Fund Balance Guidelines for the General Fund

Governments should establish a formal policy on the level  of  unrestricted fund balance that should be maintained in the general  fund  for GAAP and budgetary purposes. 

Adopt rigorous policies, for all operating funds, aimed at achieving and maintaining a structurally balanced budget

Role of the Finance Officer in Collective Bargaining 

Jurisdictions should make use of the finance officer’s expertise throughout the collective bargaining process, and the finance officer should participate in a variety of ways. 

All government should identify, track, and  communicate performance measures.

Accurately Displaying Total Expenditures in Budget Presentations (Budget Consolidation)

Governments should ensure that their entity-wide budget  totals reflect  real economic activity and that material double-counting does not occur, and to safeguard against double counting. 

Working Capital Targets for Enterprise Funds

Local governments should adopt a target amount of working  capital to maintain in each of their enterprise funds. Additionally, governments should use working capital as the  measure of available margin or buffer in enterprise funds. 

Departmental Presentation in the Operating Budget Document

Governments should consider appropriate guidelines when presenting  information in the departmental section of the operating  budget document. 

Best Practices in Community College Budgeting

As part of its planning and budgeting process, community colleges should prepare and develop inputs, define goals and identify gaps, develop strategies to close gaps, prioritize spending and allocate resources, check performance, and enhance budgeting practices. 

Sustainable Funding Practices for Defined Benefit Pensions and Other Postemployment Benefits (OPEB)

Governments should ensure that the costs of DB  pensions and OPEB are properly measured and reported, and that governments sponsor or participate in DB pension plans, or  that offer OPEB, to contribute the full amount of their actuarially determined contribution (ADC) each year. 

Governments should encourage effective and well  implemented public engagement budget processes. 

 Governments should use charges and fees as a method of financing governmental goods and services. 

Best Practices in School District Budgeting

As part of its planning and budgeting process, school districts should plan and prepare, set instructional priorities, pay for priorities, implement its plan, and ensure sustainability. 

Basis of Accounting versus Budgetary Basis

Governments using a budgetary basis of accounting should understand the common differences between GAAP and the  budgetary basis of accounting. 

When considering an internal service pricing system, governments should identify goals of internal service pricing; develop allocation strategy; define level of costing detail; determine cost of service; decide basis of allocation; and consider potential drawbacks.  

Strategies for Managing Health-Care Costs

Governments  need to closely monitor health-care costs and choose approaches that make use of the jurisdictions purchasing power, share costs  appropriately, encourage good consumer behavior, promote health, and  support governmental jurisdictions ability to hire and retain a highly qualified and motivated workforce. 

Making the Budget Document Easier to Understand

GFOA recommends that  governments strive for broader consumption and greater comprehension of the budget document.

Governments should incorporate a number of appropriate guidelines when presenting its capital budget. 

The Statistical/Supplemental Section of the Budget Document

Governments should improve the quality of the statistical/supplemental section of their budget documents by ensuring the relevance of data, organizing information by major category, and provide explanations. 

Every government should consider forecasting procedures that  would result in more accurate expenditure projections, especially as  they relate to personnel.

Establish a formal set of processes for comparing budget to actual results.

Budgeting for School Districts and Community Colleges

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Budgeting Best Practices

Achieving a Structurally Balanced Budget

Fund Balance Guidelines for the General Fund

Working Capital Targets for Enterprise Funds