Basics of Budgeting

This course gives municipal officials and staff a practical understanding of the municipal budget cycle, from setting priorities and building the annual budget to monitoring results, planning for capital needs, and communicating decisions.

Participants will learn how revenues and expenditures are balanced, what the adopted budget authorizes, how financial results affect future decisions, and how to respond when available resources do not fully cover municipal needs.

Learners will practice interpreting financial information, comparing options, and explaining budget decisions clearly. The course also introduces capital planning and concludes with a Borrowing Readiness Brief that prepares a project for further funding analysis.

Part of the League’s Municipal Finance Essentials, this course builds practical knowledge of municipal budgeting, local government finance, capital planning, and fiscal decision-making.