January 18, 2022

Y4Y is excited to roll out a new course on fiscal management of 21^st CCLC programs. The people have spoken: Understanding the nuances of spending and reporting in your kingdom is a challenge. This course will walk you through protocol to ensure that your program performs to the letter of government decree and offer suggestions for a long-sustained reign.

Upon completion of the Implementation Strategies section, faithful servant to the crown, Lewis, assures learners of their earning an Advanced Level certificate and the ability to

• Describe the regulations and requirements associated with a 21^st CCLC program budget.
• Follow cost principles that need to be applied when managing a budget.
• Develop a program budget.
• Monitor and control a program budget.

Just a few examples of further breakdown of the fiscal responsibilities that Lewis addresses throughout this course include these:

• Consideration of specific staff positions required by your state, or included in your grant
• The scope of your program, including number of sites, students served and days in operation
• Materials needed like computers, books, software and makerspace goods
• Coordinating with, and duplicating efforts of, an accounting department to ensure accuracy of drawing down funds
• Maintaining consistent internal reporting practices

While the Fiscal Management course is designed with program leaders in mind, straightforward language, colorful images and a logical process help the learner understand even the most complicated aspects of 21^st CCLC finances. You’ll dig deep on each of the below steps and budget line items to be able to plan and implement your own kingdom-wide process for fiscal management:

• Taking charge of oversight
• Setting your budget (and being specific about it!)
• Understanding other operating expenses
• Breaking down supply challenges
• Contractual expenses such as evaluator, vendors, partners or busing
• Planning capital outlay for larger-ticket items
• Understanding indirect costs
• Reconciling your budget
• Reporting on and amending your costs and budget
• Closing out your budget
• Sustaining your program

Learners wishing to earn a Leadership Level certificate can also engage in the Coaching My Staff section of the course. While a big-picture understanding of 21^st CCLC fiscal management is the responsibility of leadership, there are many elements of the budget that all staff need to be brought in for. The Coaching My Staff section will help you parse those out, and offers tools for bringing staff up to speed:

• Train and support staff to implement fiscal management cost principles. 
• Select Y4Y trainings that are the most important for your staff.
• Assess staff readiness to implement fiscal practices and procedures for a 21^st CCLC program. 

It’s not slick or cutting edge. You may be asking yourself how training in fiscal management impacts the students in your program. But the truth is, gaining comprehensive knowledge of all the moving parts of your 21^st CCLC budget will give your program a more solid and much-needed foundation than many other trainings. While queen Marie Antoinette never actually said “Let them eat cake” as the legend claimed, one lesson from that legend is how you can’t have dessert without dinner first. And you can’t have a rich academic program without reliable fiscal management.