One of the first steps to solidifying your company’s team building strategy is creating and getting approval for a budget. We get it though - this can sometimes be intimidating! While we at Confetti have a more relaxed conversation style, founder & CEO Lee Rubin has put together some general templates your team can use to tackle your budget planning. 💪
Use these 5 templates to approach budget discussions with your team! 🥳
Template 1:
An important starting point is defining the “why” before the “what” and having conversations with stakeholders before you begin. This first template will help you request that initial meeting with your department leader to understand the current state of the team culture and identify objectives for the future. A meeting like this will help you define the team needs and know what needs to be included in your team building budget.
Subject: Request for Meeting to Discuss Culture and Initiatives
Dear [Department Leader's Name],
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to request a meeting with you to discuss the current state of your department's culture and explore potential initiatives to enhance it. As a [your role] within the department, I firmly believe that fostering a positive and inclusive work environment is crucial for both individual and organizational growth.
Given the recent changes and developments, I believe it is an opportune time to engage in a conversation to gain further insights into our culture and explore initiatives that could contribute to its improvement.
The meeting will provide an excellent opportunity for me to better understand your vision for your department's culture and align my efforts accordingly. It will also allow us to explore any challenges or concerns that may be hindering a positive work environment.
To guide our discussion, I have prepared a few points that I believe are essential to cover:
- Current State of Culture: A comprehensive overview of the existing department culture, including its strengths, weaknesses, and areas of improvement.
- Desired Culture: Your vision and aspirations for the department's culture, outlining the values, behaviors, and atmosphere you would like to cultivate.
- Initiatives and Strategies: Exploring potential initiatives and strategies that can help bridge the gap between the current and desired culture, such as team-building activities, training programs, or diversity and inclusion efforts.
- Challenges and Opportunities: Identifying any challenges or opportunities that we may encounter while implementing these initiatives and discussing possible solutions.
I truly believe that a collaborative effort to enhance our department's culture will not only foster a more engaging and satisfying work environment but also contribute to improved performance and overall success. Your guidance and insights will be invaluable in shaping our collective efforts to drive positive change.
Please let me know your availability over the next few weeks, and I will be more than happy to adjust my schedule to accommodate a meeting at your convenience. I suggest allotting approximately [duration] for our discussion to ensure we have ample time to delve into the subject matter.
Thank you for considering my request, and I look forward to the opportunity to meet with you and further explore the topic of our department's culture.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Position/Role]
[Your Contact Information]
Template 2:
A separate meeting with your finance team is important to understand the financial state of the company and how different budgets are currently being allocated. Setting up this time will give you an opportunity to express your findings about cultural needs within the company and discuss what is needed (and possible) financially to support these initiatives.
Subject: Inquiry Regarding Culture Budget and Initiatives
Dear [Finance Team or Finance Department's Name],
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to request your assistance in providing some key information regarding our company’s culture budget and its allocation. I’ve surveyed multiple departments on their needs and hoping to provide them with some assistance to improve their unique needs.
As a firm believer in the importance of cultivating a positive and engaging work environment, I am eager to explore initiatives that can contribute to improving our team's culture.
In order to gain a better understanding of the financial position and the opportunities available, I would greatly appreciate to schedule a meeting to get your insights on the following:
- Financial Position: Could you please provide an overview of the company's current financial position? Understanding the financial health of our organization will help in assessing the feasibility of potential culture-enhancing initiatives and their budgetary implications.
- Previous Year's Events Expenditure: I am particularly interested in learning about the amount spent on events or cultural activities in the previous financial year and whether that budget is still active currently. Please share any available data or reports on this matter.
- Proposed Events for the Coming Financial Year: I am in the process of developing a plan to improve our team's culture and morale. In light of this, I would like to propose hosting a certain number of events in the upcoming year. However, before finalizing any plans, it would be helpful to understand finance’s perspective that way I can try to merge an appropriate number of events that align with our goals and financial considerations. Your future input and guidance in this regard would be greatly appreciated.
- Desired Feel and Atmosphere: To further enhance the culture of our team, I would like to curate a specific feel or atmosphere that fosters collaboration, creativity, and a sense of belonging. It would be incredibly valuable to have a conversation with you to discuss any potential financial implications associated with creating such an environment including the importance of retention vs. churn. Your insights and expertise will aid in aligning our aspirations with the available resources.
I understand that you may require additional time or information to provide accurate answers to these questions. I would be grateful if you could let me know the most convenient time for us to discuss these matters in more detail. I am open to scheduling a meeting at your earliest convenience.
