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Financial management & planning

Financial planning for operational decisions in nonprofits

Signs you need a financial model

Big decisions — on hiring, expanding programmes, or accepting a restricted grant — are made on gut feel because you have no financial model to test them against.

What you'll achieve

The financial modelling and planning capability to make confident, evidence-based operational decisions.

How a Nonprofit Builder consultant helps

  • Work with your leadership team to build scenario models for key decisions, develop a simple financial planning tool, and build staff confidence in using it.

Key deliverables

  • Financial decision-making model, scenario analysis for priority decisions, operational budget template, coaching sessions for leadership team.

From the resource library

Free tools and guides to get started

  • 8.2C200

    A Budgeting Guide for NGOs

    A free guide to budgeting for NGO managers and finance staff. It sets out a plan, do and review cycle for building and running a budget, a checklist for monitoring spending against the budget during the year, and tips from experienced NGO finance professionals. Managers use it to prepare annual and project budgets and to keep them on track.

    CurrentKey manual or guideFree with sign-up
  • 8.2C201

    Cash Flow Projection Template

    A free Excel template from Nonprofit Finance Fund for projecting cash coming in and going out each month across the year. It shows the expected cash balance month by month, so you can spot periods when cash will run short and estimate how much working capital you need to cover them. The page includes a short video on how to use it.

    CurrentTool or templateFree