Karen Wong, Operations Manager at Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia (A&AA), has overseen significant growth in the organisation’s operations. With expert guidance from Next Dimension Accounting, A&AA transitioned to more structured, cost-effective financial systems that have enabled stability and scalability during a critical phase of development.
A&AA is a registered charity founded in 1993. It is a national patient support organisation dedicated to helping individuals and carers alike in managing allergic diseases. Historically focused on food allergies, it now covers the full spectrum of allergic disease such as insect allergy, allergic rhinitis (hay fever), atopic dermatitis, allergic asthma and other potentially life-threatening conditions. It created Food Allergy Week, held in May each year, to raise awareness in Australia.
Headquartered in Castle Hill, Sydney, the A&AA team has tripled in size in recent years, with revenue increasing to $1.8 million per annum. As many of A&AA’s roles require clinical expertise, its volunteer base remains intentionally small, focused on governance and administrative support.
Partnering for Stability and Scalability
The partnership with Brendan Lucas, Founder & Managing Director at Next Dimension Accounting (NDA), began when he was recommended to review A&AA’s payroll systems. With their in-house bookkeeper nearing retirement, the organisation explored outsourcing options that could support growth while maintaining financial oversight.
Next Dimension stepped in with a customised solution, combining Brendan’s strategic leadership with the capabilities of a broader NDA accounting team. The result was a smooth, well-managed transition from internal systems.
“It is actually costing less than our spend on an on-staff person doing payroll and bookkeeping ,” Karen explains. “The Next Dimension team are very good at producing management reports that meet compliance standards, and all functions are done well.”
Today, Next Dimension manages all payroll and accounts processing and delivers monthly reporting. A&AA and NDA hold regular review meetings. As a grants based organisation, A&AA deals with complex acquittals at times, and Next Dimension assists when acquittals require extra accounting knowledge. “They are a key part in helping us be a financially sound organisation,” says Karen.
In addition to operational support, Karen consults directly with senior NDA team members Tina and Vivian for higher-level accounting matters. “We get a lot more out of the outsourced team with their higher-level analysis and commentary,” she says.
Efficient Systems and Proactive Problem-Solving
One of the most valuable aspects of the relationship has been Next Dimension’s ability to streamline A&AA’s accounting processes and embed consistent routines. “It’s now very stable and consistent, a nice routine where they are really functioning like an internal accounts team, just on the end of a video call,” says Karen.
She especially appreciates the team’s problem-solving approach and efficient use of technology. “The Next Dimension team can think through problems for us and implement something once, rather than us wasting time with multiple attempts to work it out ourselves.”
For example, the team introduced stronger processes around financial security and system access. “They helped us implement security measures in Xero and moved us to digital debit cards, which has improved security and minimised disruptions,” says Karen, “and the team is always up to date on things happening in the accounting space.”
From Firefighting to Forward Planning
Karen reflects that in the past, the organisation was often stuck in reactive mode. “One of the challenges while we were very small was that we were always firefighting rather than improving the business,” she recalls. “Now, we can take advantage of the expertise provided by NDA and this adds focus to our strategic thinking and actions.”
That Next Dimension expertise has helped A&AA elevate its reporting, budgeting and forecasting practices.
With input from the NDA team, what was once a basic budget is now a multi-year financial planning model. “We’ve refined our budgets each year. We now have a three-year forecast, which allows us to see how we can fund new developments and keeps us focused on our financial sustainability,” notes Karen.
Digital Strategy and New Projects
Operations strengthened by good accounting practices have supported A&AA’s recent strategic expansion. In response to growing public demand, A&AA adopted a digital-first strategy, with a major investment in a new website and upgraded IT infrastructure. The strategy also included more sophisticated analysis of how users interact with digital resources to better shape service delivery.
“It was a very big undertaking and investment,” says Karen, “but we are now starting to see good results, including 30% growth in website traffic since launching our new website in October 2024. The new site gives the public quick access to information and enables one-on-one support when needed.”
The organisation is also advancing a number of targeted digital projects:
- Eating Out with Allergies: A national awareness campaign about staying safe when dining out, and understanding rights and responsibilities related to food allergies.
- Eczema Connect: A clinical trial conducted in partnership with Perth Children’s Hospital. The trial will assess the impact of expert advice prior to a specialist appointment.
- The Shared Care for Allergy Project: Delivered in collaboration with the National Allergy Council to improve access to specialist care and shared care models. Funding is provided by the Australian Government, Department of Health.
“With allergies, you are living with them every day. It’s about getting optimal care,” says Karen. “We provide information in bite-size pieces. We’ve found that when people understand more, they get much more out of a specialist appointment. Navigating the health system is challenging and understanding who may be involved with your care, and why, helps people to find health care professionals that can support their diagnosis and treatment.”
A Foundation for Future Growth
Karen emphasises that the partnership with Next Dimension has been instrumental in helping A&AA balance operational stability with ambitious long-term goals. “They’ve really become the financial engine behind our operations,” she says. “Their team brings qualified expertise, timely reporting, and deep financial insight that we wouldn’t otherwise have access to.”
The organisation is committed to raising public and professional awareness about allergic disease, which impact an estimated 6 million Australians “Our vision is to improve quality of life for all Australians with allergic disease. We do this through advocacy, support, education and guidance. Central to this is a commitment to empower people to help them with their everyday life and to connect with credible and evidence-based information and health professionals,” says Karen. As A&AA continues to expand its impact and reach, financial strategy remains central to its success.
“We have very audacious goals,” Karen acknowledges. “But with the knowledge, reporting, and financial nous of the Next Dimension team, we can build a strong foundation to achieve them.”
