This document outlines an assignment for a student taking on the role of a new budget administrator for a local government agency. It provides instructions for Assignment 1, which requires the student to write a 4-5 page paper analyzing the agency's operating budget. The paper must include sections on the agency background, budget overview, cost analysis, budget challenges, and recommendations. It will be graded based on criteria such as thoroughness, clarity, and formatting.

1. Scenario for Assignments 1-5
For Ass
Scenario for Assignments 1-5
For Assignments 1-5, you are the new budgeting and finance
administrator for your local government agency. Your first
responsibility is to become familiar with the agency, the budget,
programs, and capital projects. As the administrator, you will be
responsible for analyzing, examining, proposing, and preparing
the agency’s budget for the next five (5) years.
Note:
Students cannot use New York City as a selected local
government
Assignment 1:
The Operating Budget
Due Week 4 and worth 150 points
Write a four to five (4-5) page paper, titled Part I: The
Operating Budget for the (Selected Agency) in which you
separate the content into sections:
Provide background information about the agency, mission,
goals, objectives, departments, and strategic plan. (Title this
section Introduction.)
Describe the budget of the agency by addressing the following
items: (Title this section Budget Overview.)
Financial Summary, including Revenue and Expenditures
Department Budgets
Funding
Capital Projects
Debt Administration
Perform a Cost Analysis. (Title this section Cost Analysis.) The

2. costs should include the following:
Fixed Costs
Step-fixed Costs
Variable Costs
Identify and explain one to two (1-2) challenges you will have
in managing the budget. (Title this section Budget Challenges.)
Recommend two to three (2-3) strategies the agency should
review regarding new initiatives and budget cuts over the next
five (5) years. (Title this section Budget Recommendations.)
Include the agency’s most recent budget or financial plan.
Provide the agency’s Website name, URL, and any other sources
used to support the assignment’s criteria.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size
12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references
must follow APA. Check with your professor for any additional
instructions.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the
student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the
date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in
the required assignment page length.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this
assignment are:
Analyze the basic skills and tools needed for budgeting for
public sector agencies and / or departments.
Recommend appropriate policy actions based on the evaluation.
Evaluate a budgeting system at any governmental level.
Analyze the scope and sequence of budgeting in terms of
sources of revenues, purpose of government expenditures,
budget cycles, budget preparation, and debt administration.
Examine the process and components of preparing a viable
operating budget.
Prepare a preliminary budgeting system for presentation before

3. Congress, state / local government, or other organization.
Use technology and information resources to research issues in
public budgeting and finance.
Write clearly and concisely about public budgeting and finance
using proper writing mechanics.
Click
here
to view the grading rubric for this assignment.
Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality,
logic/organization of the paper, and language and writing skills,
using the following rubric.
Points: 150
Assignment 1:
The Operating Budget
Criteria
Unacceptable
Below 70% F
Fair
70-79% C
Proficient
80-89% B
Exemplary
90-100% A
1. Provide background information about the agency, mission,
goals, objectives, departments, and strategic plan. (Title this
section Introduction.)
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely provided background
information about the agency, mission, goals, objectives,
departments, and strategic plan.
Partially provided background information about the agency,
mission, goals, objectives, departments, and strategic plan.
Satisfactorily provided background information about the
agency, mission, goals, objectives, departments, and strategic

4. plan.
Thoroughly provided background information about the agency,
mission, goals, objectives, departments, and strategic plan.
2. Describe the budget of the agency by addressing the
following items: (a) Financial Summary, including Revenue and
Expenditures, (b) Department Budgets, (c) Funding, (d) Capital
Projects, and (e) Debt Administration. (Title this section Budget
Overview.)
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely described the budget of the
agency by addressing the following items: (a) Financial
Summary, including Revenue and Expenditures, (b) Department
Budgets, (c) Funding, (d) Capital Projects, and (e) Debt
Administration.
Partially described the budget of the agency by addressing the
following items: (a) Financial Summary, including Revenue and
Expenditures, (b) Department Budgets, (c) Funding, (d) Capital
Projects, and (e) Debt Administration.
Satisfactorily described the budget of the agency by addressing
the following items: (a) Financial Summary, including Revenue
and Expenditures, (b) Department Budgets, (c) Funding, (d)
Capital Projects, and (e) Debt Administration.
Thoroughly described the budget of the agency by addressing
the following items: (a) Financial Summary, including Revenue
and Expenditures, (b) Department Budgets, (c) Funding, (d)
Capital Projects, and (e) Debt Administration.
3. Perform a Cost Analysis. The costs should include the
following: (a) Fixed Costs, (b) Step-fixed Costs, and (c)
Variable Costs. (Title this section Cost Analysis.)
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely performed a Cost Analysis. The
costs should include the following: (a) Fixed Costs, (b) Step-
fixed Costs, and (c) Variable Costs.
Partially performed a Cost Analysis. The costs should include
the following: (a) Fixed Costs, (b) Step-fixed Costs, and (c)
Variable Costs.

