How to build a budget case that compels

Introduction

Against the backdrop of an uncertain economy, the advance of new privacy regulations, and increasing compliance penalties—building a compelling case for your proposed budget will be critical to your program's success in 2023. 

But justifying a budget is often easier said than done. That’s why we built this step-by-step budget justification worksheet and slide deck—giving your team a clear framework for crafting a case that compels.

Why we built this

Over the years, we’ve met so many passionate and dedicated privacy professionals—all of whom are dedicated to building a privacy program that meets regulatory mandates. But, for many of these folks, advocating for more budget is a daunting proposition. 

For some, this is the first time they’ve taken on the task. They aren’t yet experienced with the complexities of building a quantifiable business case, while facilitating cross-functional buy-in across key teams (InfoSec, Customer Success, Finance, etc).

For others, they’ve gone through the roadshow of asking for increased budget before—only to be met with executive resistance i.e. privacy “just isn’t a priority.”

We built this guided worksheet and slidedeck as a foundational framework that will help guide you to a budget case that can’t be ignored. Below we provide a few recommendations on how to get the most out of this asset. 

How to use this template

Use the Privacy Budget Justification worksheet to identify and document:

• The frequency and severity of the risks facing your organization
• The potential business impacts of those risks
• How to quantify that impact, and  
• Real-world examples to help strengthen your case

Once you’ve completed the worksheet, move your findings into the Budget Justification Slidedeck—a high-level tool for summarizing key points, building cross-functional cooperation, and socializing your case to leadership. 

If you have any questions or want help creating your own budget justification case, our team is always on hand. Reach out to us here and we’ll be in touch shortly. 

Download the your budget justification worksheets here