Review actual costs against the plan
See this course’s project requirements
A program finance packet with cash and donated resources, funding restrictions, shared costs, payment timing, variance review and a final report.
Keep your working files in your own notebook or software. Save a private description, checklist, and work link in My Proof.
What to include
- A program resource budget separating cash and in-kind support.
- A funding-by-cost matrix with restricted balances visible. A documented shared-cost allocation and funding check.
- A program cash-timing check with a conditional launch rule.
- A line-by-line variance review with a funding gap flagged.
- A nonprofit program finance report with reconciled funds and service-cost context.
Review and revise
Use these criteria to check your work and choose what to improve.
- Calculations reconcile to the supplied records, with units and dates labeled.
- Assumptions and missing information are visible, including the changed scenario.
- The recommendation follows the evidence and explains an important limitation.
- The six lesson outputs form a usable handoff that another learner can check.
Want more background?
The idea in everyday life
Bridge actuals after its cash timing is resolved: facilitator 200; materials 90; snacks 180; transport 70; coordination 80; donated room 120. Original budget: 200,100,160,60,80,120. The same award restrictions apply.
A variance explains what changed; it is not automatically a success or a failure.
Review actual costs against the plan — worked practice
A variance explains what changed; it is not automatically a success or a failure.
Bridge actuals after its cash timing is resolved: facilitator 200; materials 90; snacks 180; transport 70; coordination 80; donated room 120. Original budget: 200,100,160,60,80,120. The same award restrictions apply.
1. Compare lines
Actual minus budget for each category.
You should see: Variances: 0, −10, +20, +10, 0, 0 dollars.
State the sign convention.
2. Total actual cash
Add all actuals except donated room.
You should see: Cash actual $620, or $20 over budget.
Noncash support stays separate.
3. Check funds
Assign actual facilitator, materials and transport to the restricted award.
You should see: Restricted spend $360; unrestricted spend $260.
Recheck categories after costs change.
4. Spot gap
Compare unrestricted actual $260 with donations $250.
You should see: Unrestricted gap is $10 despite restricted funds remaining.
A change can create a fund-specific gap.
What to finish
A line-by-line variance review with a funding gap flagged.
Watch for this
Using an overall surplus to conceal an unrestricted shortfall.
How can I tell I understand it?
Explain your calculation or classification and reproduce the changed case without copying the worked result.
Quick knowledge check
Answer all 3 questions. Get at least 2 right and the lesson completes automatically.
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Pass the check. We’ll save the progress.
Answer all 3 questions above and get at least 2 right. You can review the explanations and try again.
Go to the knowledge checkOptional course overview video · same video as Lesson 1
Introduction to Budgeting (Managerial Accounting)
From Edspira. Watch here or open it on YouTube .
Optional course overview. Follow the written steps below at your own pace.Tools, templates, and lesson sources
Tools and templates
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Sources and further reading
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Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12
Inspected income/expense estimates, restricted funding columns and budget review. Historical legal and salary examples are not adopted.
Access: Public page inspected without a sign-in; linked services may have separate requirements.
Reuse: Link to the original. Free reading does not imply permission to reproduce the page; lessons and fixtures here are original.
Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12
Inspected current federal-award principles. Applied only as an example of rules to check, not universal nonprofit requirements.
Access: Public page inspected without a sign-in; linked services may have separate requirements.
Reuse: Link to the original. Free reading does not imply permission to reproduce the page; lessons and fixtures here are original.
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