Budget season is here!

March 9, 2016

On March 22^nd, politicos and journalists will be on the edge of their seats waiting for the first budget of the new Liberal government.  And, while we all know what will drive the nightly news and newspaper headlines the following day, what could this mean for your organization?  How can you prepare?  What are the next steps?

First of all, it is important to have a plan of action: if you have a specific request, how is your organization going to react if it is granted?  What if it is not?  How are going to communicate this?  What is your reaction going to be?

If your organization has been lobbying for a specific funding request or policy change, it is important to take a detailed look at the budget documents.  If your specific request isn’t granted, are their indications of a government’s leanings one way or another?  Are there other actions taken that help your organization to achieve the same thing?

After reviewing the documents, you must decide:

1. What your reaction is going to be (positive or negative).
2. How you are going to communicate your message.
3. Who your audience is.

After weighing these options, take the action that’s best for your organization and move forward.  If you were unsuccessful in this budgetary cycle, there may be other opportunities throughout the year.