5. Satisfactorily performed a Cost Analysis. The costs should
include the following: (a) Fixed Costs, (b) Step-fixed Costs, and
(c) Variable Costs.
Thoroughly performed a Cost Analysis. The costs should
include the following: (a) Fixed Costs, (b) Step-fixed Costs, and
(c) Variable Costs.
4. Identify and explain one to two (1-2) challenges you will
have in managing the budget. (Title this section Budget
Challenges).
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely identified and explained one to
two (1-2) challenges you will have in managing the budget.
Partially identified and explained one to two (1-2) challenges
you will have in managing the budget.
Satisfactorily identified and explained one to two (1-2)
challenges you will have in managing the budget.
Thoroughly identified and explained one to two (1-2) challenges
you will have in managing the budget.
5. Recommend two to three (2-3) strategies the agency should
review regarding new initiatives and budget cuts over the next
five (5) years. (Title this section Budget Recommendations.)
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely recommended two to three (2-3)
strategies the agency should review regarding new initiatives
and budget cuts over the next five (5) years.
Partially recommended two to three (2-3) strategies the agency
should review regarding new initiatives and budget cuts over
the next five (5) years.
Satisfactorily recommended two to three (2-3) strategies the
agency should review regarding new initiatives and budget cuts
over the next five (5) years.
Thoroughly recommended two to three (2-3) strategies the
agency should review regarding new initiatives and budget cuts
over the next five (5) years.
6. Include the agency’s most recent budget or financial plan.
Weight: 10%

6. Did not submit or incompletely included the agency’s most
recent budget or financial plan.
Partially included the agency’s most recent budget or financial
plan.
Satisfactorily included the agency’s most recent budget or
financial plan.
Thoroughly included the agency’s most recent budget or
financial plan.
7. Provide the agency’s Website name, URL, and any other
sources used to support the assignment’s criteria.
Weight: 5%
No references provided
Does not meet the required number of references; some or all
references poor quality choices.
Meets number of required references; all references high quality
choices.
Exceeds number of required references; all references high
quality choices.
8. Clarity, writing mechanics, and formatting requirements
Weight: 10%
More than 6 errors present
5-6 errors present
3-4 errors present
0-2 errors present
signments 1-5, you are the new budgeting and finance
administrator for your local government agency. Your first
responsibility is to become familiar with the agency, the budget,
programs, and capital projects. As the administrator, you will be
responsible for analyzing, examining, proposing, and preparing
the agency’s budget for the next five (5) years.
Note:
Students cannot use New York City as a selected local

7. government
Assignment 1:
The Operating Budget
Due Week 4 and worth 150 points
Write a four to five (4-5) page paper, titled Part I: The
Operating Budget for the (Selected Agency) in which you
separate the content into sections:
Provide background information about the agency, mission,
goals, objectives, departments, and strategic plan. (Title this
section Introduction.)
Describe the budget of the agency by addressing the following
items: (Title this section Budget Overview.)
Financial Summary, including Revenue and Expenditures
Department Budgets
Funding
Capital Projects
Debt Administration
Perform a Cost Analysis. (Title this section Cost Analysis.) The
costs should include the following:
Fixed Costs
Step-fixed Costs
Variable Costs
Identify and explain one to two (1-2) challenges you will have
in managing the budget. (Title this section Budget Challenges.)
Recommend two to three (2-3) strategies the agency should
review regarding new initiatives and budget cuts over the next
five (5) years. (Title this section Budget Recommendations.)
Include the agency’s most recent budget or financial plan.
Provide the agency’s Website name, URL, and any other sources
used to support the assignment’s criteria.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

8. Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size
12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references
must follow APA. Check with your professor for any additional
instructions.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the
student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the
date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in
the required assignment page length.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this
assignment are:
Analyze the basic skills and tools needed for budgeting for
public sector agencies and / or departments.
Recommend appropriate policy actions based on the evaluation.
Evaluate a budgeting system at any governmental level.
Analyze the scope and sequence of budgeting in terms of
sources of revenues, purpose of government expenditures,
budget cycles, budget preparation, and debt administration.
Examine the process and components of preparing a viable
operating budget.
Prepare a preliminary budgeting system for presentation before
Congress, state / local government, or other organization.
Use technology and information resources to research issues in
public budgeting and finance.
Write clearly and concisely about public budgeting and finance
using proper writing mechanics.
Click
here
to view the grading rubric for this assignment.
Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality,
logic/organization of the paper, and language and writing skills,
using the following rubric.
Points: 150
Assignment 1:

9. The Operating Budget
Criteria
Unacceptable
Below 70% F
Fair
70-79% C
Proficient
80-89% B
Exemplary
90-100% A
1. Provide background information about the agency, mission,
goals, objectives, departments, and strategic plan. (Title this
section Introduction.)
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely provided background
information about the agency, mission, goals, objectives,
departments, and strategic plan.
Partially provided background information about the agency,
mission, goals, objectives, departments, and strategic plan.
Satisfactorily provided background information about the
agency, mission, goals, objectives, departments, and strategic
plan.
Thoroughly provided background information about the agency,
mission, goals, objectives, departments, and strategic plan.
2. Describe the budget of the agency by addressing the
following items: (a) Financial Summary, including Revenue and
Expenditures, (b) Department Budgets, (c) Funding, (d) Capital
Projects, and (e) Debt Administration. (Title this section Budget
Overview.)
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely described the budget of the
agency by addressing the following items: (a) Financial
Summary, including Revenue and Expenditures, (b) Department
Budgets, (c) Funding, (d) Capital Projects, and (e) Debt
Administration.

10. Partially described the budget of the agency by addressing the
following items: (a) Financial Summary, including Revenue and
Expenditures, (b) Department Budgets, (c) Funding, (d) Capital
Projects, and (e) Debt Administration.
Satisfactorily described the budget of the agency by addressing
the following items: (a) Financial Summary, including Revenue
and Expenditures, (b) Department Budgets, (c) Funding, (d)
Capital Projects, and (e) Debt Administration.
Thoroughly described the budget of the agency by addressing
the following items: (a) Financial Summary, including Revenue
and Expenditures, (b) Department Budgets, (c) Funding, (d)
Capital Projects, and (e) Debt Administration.
3. Perform a Cost Analysis. The costs should include the
following: (a) Fixed Costs, (b) Step-fixed Costs, and (c)
Variable Costs. (Title this section Cost Analysis.)
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely performed a Cost Analysis. The
costs should include the following: (a) Fixed Costs, (b) Step-
fixed Costs, and (c) Variable Costs.
Partially performed a Cost Analysis. The costs should include
the following: (a) Fixed Costs, (b) Step-fixed Costs, and (c)
Variable Costs.
Satisfactorily performed a Cost Analysis. The costs should
include the following: (a) Fixed Costs, (b) Step-fixed Costs, and
(c) Variable Costs.
Thoroughly performed a Cost Analysis. The costs should
include the following: (a) Fixed Costs, (b) Step-fixed Costs, and
(c) Variable Costs.
4. Identify and explain one to two (1-2) challenges you will
have in managing the budget. (Title this section Budget
Challenges).
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely identified and explained one to
two (1-2) challenges you will have in managing the budget.
Partially identified and explained one to two (1-2) challenges
you will have in managing the budget.

