Where can I find examples of nonprofit budgets?

Sample budgets are usually difficult to find, via print or the Internet, because they are typically very specific to the organization requesting funding and their mission.

• Nonprofit Guides (http://npguides.org/guide/budget.htm) has a sample general operating budget, proposal cover letter, letter of inquiry, proposal, and other items that may be of use to you.

• You can also try a number of Internet search engines such as Google using the keywords "sample nonprofit budgets".

The following resources contain additional information on sample proposal budgets:

• The Foundation Center's Guide to Winning Proposals and Guide to Winning Proposals II. Includes actual cover letters, letters of inquiry, budgets, and vital supplementary documents needed to develop a complete proposal. Features grant proposals that have been funded by some of today’s most influential grantmakers. Each proposal – reprinted in its entirety – includes commentary by the program officer, executive director, or other funding decision maker who awarded that grant. Proposals are included from large and small, local and national organizations, and for many different support purposes, including basic budgetary support, special projects, construction, staff positions, and more.

• Clarke, Cheryl A. Storytelling for Grantseekers: The Guide to Creative Nonprofit Fundraising. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers. 2001. Clarke puts forward the notion that proposals share much with great stories: characters, setting, and plot. She shows proposal writers how to craft documents that include elements of drama. The book also covers the research process and cultivation. Includes a sample letter of inquiry and a sample budget, as well as information on packaging the proposal.

• Henson, Kenneth T. Grant Writing in Higher Education: A Step-by-Step Guide. Boston, MA: Pearson Education. 2003. A practical guide for educators that covers the various aspects of proposal writing. Describes three winning proposals from the author and explains lessons he learned. Emphasizes the importance of using questionnaires and literature to support proposals. Appendix contains sample documents including a proposal and budget.

• Quick, James Aaron and Cheryl Carter New. Grant Seeker's Budget Toolkit. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. 2001.

For other books and articles that contain sample proposal budgets, try searching our Catalog of Nonprofit Literature (CNL), the Center's bibliographic database. You could begin by searching on the subject "Nonprofit organizations--accounting" or by using the terms "budget" or "sample" in the keyword field.

Many of the books and articles found through CNL can be located in Center Libraries and some Cooperating Collections. It is best to call ahead to verify a specific library's holdings.

Keep in mind that sample budgets are specific to the nonprofit organization involved. Your situation may differ.

To learn more about nonprofit budgets, you might want to review our online tutorial, "Proposal Budgeting Basics" or attend our Before You Seek a Grant: A Checklist for New Nonprofits, a free one and a half-hour class.

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