PYB300 Chap.8 Implementation Plans and Budget Assumptions
Implementation Plans and Budget Assumptions
The last two components of the prospectus test whether the program is achievable.
The implementation plan is a GANTT chart of start-up steps that must begin in Month 1 and end no later than Month 12. The budget assumptions table states quantities rather than exact quotes, records income and expenses, marks grant funding as unconfirmed, and balances so that every cost, including in-kind contributions, is covered within the partner's limit.
What this chapter covers
- 01
Why the plan targets a six to twelve month start-up
- 02
GANTT chart rules: Month 1 to Month 12, start-up only
- 03
Activity categories: digital, human resources, property, training, service development
- 04
Writing brief but informative GANTT descriptions
- 05
Budget assumptions: parameters instead of exact costs
- 06
Income equals expenses, with in-kind contributions on both sides
- 07
Unconfirmed grant income and the partner's limit
Worked example · free
Cost and balance a first-year budget
- 1Staff: 1 × $52 × 16 × 48 = $39,936 and 3 × $38 × 6 × 40 = $27,360, so $67,296.
- 1Other expenses: evaluation $70,000, in-kind room $12,000 and materials 48 × $150 = $7,200.
- 1Total expenses: $67,296 + $70,000 + $12,000 + $7,200 = $156,496.
- 1Income: $12,000 in-kind, confirmed, plus $144,496 anticipated grant funding, unconfirmed, totals $156,496 and balances.
Key terms
- Implementation plan
- A start-up timeline, presented as a GANTT chart, showing the key steps needed to get a program running within twelve months.
- Budget assumptions
- Statements of the quantities behind each budget line, such as the number of staff, hours and weeks, used in place of exact quotes.
- In-kind contribution
- A donated good or service, such as a room or vehicle, recorded both as income and as an expense because it still represents a program cost.
- Unconfirmed income
- Funding a program expects but has not yet secured, such as the grant being applied for, labelled as unconfirmed in the budget.
- Anticipated grant funding
- The income line for the grant being sought, acceptable when no specific funding scheme is named.
- Service development
- Start-up work such as writing service manuals, policies, procedures and a risk management plan.
Implementation Plans and Budget Assumptions FAQ
How detailed should the GANTT chart descriptions be?
Brief, but informative enough for an implementing team or funding body to understand what each time block covers, with a clear link to the program description, logic and service model. If two elements need planning at different times, show them as separate rows. Very brief notes under the chart are allowed, but the chart itself should carry most of the plan.
Does the budget have to include the grant we are applying for?
Yes. The grant FAQ says the funding you plan to apply for belongs in the income section, marked as unconfirmed, which is normal in a grant application budget. You may name a suitable funding scheme if you find one, or simply label the line as anticipated grant funding.
Do income and expenses have to be equal?
They should match, because a funder wants to see every cost of the program covered by income. Part of the income can come from in-kind contributions, which must also appear as expenses. The total cost must stay within the limit the partner set for your topic, although coming in under that limit is fine.
Does the implementation plan have to fill twelve months?
No. The plan should start in Month 1 and must not go beyond Month 12, but a start-up plan that finishes earlier is perfectly fine. It should capture planning and set-up and at least the start of program activities, and it is usually worth including time for maintaining relationships with collaborating organisations.
Exam move
Build the GANTT chart and the budget from the same list of activities, so every row in one has a counterpart in the other.
Order start-up tasks by dependency, asking what must exist before the first participant arrives, and keep everything inside Month 1 to Month 12. For the budget, write each line as a quantity statement before attaching a cost, use partner costings where you have them and the unit's evaluation figure for evaluation, then add both columns and confirm they balance and stay under the cap.
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