11. Satisfactorily identified and explained one to two (1-2)
challenges you will have in managing the budget.
Thoroughly identified and explained one to two (1-2) challenges
you will have in managing the budget.
5. Recommend two to three (2-3) strategies the agency should
review regarding new initiatives and budget cuts over the next
five (5) years. (Title this section Budget Recommendations.)
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely recommended two to three (2-3)
strategies the agency should review regarding new initiatives
and budget cuts over the next five (5) years.
Partially recommended two to three (2-3) strategies the agency
should review regarding new initiatives and budget cuts over
the next five (5) years.
Satisfactorily recommended two to three (2-3) strategies the
agency should review regarding new initiatives and budget cuts
over the next five (5) years.
Thoroughly recommended two to three (2-3) strategies the
agency should review regarding new initiatives and budget cuts
over the next five (5) years.
6. Include the agency’s most recent budget or financial plan.
Weight: 10%
Did not submit or incompletely included the agency’s most
recent budget or financial plan.
Partially included the agency’s most recent budget or financial
plan.
Satisfactorily included the agency’s most recent budget or
financial plan.
Thoroughly included the agency’s most recent budget or
financial plan.
7. Provide the agency’s Website name, URL, and any other
sources used to support the assignment’s criteria.
Weight: 5%
No references provided
Does not meet the required number of references; some or all

12. references poor quality choices.
Meets number of required references; all references high quality
choices.
Exceeds number of required references; all references high
quality choices.
8. Clarity, writing mechanics, and formatting requirements
Weight: 10%
More than 6 errors present
5-6 errors present
3-4 errors present
0-2 errors present
Scenario for Assignments 1-5
For Assignments 1-5, you are the new budgeting and finance
administrator for your local government agency. Your first
responsibility is to become familiar with the agency, the budget,
programs, and capital projects. As the administrator, you will be
responsible for analyzing, examining, proposing, and preparing
the agency’s budget for the next five (5) years.
Note:
Students cannot use New York City as a selected local
government
Assignment 1:
The Operating Budget
Due Week 4 and worth 150 points
Write a four to five (4-5) page paper, titled Part I: The
Operating Budget for the (Selected Agency) in which you
separate the content into sections:
Provide background information about the agency, mission,
goals, objectives, departments, and strategic plan. (Title this

13. section Introduction.)
Describe the budget of the agency by addressing the following
items: (Title this section Budget Overview.)
Financial Summary, including Revenue and Expenditures
Department Budgets
Funding
Capital Projects
Debt Administration
Perform a Cost Analysis. (Title this section Cost Analysis.) The
costs should include the following:
Fixed Costs
Step-fixed Costs
Variable Costs
Identify and explain one to two (1-2) challenges you will have
in managing the budget. (Title this section Budget Challenges.)
Recommend two to three (2-3) strategies the agency should
review regarding new initiatives and budget cuts over the next
five (5) years. (Title this section Budget Recommendations.)
Include the agency’s most recent budget or financial plan.
Provide the agency’s Website name, URL, and any other sources
used to support the assignment’s criteria.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size
12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references
must follow APA. Check with your professor for any additional
instructions.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the
student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the
date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in
the required assignment page length.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this
assignment are:
Analyze the basic skills and tools needed for budgeting for

14. public sector agencies and / or departments.
Recommend appropriate policy actions based on the evaluation.
Evaluate a budgeting system at any governmental level.
Analyze the scope and sequence of budgeting in terms of
sources of revenues, purpose of government expenditures,
budget cycles, budget preparation, and debt administration.
Examine the process and components of preparing a viable
operating budget.
Prepare a preliminary budgeting system for presentation before
Congress, state / local government, or other organization.
Use technology and information resources to research issues in
public budgeting and finance.
Write clearly and concisely about public budgeting and finance
using proper writing mechanics.
Click
here
to view the grading rubric for this assignment.
Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality,
logic/organization of the paper, and language and writing skills,
using the following rubric.
Points: 150
Assignment 1:
The Operating Budget
Criteria
Unacceptable
Below 70% F
Fair
70-79% C
Proficient
80-89% B
Exemplary
90-100% A
1. Provide background information about the agency, mission,
goals, objectives, departments, and strategic plan. (Title this

