Around this time last year, I made a goal to real more novels. I used to read a lot when I was younger, but lately it seemed there was no time for it. So, in January, I sat down and laid out a plan. And this month will be my 13th novel of the year. How did I do it? I made sure my plan was current, coordinated, and comprehensive.
As we head into 2018, many non-profits want to create a new budget plan the same way they want to make a new year’s resolution. But it doesn’t matter whether you’re building an organizational budget or making a simple lifestyle change. You need to follow a few helpful guidelines if you want to expect success! Questica is here to help you achieve your goals and make your 2018 non-profit budget plan a breeze!
Current
It is important that the plan stays up-to-date throughout the year. When working on my reading resolution, I didn’t want to lose track of my goal. I laid out a plan to coordinate personal reading time into my schedule, looked at what I was doing every day and found times that would work for me to sit down and relax. If anything changed, I’d adjust my schedule to accommodate it.
Your budget plan also needs to stay current. Make sure you have all the latest information, figures and statistics to allocate the budget as accurately as possible. The last thing you want is to find that you’ve run out of money on an important project or plan because you underestimated its cost. Also, don’t assume what worked in January will keep working in August. Update regularly!
Coordinated
Ask any number of people who have successfully accomplished a major goal and you’ll probably hear a similar answer: none of them did it alone. It may be embarrassing to “ask for help” with one of your goals, but it will go far easier than trying to do everything by yourself.
Your budget plan is also a coordinated effort. You need to work with multiple departments to make sure that everyone’s needs are met. It can feel like a monumental task, keeping all those plates spinning in the air at once. The payoff, however, is definitely worth it. For my resolution, I asked my friends if I could borrow copies of their favorite novels. This helped to keep me accountable because I wanted to return the book in a timely manner.
On the other hand, a friend who is not up to speed on your goals can unwittingly become an obstacle to them. Be sure to include your department managers and other high level employees and you will accomplish more and keep everyone up-to-date working as a team.
Comprehensive
Finally, you want to make sure your budget plan is full and complete. Just likes a new year’s resolution is no good as a simple concept, a budget plan is worthless if it is half-formed and aimless. Your plan must follow this mindset. You must have the full picture of where your company is and where it wants to be by 2018. You must know the steps you can take to get to that end point. Most importantly, you must know where and how your money is being spent to avoid any unpleasant budget surprises. Fortunately, tight control over your expenses is easier when you understand the big picture of your company’s spending.
If your organizational New Year’s resolution is to make your budgeting processes easier, Questica has the software to help. If you are interested in trying out Questica, you can visit our website and request a demo for yourself. Make sure your 2018 budget plan doesn’t fizzle out, with Questica!
