It contains two budgets for different fiscal periods that can be compared to each other like–for–like as you work your way through to the end of the current fiscal year. Compare how your pledged, requested, and other received amounts are doing in relation to each other to determine in which revenue areas there needs to be a renewed focus. Use this free budget if keeping on top of your deliverables and ensuring the execution thereof is of the utmost importance to your organization. Find the best solutions & suite of online tools for your fraternity & sorority fundraising campaign here at BetterWorld. Read our detailed guide on Why Budgeting Is Important For Nonprofits. Our team is here to give you more details and guides on how to grow your fundraiser.

It’s a team effort

A key component of financial sustainability is the commitment of board and staff to financial management that includes timely review of financial reports and advance planning. One way that board and staff plan for income and expenses in the future is by creating a budget. Approval of the annual budget is one of the fundamental building blocks of sound financial management. This nonprofit startup operating budget template features sections for total one-time startup expenses, monthly expenses, and total funds required to operate.

• Budget spreadsheets are important for both profit and non-profit organizations.
• This unpredictability can make it difficult to maintain a consistent income flow, leading to challenges in long-term planning and resource allocation.
• This is where the budget becomes an effective management and operations tool for your organization.
• The use of budgets aids the stakeholders of a non-profit organization, like the management and the board of directors, in the creation of the future of the non-profit.
• However, this approach to budgeting presents a great opportunity to bring in and unite various perspectives.
• The Multiyear Nonprofit Budget Template by Spreadsheet Daddy is useful for this.

Create a Replicable Process

This can help ground you in setting realistic goals for your expenses and fundraising efforts. There are several types of budget sheets used by nonprofit organizations. The following section will go over three of the most commonly used types of budgets. We also provide a downloadable template for each of them that you can customize accounting services for nonprofit organizations based on your nonprofit’s needs.

• This can include covering liability for employees or volunteers, property insurance for buildings and equipment, and insurance for events or activities that your nonprofit hosts.
• The template below does an excellent job of evaluating your nonprofit’s strengths and weaknesses when it comes to marketing by utilizing SWOT analysis (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat).
• Annual budgets play a very important role in knowing where a company stands.
• This budget template is designed to help nonprofits quickly and accurately estimate operating expenses while creating a plan to reach their goals in the new year.
• Involve your Board, Executive directors, staff members, and even volunteers during the budgeting process.
• This includes program expenses, staff salaries, an operating budget and other expenditures.

Nonprofit Development Budget Template

Other startup costs might include initial costs for branding and logo, equipment, and first staff member salaries. They charge a small fee for their programs, and the remainder is covered by their generous donors and partners. A grant budget is a detailed financial plan that outlines the estimated expenses of your proposed project or program for which you’re seeking funding. If the budget isn’t carefully crafted or doesn’t fall in line with the requirements of the funder, it could cause you to lose the award.

Support

You’ll also find downloadable templates to streamline the process and empower your team to hit the ground running. With the right tools and strategies, your nonprofit can confidently build a financial foundation for 2025 that ensures stability and amplifies your mission. As you start developing your nonprofit budget, download this budget for nonprofit organizations sample to ensure you include all the essential sections and don’t overlook any crucial details.

It’s important to focus on annual goals, but make sure you also look beyond what you want to achieve this year, and include line items in your budget for long-term goals. It demonstrates your ability to responsibly manage financial resources and provides a roadmap for activities in the upcoming year. Plus, with a budget plan you’ll be better able to manage operations with limited funds. Any undertaking has areas that need to be put into account, especially when creating a budget. These areas depend entirely on what kind of activity is going to be held.

• Approval of the annual budget is one of the fundamental building blocks of sound financial management.
• The cost of administration, categorized as indirect costs, adds value to every program at a nonprofit.
• Having a miscellaneous budget line offers flexibility in your budget, helping you cover unforeseen costs as they arise.
• Individual contributions can be a major way of funding your nonprofit.

Total Up Your Figures

To ensure that your nonprofit is adequately funded, be sure to set https://nerdbot.com/2025/06/10/the-key-benefits-of-accounting-services-for-nonprofit-organizations/ a separate budget for each department within your overall financial plan. By allocating funds to specific programs and initiatives, you can track and manage expenses more effectively and ensure that resources are distributed appropriately. That’s why we’ve put together the ultimate guide to making your own nonprofit program budget — complete with THREE free nonprofit budget templates.