Lack of Funds

LACK OF FUNDS

Antonio C. Antonio

June 13, 2013

Question:  It is a common complaint among administrators and is sometimes printed on their annual accomplishment reports and policy papers that the cause of their failure to fully implement their policy programs is lack of money.  What is your advice to an administrator who airs such concern to you?

Upland management is not spared from this problem of lack of funds.  It will be equally important to mention that upland resources management also follow accepted management practices and principles as lowland businesses.

Every year, budgets are being prepared and deliberated to meet all the funding requirement of the functional segments of any organization… business, government, POs, NGOs, etc.  Budget proposals are geared towards the attainment of specific goals and objectives.  Goals and objectives-setting is normally matched with productivity and forecasted income.  Expenditures (capital and operational) are normally lower than the gross income.  A positive variant, meaning: expenditure is more than the income, is usually detected and determined in the budget deliberation.  It is therefore safe to assume that all proposed budgets are workable.

When these goals and objectives are not met, the most common refrain is “lack of funds.”  An Administrator who used this generic excuse and helplessly whines about it is a good candidate for termination.  He probably forgot that he is supposed to be part of the budget-setting process.

Anyway, for purposes of discussion, let’s assume that the Administrator comes to me for advices.  My advices will revolve around the following alternative courses of action:

1.     More often, inefficiency is the cause of financial losses.  Review implementation strategies to determine the cause/s of failures in operational and financial management;

2.     Implement measures to curb financial losses and improve efficiency;

3.     Come up with a comprehensive report on the causes of failures together with a proposal on how to recover such losses; and,

4.     Propose fund realignment to augment “lack of funds” and implement curative measures.

Just my little thoughts…

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