Thank you for your time and support in this endeavor.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Position/Role]
[Your Contact Information]
Template 3:
This next template will help you set up a meeting with your manager to discuss your budget proposal! When meeting, remember to show up with your research (data is your friend!), tie your proposal back to company goals, and keep it short & sweet. Be prepared for tough questions and present with confidence - you got this.
Subject: Meeting Request: Discussion on New Budget Approval
Dear [Manager's Name],
I hope this email finds you well. I would like to request a meeting with you to discuss the approval of a new culture budget for [company/department/project/team].
The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the new budget, which has been carefully developed to support our department's objectives and align with the company's overall goals. I am confident that its approval will have a positive impact on our [operations and contribute to our continued growth and success].
I’m happy to provide you with a comprehensive overview, including financial projections, key initiatives, and the anticipated outcomes. Let me know if reviewing these materials before the meeting will help us have a more productive discussion and allow you to come prepared with any specific points or areas of focus.
I propose a meeting duration of [insert estimated time], which will provide us with ample time to go through the budget in detail, address any concerns or questions, and discuss the next steps. Here are a few potential meeting slots that would work for me:
- [Date and time option 1]
- [Date and time option 2]
- [Date and time option 3]
Please let me know which of these options suits your availability, or suggest an alternative that works better for you.
I genuinely appreciate your time and consideration in reviewing this request. Your insights and guidance are invaluable, and I look forward to the opportunity to discuss the budget with you. If there are any additional documents or information you would like to review before the meeting, please let me know, and I will be happy to provide them promptly.
Thank you once again for your support, and I am confident that this new budget will bring significant value to our department and the organization as a whole. I eagerly await your response and confirmation of the meeting.
Warm regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Position/Department]
[Contact Information]
Template 4:
When changes within an organization occur, such as layoffs or budget cuts, it can be intimidating to utilize a budget even once it has been allocated to you. This template can help you confirm using said budget with your boss. Tie this back to the reasons the budget was allocated in the first place to demonstrate why the culture budget is still very much important (likely especially now!).
Subject: Confirmation to Utilize Allocated Culture Budget
Dear [Boss's Name],
I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to take a moment to confirm with you regarding the culture budget that was allocated to my team for [specific purpose] for [amount]. Given the recent changes within the organization, I want to ensure that it is appropriate to proceed with utilizing the allocated budget as planned.
To provide clarity and transparency, I would like to briefly outline the reasons why I believe it is appropriate to proceed with the allocated budget:
[Alignment with Organizational Objectives: The planned utilization of the allocated budget directly supports the objectives and goals set by the organization. The initiatives and activities that will be funded with this budget contribute to [specific goals or objectives] and are in line with the overall strategy.]
Before proceeding with the allocated budget, I wanted to ensure that it is still appropriate and aligns with any new directives or financial considerations.
If you have any specific considerations or concerns regarding the allocated budget, I am more than willing to discuss them further.
Thank you once again for your trust and support. I look forward to receiving your confirmation and to advancing our initiatives.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Position/Role]
[Your Contact Information]
Template 5:
If you’ve done and compiled your research and have an action plan that you’re confident will improve your company’s culture initiatives, it is absolutely appropriate to ask for an increase in your culture budget - even if you already have one! This template will help you set up a meeting to discuss exactly that. For this conversation, it is important that you have consistently tracked and documented how past culture initiatives have positively impacted performance, morale, etc. so you can concretely support your request.
Subject: Request for Increase in Budget for Culture Initiatives
Dear [Manager's Name],
I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to discuss an important matter regarding the budget allocated for culture initiatives within our team. As we continue to prioritize and invest in fostering a positive work environment, I would like to request a meeting in the hopes of getting an increase in the budget allocated to support our culture initiatives.
Over the past [timeframe], I have sufficiently documented and witnessed the positive impact of culture-enhancing activities on team morale, engagement, and productivity. These initiatives have not only improved our working environment but have also contributed to the overall success of our team. However, after further research to each department, I’ve learned that additional resources would be helpful to sustain and expand upon this progress.
I would like to present a compelling case for increasing the budget for culture initiatives, outlining the potential benefits and return on investment.
I understand that budgetary decisions require careful consideration, and so I am prepared to provide additional information or participate in a discussion to further support my request and also want to be mindful of any financial position we are in. With that being said, I am confident that by increasing the budget for culture initiatives, we can continue to build a high-performing team that thrives in a positive work environment.
Regardless of your decision, thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to discussing this request further. Your support in securing additional resources for our culture initiatives will undoubtedly have a significant and positive impact on our team's success.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Position/Role]
[Your Contact Information]
Go get 'em! 🎉
We hope these templates provide you with the tools to get started in creating and asking for your company’s team building budget!
