This gives you a bit of wiggle room if your cost estimates came in low or your revenue estimates turned out to be too optimistic. Remember to include, record, and track non-monetary contributions with you budget. This might include volunteer hours or non-monetary contributions such as vehicles or other equipment. List them so that the value zeroes out while still being accounted for.

Examples of Fundraising and Marketing Costs

Good communication between the program, finance, and development departments and the board is key to monitoring the budget during the year. Revenue can be one of the more difficult parts of developing a budget – simply because it’s harder to forecast than expenses. An inclusive budgeting process can certainly be challenging and messy and with a great deal of debate.

Setting aside reserves for unexpected expenses

• It will cover all the expenses required to keep the organization running, from salaries and utilities to technology and insurance.
• Test the current market situation and how it’s likely to influence your income.
• This helps you plan better and avoid financial surprises down the road.
• Creating a nonprofit budget that will set your organization up for success requires a thoughtful process that considers multiple factors that are specific to your organization.
• Ideal for nonprofits seeking user-friendly, comprehensive budgeting solutions, these templates ensure financial processes are streamlined and transparent.
• This becomes particularly important when balancing mission-driven goals with fiscal responsibility, whether you’re running a local charity or a growing foundation.
• Use this as a guide to ensure your financial activities contribute to your organization’s financial sustainability and long-term impact.

Including these costs in your calculations provides a more accurate picture of program sustainability. For example, if you are seeking a $10,000 grant with a 75% chance of being awarded, adjusting the revenue forecast to $7,500 accurately reflects the projected income. Make your goals SMART—specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, and time-bound. If you want to move into a new office space this year, you can estimate the rent. If you want to hire a new marketing director, you can look up salary trends to discover how much you need to pay them.

Nonprofit Budget 2025: Steps, Planning, Examples & Template

• It’s time to forecast your nonprofit’s income for the upcoming period.
• NonProfit+™ is business management software engineered with nonprofits in mind.
• At this point, the budget committee should have a draft budget ready and do a thorough review of it.
• Here’s a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to building a budget that supports your nonprofit’s mission effectively.
• There are a few things to consider when budgeting for expenses in a nonprofit.

It also helps to use a standard format for budgets as you can compare them and track growth and changes over the years. You’ll need a program budget every year, so get your docs in order for the years ahead and plan a clear budgeting process. Forecasting shouldn’t be a shot in the dark; rather, it should be a methodical process that takes into account all relevant information.

Ready to tackle your organizational budget?

Compare this against your predictable expenses like payroll, rent, and utilities, as well as variable costs tied to program delivery and special events. These visible expenses and non-monetary contributions, including volunteer hours, form the foundation of your program budget, but they’re only part of the equation. This granular approach reveals insights that traditional budgets often miss, such as hidden costs that could affect program sustainability. By starting fresh each year, you ensure your budget remains a dynamic tool for achieving your mission. Let’s explore some key reasons why budgeting plays such a crucial role in nonprofit success. First, the budget must clearly align with the organization’s mission and strategic objectives.

How to determine nonprofit income for a budget?

Although considering natural expenses is helpful during the planning process, your final budget should use functional expense categorization to match your financial reports. A nonprofit budget is more than just a collection of numbers; it’s a strategic blueprint that reflects an organization’s priorities, goals, and mission at a foundational level. It outlines expected income and planned expenses for a specific period, typically a fiscal year, ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently The Key Benefits of Accounting Services for Nonprofit Organizations and transparently. For nonprofits, budgeting plays a pivotal role in aligning limited resources with their mission-driven objectives. Gather historical financial data, project future revenue sources, and estimate program costs. Use a program-based approach to understand true costs, include adequate overhead allocation, and build in reserves.

• This method matches the percentage of fundraising expense charged to a program to the percentage of contributed income that program receives.
• For each scenario, you should outline specific action plans to maintain financial stability.
• When determining how to allocate funds, it is important to consider the organization’s overall goals and objectives.
• You can then focus on the rest of the organization’s expenses and funds.
• Assign an average value for flights ($600), hotel stays per night ($250), per diem rates for food ($50), transportation ($50) and more to make it easier to calculate trip costs.
• This rigorous approach ensures each dollar actively contributes to your nonprofit’s mission and helps eliminate legacy costs that no longer serve your current goals.