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PROGRAMS & PROJECTS

SUSTAINABILITY
INDICATORS & ANALYSIS
Sustainable Futures Analysis
Budget Workbook Step By Step
The Sustainable Futures Analysis Budget Workbook
(SFA Budget Workbook)
Step by Step

• The SFA Budget Workbook may be opened and used in most spreadsheet software (Excel).
• A blank SFA Budget Workbook has ten chapters.
• Each chapter is devoted to one of the “Ten Essential Elements of a Sustainable Future."

The clipping below shows the first few lines of the cover page of a blank workbook:

The cover page lists the major categories of municipal expenditures as a numbered "Class" under one of the "Ten Essential Elements of a Sustainable Future." The example above shows two Classes listed for "Element A" and two Classes for "Element B" (click image to open full sample page).

Each "Class" listed on the cover page is linked to a budget page in the workbook. Each budget page is formatted to allow users to list every budget item, in every program, in every division in that class. The example below shows budget lines, each with a code number, for "Youth Programs," which is listed as "Class G10" on the cover page.


The clipping below shows the first few lines of a sample budget page:

Much like the decimal system that categorizes books in a library, the SFA Budget Workbook allows users to add as many additional entries as needed. In this example, a user may enter "New Furnace" in the line numbered "G1010.A01." That budget item would be automatically added to the "Totals" for that year. Additional budget items for Class G10 would be "G1010.A02." "G1010.A03" "G1010.A04" and so on (click on the image above to open a full sample page).


SUMMARY PAGE:
Each page in the workbook has a link to the "Summary Page." The Summary Page automatically updates the sub-totals for each "Class" and totals for each "Element" when changes are made to any budget page.

The clipping below shows the first few lines of the summary page from a blank SFA Budget Workbook.
In this example, the user decided to use the "Summary Page" to total funding gaps for basic operations for current fiscal year (Column 3) and funding gaps for capital improvements and new programs (column 4). This user also chose to track the value of "In-Kind" and donated time (Column 5). Each community can decide what to track and change the workbook to suit their needs.

Example Introduction to a Sustainable Futures Analysis Report:
(Used with permission of the Lac du Flambeau Department of Planning)    
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY    
The tribal government of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians is responsible for providing essential services to the current membership and preserving natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. To assess their current standing relative to these responsibilities, they commissioned a Sustainable Futures Analysis process to identify broad-based goals for “Ten Essential Elements” of a sustainable future:
     A. Economic Development
     B. Natural Resources
     C. Health & Wellness
     D. Public Works & Infrastructure
     E. Governmental Administration
     F. Culture
     G. Education
     H. Housing & Community Facilities
     I. Social Services
     J. Land Use and Planning

To inform the Sustainable Futures Analysis, the Lac du Flambeau Department of Planning and the LdF UW-Extension conducted a community-wide survey; collected existing and projected demographic data; facilitated strategic planning programs with tribal agencies; and conducted surveys and interviews with program directors. They then partnered with a consultant from Design Coalition Institute in Madison WI to organize and analyze the data in a Sustainable Futures Analysis Workbook and prepare this Unmet Needs Study.

DOWNLOAD a blank copy of a Sustainable Futures Budget Analysis Workbook (2M .xls file).

If you would like our team to work with you on your Sustainable Futures Initiative, forward to our "Contact Us & Invitation page. >>

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Design Coalition Institute, Inc. 2088 Atwood Ave. Madison WI. 53704