financial Statement Preparation Preparation of nonprofit financial statements in accordance with applicable reporting standards for boards, donors, and regulatory bodies.
• Nonprofit Bookkeeping Recurring bookkeeping services for nonprofits, including transaction recording, reconciliations, and maintenance of accurate financial records.
• QuickBooks Setup and Support Setup, configuration, and ongoing support of QuickBooks for nonprofit organizations, tailored to nonprofit chart of accounts and reporting needs.
• Nonprofit Consulting Services Strategic and operational consulting for nonprofit organizations, including guidance on financial management, governance, and compliance matters.

Quantifiable outcome

• IRS typically confirms receipt of electronically filed returns within 72 hours

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants)coreOthers · 1 January 2012ESP is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the largest worldwide organization representing the accounting profession since 1887. AICPA sets ethical standards for the industry and provides essential information, training tools, and resources for improving CPA skills and knowledge.
• AICPA Private Companies Practice Section (PCPS)coreOthers · 1 January 2012ESP is a member of the AICPA Private Companies Practice Section which provides valuable information and resources for firms in practice management, including up-to-date information on tax, accounting, and auditing standards changes. In 2012, Erin Sacco Pineda participated in the Emerging Partner Training Forum.
• CalCPA (California Society of Certified Public Accountants)coreOthersWith over 40,000 members, CalCPA serves as an advocate for CPAs on issues affecting the accounting profession. Erin Sacco Pineda serves as Director on the Board for the San Diego Chapter and as Chair of the Nonprofit Interest Group San Diego Chapter. She is also a graduate of the CalCPA Emerging Leaders Certificate Program.
• Nonprofit Management Solutions (NPMS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 1984, NPMS has provided management assistance to nonprofit organizations throughout Southern California including consulting, training, board and staff leadership development, and coaching. Erin developed and taught courses in Financial Management for the NPMS workshop series. The affiliation allows ESP to understand and embrace client needs with confidence and excellence.
• University of San Diego Nonprofit Leadership Certificate ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOffered by the University of San Diego, this eight-course program builds essential skills in nonprofit management. Since Fall 2013, Erin has taught the Financial Management course and is developing an online version of the course. This partnership demonstrates ESP's commitment to nonprofit education and professional development.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• CapinCrouse: National CPA firm that specializes exclusively in serving nonprofit organizations, including 501(c)(3) entities, with audit, tax, and consulting services. CapinCrouse is one of the most directly comparable peers to ESP given its nonprofit-exclusive focus.
• Johnson Lambert & Co. Specialist CPA firm dedicated to insurance and nonprofit clients, providing audit, tax, and advisory services to tax-exempt organizations. Directly comparable to ESP's nonprofit-exclusive positioning.
• Councilor Buchanan & Mitchell (CBM): Boutique CPA firm focused on nonprofit and government audit, accounting, and consulting services. Highly comparable to ESP given its nonprofit specialization and small-firm delivery model.
• Blue & Co. Regional CPA firm with a strong dedicated nonprofit practice providing audit, tax, and advisory services to 501(c)(3) and other tax-exempt organizations. Comparable to ESP in nonprofit focus.

Broad incumbents

• CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA): Top-10 U.S. accounting firm with one of the largest dedicated nonprofit industry groups, serving 501(c)(3) organizations with audit, tax, and advisory services. Overlaps with ESP but operates at far greater scale across multiple industries.
• Plante Moran: Large U.S. accounting and business advisory firm with a dedicated nonprofit practice serving health and human services, education, associations, and religious organizations. Competes with ESP for larger nonprofit engagements.
• Moss Adams: Top-15 U.S. accounting firm with a dedicated nonprofit practice providing audit, tax, and consulting to tax-exempt entities. Directly competes with ESP for mid-market and larger nonprofit clients.
• BDO USA: Global accounting network with a U.S. nonprofit industry group serving 501(c)(3) entities with audit, tax, and advisory services. Broader portfolio than ESP but a meaningful competitor for nonprofit clients in California.
• Forvis (formerly BKD): Top-10 U.S. accounting firm formed by the merger of BKD and Dixon Hughes Goodman, with a dedicated nonprofit practice serving health care, higher education, and other tax-exempt organizations. Competes with ESP at larger engagement sizes.
• Marcum LLP: Top-15 U.S. accounting firm with a dedicated nonprofit and government services practice providing audit, tax, and advisory to tax-exempt organizations. Comparable to ESP in service offerings but at materially greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/espcpa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/erin-sacco-pineda-cpa
• Xx.com/espcpa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 ESP Accounting