How to Justify Additional Expenditures

Your budget looked great when you created it on paper. Now, something has come up, and it is pretty clear that there is no money in the budget to cover it. In many cases, you can find the funds you need if you do a thorough job explaining your needs.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Review your budget. Are you certain the money isn't there, perhaps in a different account?
2. Research. It seems that business managers eat and breathe data, especially numerical data.
3. Write. What does it do? Why do you need it now? What does it cost? Talk about outcomes, return on investment, whatever term best fits your industry. Use positive language where possible.
4. Explore alternatives: we could do this other thing with this anticipated outcome. Do a comparative analysis.
5. Negotiate with other departments and areas to find money in other funds. Explain how this expenditure will benefit them.