Thanks for the insight Sharon and Susan! I would also recommend checking various research reports in the "how to budget" section of our Rethinking Budgeting Reports page. Also, you may find our new research report Target-Based Budgeting very helpful.
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Timothy Martin
Senior Manager for Digital Experiences
GFOA - Research and Consulting
Chicago IL
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Original Message:
Sent: Feb 21, 2025 11:40 AM
From: Susan O'Brien
Subject: Budgeting Process Questions
Ours is basically the same as Sharon describes - done in Excel and copy the "master" file from one year to the next and then drop in the individual department sheets prepared by Department Heads. The manager and I do revenues with some departmental input. We do hold mini workshops with our board and each department head to allow him/her to make a case for requests and future planning. The manager works through the master file as we have these to mark "yes" or "no" to items the board seems to approve/disapprove. The budget notebooks are then put together and we have budget workshops to allow the board to further discuss and make what is normally their final decision. Of course, we all know nothing is final until the actual vote at a regular meeting and not even then because we can amend. The citizens are not involved beyond the required public hearing.
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Susan O'Brien
Director of Finance & Personnel
City of King
King NC
Original Message:
Sent: Feb 20, 2025 05:48 PM
From: Timothy Martin
Subject: Budgeting Process Questions
What is your current budgeting process? How do you engage stakeholders, set priorities, and address challenges along the way?
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Timothy Martin
Senior Manager for Marketing & Digital Experiences
GFOA
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