It’s budget, love. (from the Budget Direct car insurance TV ads).
Always an interesting time, I’ve had 12 solid months in my role now and the new financial year coming up is an opportunity to streamline some of my work processes, including the design of operational and program budgets in a way that will make reporting easier.
Some principles to help me on my way:
- Three budget categories – administration, fundraising and program (community services). Applying direct and indirect budget allocations. Revenue by thirds – donations, fundraising, grants. From How to Create a Non-Profit Operating Budget
- Preliminary steps for making a budget, don’t panic about the numbers. From How to Make a Budget: Non-Profit Survival Skills
- Non-Profit Budget Tips for a Healthy New Year include match line items to chart of accounts; including indirect costs in program budgets; keep notes to document assumptions; add a “cushion”.
- Useful to prepare monthly budget that reflect timing of revenue and expenses, rather than divide by twelve. From Alliance for Non-Profit Management
It’s been a week of the walking wounded. Karen (admin and backup payroll person) announced that she is pregnant and has been getting all the usual symptoms of morning sickness; Alison (our fundraising/marketing person) has developed high blood pressure and having fainting spells; I put my back out from some weekend volunteer work; my volunteer offsider Jan has been visiting her husband in hospital and waiting for him to be assessed for a nursing home; and youngest nephew Wyatt nearly lost his thumb in a door jamming accident.
Today is going to be an interesting day at work, possibly very stressful. Management finally meeting with staff to try and resolve the impasse with our EBA. Past negotiations have been highly charged, there is a bit of nervousness about how the meeting will go. I’m not required to attend meeting, but I’m caught up in it of course. Not so much as Ros though. What a terrible strain it is for her.