Budgeting for Non-Finance Managers – Third Sector

This in-person practical course is designed for the third sector for those who have, or are likely to have, budgetary responsibility. Managing a charity often means making difficult choices about how to use limited resources. You do not need to be a finance specialist to manage a budget effectively. This course will help you understand the budgeting process, make informed decisions about resources and communicate financial information confidently to colleagues, trustees, funders and other key stakeholders. The course uses practical exercises, worked examples and a third-sector budgeting case study to make budgeting relevant and accessible. What will the course cover? • Why budget? Understanding the importance of budgeting to third-sector sustainability. • Operational and strategic budgets and how they support effective management and planning. • Using budgets as management tools to manage resources, monitor performance and support decision-making. • Managing uncertainty, including budgeting for inflation, contingencies and changing assumptions. • Sensitivity budgeting to explore the potential impact of different scenarios. • Cash and liquidity, including a short introduction to cash budgeting. How will I learn? The course is practical and interactive, with plenty of opportunity to learn by doing. You will work through short budgeting exercises and worked examples before applying your learning to a third-sector case study. Working in groups, you will develop budgets for a fictitious charity and use the figures to explore different options and make informed management decisions. There will also be opportunities to share experiences, discuss common budgeting challenges and exchange ideas with managers from other third-sector organisations in your region. Skills and confidence gained By the end of the course, you will be more confident in: • Preparing and reviewing budgets. • Making informed budgeting decisions. • Understanding the financial implications of operational and strategic choices. • Managing limited resources and responding to changing circumstances. • Communicating budgetary information effectively to key stakeholders. • Using budgets as a practical management tool. No specialist finance background is required.