Budgeting for Community Impact

Badge image for Budgeting for Community Impact

Budgeting for Community Impact

The Budgeting for Community Impact microcredential is designed to equip learners with essential skills in budgeting, financial planning, and strategic resource allocation for organizations committed to social change. This skills course emphasizes aligning an organization's budget with its vision, mission, and values, ensuring financial integrity and accountability. Participants will engage with practical exercises, real-world scenarios, and reflective learning, emerging equipped to lead and manage budgets that support impactful community leadership. This microcredential is ideal for professionals in nonprofit organizations, public agencies, social enterprises, and lifelong learners interested in mastering budgeting for impactful community leadership.

Earning Criteria

- Understand how mindset impacts effective and expansive budgeting approaches.
- Develop 2 budget types (Ideal & Current) along with a budget narrative that aligns with a real or imaginary organization’s vision, mission, & values.
- Identify the factors that could impact budget projections and budget actuals and create risk and opportunity profile.
- Develop a budget planning & evaluation schedule.
- List ways to avoid mission creep when searching and creating budgets for grants.
- Define participatory budgeting and identify 2- 3 ways to integrate it into their budgeting process.
- Understand how to use budgets as an educational tool for a wide range of stakeholders.

Additional Details

Learning Outcomes

1. Analyze how mindset impacts effective and expansive budgeting approaches.
2. Develop 2 budget types (Ideal and Current) along with a budget narrative that aligns with a real or imaginary organization's vision, mission, and values.
3.Identify factors that could impact budget projects and budget actuals and create a risk and opportunity profile.
4. Create a comprehensive budget planning and evaluation schedule.
5. List and evaluate ways to avoid mission creep when searching and creating budgets for grants.
6. Define participatory budgeting and identify 2-3 ways to integrate it into their budgeting process.
7. Apply budgeting principles as an educational tool for a wide range of stakeholders.

Time to Earn

5 weekly meetings of 2.5hrs (12.5 hrs instruction time and 25-30 hrs of independent preparation and project time)
Sally Scott

Sally Scott

Prof of Practice

Division of Professional Studies
Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health