15. section Introduction.)
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely provided background
information about the agency, mission, goals, objectives,
departments, and strategic plan.
Partially provided background information about the agency,
mission, goals, objectives, departments, and strategic plan.
Satisfactorily provided background information about the
agency, mission, goals, objectives, departments, and strategic
plan.
Thoroughly provided background information about the agency,
mission, goals, objectives, departments, and strategic plan.
2. Describe the budget of the agency by addressing the
following items: (a) Financial Summary, including Revenue and
Expenditures, (b) Department Budgets, (c) Funding, (d) Capital
Projects, and (e) Debt Administration. (Title this section Budget
Overview.)
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely described the budget of the
agency by addressing the following items: (a) Financial
Summary, including Revenue and Expenditures, (b) Department
Budgets, (c) Funding, (d) Capital Projects, and (e) Debt
Administration.
Partially described the budget of the agency by addressing the
following items: (a) Financial Summary, including Revenue and
Expenditures, (b) Department Budgets, (c) Funding, (d) Capital
Projects, and (e) Debt Administration.
Satisfactorily described the budget of the agency by addressing
the following items: (a) Financial Summary, including Revenue
and Expenditures, (b) Department Budgets, (c) Funding, (d)
Capital Projects, and (e) Debt Administration.
Thoroughly described the budget of the agency by addressing
the following items: (a) Financial Summary, including Revenue
and Expenditures, (b) Department Budgets, (c) Funding, (d)
Capital Projects, and (e) Debt Administration.
3. Perform a Cost Analysis. The costs should include the

16. following: (a) Fixed Costs, (b) Step-fixed Costs, and (c)
Variable Costs. (Title this section Cost Analysis.)
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely performed a Cost Analysis. The
costs should include the following: (a) Fixed Costs, (b) Step-
fixed Costs, and (c) Variable Costs.
Partially performed a Cost Analysis. The costs should include
the following: (a) Fixed Costs, (b) Step-fixed Costs, and (c)
Variable Costs.
Satisfactorily performed a Cost Analysis. The costs should
include the following: (a) Fixed Costs, (b) Step-fixed Costs, and
(c) Variable Costs.
Thoroughly performed a Cost Analysis. The costs should
include the following: (a) Fixed Costs, (b) Step-fixed Costs, and
(c) Variable Costs.
4. Identify and explain one to two (1-2) challenges you will
have in managing the budget. (Title this section Budget
Challenges).
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely identified and explained one to
two (1-2) challenges you will have in managing the budget.
Partially identified and explained one to two (1-2) challenges
you will have in managing the budget.
Satisfactorily identified and explained one to two (1-2)
challenges you will have in managing the budget.
Thoroughly identified and explained one to two (1-2) challenges
you will have in managing the budget.
5. Recommend two to three (2-3) strategies the agency should
review regarding new initiatives and budget cuts over the next
five (5) years. (Title this section Budget Recommendations.)
Weight: 15%
Did not submit or incompletely recommended two to three (2-3)
strategies the agency should review regarding new initiatives
and budget cuts over the next five (5) years.
Partially recommended two to three (2-3) strategies the agency
should review regarding new initiatives and budget cuts over

17. the next five (5) years.
Satisfactorily recommended two to three (2-3) strategies the
agency should review regarding new initiatives and budget cuts
over the next five (5) years.
Thoroughly recommended two to three (2-3) strategies the
agency should review regarding new initiatives and budget cuts
over the next five (5) years.
6. Include the agency’s most recent budget or financial plan.
Weight: 10%
Did not submit or incompletely included the agency’s most
recent budget or financial plan.
Partially included the agency’s most recent budget or financial
plan.
Satisfactorily included the agency’s most recent budget or
financial plan.
Thoroughly included the agency’s most recent budget or
financial plan.
7. Provide the agency’s Website name, URL, and any other
sources used to support the assignment’s criteria.
Weight: 5%
No references provided
Does not meet the required number of references; some or all
references poor quality choices.
Meets number of required references; all references high quality
choices.
Exceeds number of required references; all references high
quality choices.
8. Clarity, writing mechanics, and formatting requirements
Weight: 10%
More than 6 errors present
5-6 errors present
3-4 errors present
0-2 errors present