Advanced Budget Academy

Budgeting and Forecasting

Advanced Budget Academy

Event Type: In-Person Training

Dates and Times

  • December 14, 2026 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. CT

  • December 15, 2026 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. CT

  • December 16, 2026 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. CT

  • December 17, 2026 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. CT

Location

Hyatt Regency Austin
208 Barton Springs Road
Austin, TX

Event Details

Field of Study: Finance

Level: Advanced

Credits: 28

Prerequisite: Fundamentals of Local Government Budgeting, Budget Academy, or experience developing a budget

Status: This event has availability.

Details:

Budgeting is not just an exercise in balancing revenues and expenses. It requires local government leaders to make a series of decisions about topics such as: What are the most pressing problems facing the community and what services and programs can we offer to address these problems? What is the best way to raise revenue to fund services and programs? Which programs should receive increased funding, and which should not? This kind of decision-making is messy. It’s often done by groups, there are often conflicting points of view. It’s usually time-constrained, so there isn’t time to consider everything. There is always uncertainty and risk--usually more than we realize. And it’s done by humans, so it’s fraught with bias and inconsistency. Through a mix of lecture, group discussion, and group exercises, this course will provide you with the tools you need to manage budget decision-making processes, with a focus on how to build trust, collaborate, and communicate with stakeholders.

Who Will Benefit:

Budget manager/director/officer, finance director, CFO, department executives

Learning Objectives:

Those who successfully complete this seminar should be able to:

  •   Describe the five pillars that comprise GFOA's Financial Foundation Framework and how organizations can strengthen each pillar to support thriving communities
  • Define the role of the budget manager as a “decision architect” and discuss how behavioral science can help you design a better decision-making environment
  • Identify cognitive biases that can negatively impact budget decisions
  • Explain how clear communication can encourage greater collaboration and build trust within your organization
  • Describe the importance of nurturing stakeholders’ trust in decision-making processes
  • Learn tips and techniques for communicating complex information and financial data
  • Explain the benefits of public engagement and identify the key components of effective public engagement  
  • Describe the shortcomings of traditional, incremental approaches to budgeting  
  • Discuss budget methods and approaches that local governments can use to achieve better financial outcomes
  • Facilitate an internal assessment of your organization’s budget practices and develop a plan for how to improve them 

Member Price: $1,650.00

Non-Member Price: $2,200.00

Register

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