Instructions

For this assignment, you will develop a needs assessment chart and a brief paper that examines the needs assessment procedures and ethical considerations of your selected governmental entity to produce the most recent budget.

Be sure your chart addresses the following:

• Diagram the prevalent categories that describe budgetary needs over the last 3 fiscal years. Annotate the chart with the methods used by the entity to research needs.
• Add notes for the factors which were discussed and negotiated.
• Discuss the ethical dilemmas faced by decision-makers.
• Evaluate their impact on funding decisions.
• Provide specific examples where appropriate.

Assess the presence and effectiveness of ethical and professional codes of conduct in this process.

Length: 2 to 3-page paper, not including title and reference pages with the Needs Assessment Chart

References: Include a minimum of 3 scholarly resources. In addition to these specified resources, other appropriate scholarly resources, including older articles, may be included.

The completed assignment should address all of the assignment requirements, exhibit evidence of concept knowledge, and demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the content presented in the course. The diagram should be clear, the writing should integrate scholarly resources, reflect academic expectations and current APA standards, and adhere to Northcentral University’s Academic Integrity Policy.

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Instructions

For this assignment, you will create an annotated spreadsheet describing the cost analysis strategies and decision-making approaches of your selected governmental entity. 

You will also write a 2 to 3-page paper discussing the following:

• Evaluate the tools used by the entity to calculate current and project future costs.
• Consider the mix of mandatory and discretionary spending.
• Assess the alignment of budget decisions and policy goals.
• Explain the entity’s approach to capital planning.
• Discuss prioritization, compromise, and decision-making approaches.
• Provide specific examples where appropriate.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of this process; make two or more recommendations to improve the process.

Length: 1 spreadsheet with a 2 to 3-page explanatory brief, not including title and reference pages

References: Include a minimum of 3 scholarly resources.

The completed assignment should address all of the assignment requirements, exhibit evidence of concept knowledge, and demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the content presented in the course. The writing should integrate scholarly resources, reflect academic expectations and current APA standards, and adhere to Northcentral University’s Academic Integrity Policy.

 Week 2 Resources

Fiscal Administration: Analysis and Applications for the Public Sector 

Mikesell, J. L. (2018). Fiscal administration: Analysis and applications for the public sector (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Read Chapter 3: Budget Methods and Practices
Read Chapter 5: State and Local Budgets

*Please refer to the Getting Started module in your course (NCUOne) to access your textbook.

• It’s Not Just Welfare: Racial Inequality and the Local Provision of Public Goods in the United StatesAn, B., Levy, M., & Hero, R. (2018). It’s not just welfare: Racial inequality and the local provision of public goods in the United States. Urban Affairs Review, 54(5), 833.
  This article sheds light on ethics issues in the budgeting process.
• Contracting, Ethics, and Policy Adoption: The Case of Florida MunicipalitiesFay, D. L., & Zavattaro, S. M. (2019). Contracting, ethics, and policy adoption: The case of Florida Municipalities. Public Integrity, 21(3), 301–319.
  The paper explores the relationship between privatization of government services and adoption of municipal ethics policies.
• More Dissimilar than Alike? Public Values Preferences Across US Minority and White ManagersStazyk, E. C., Davis, R. S., & Portillo, S. (2017). More dissimilar than alike? Public values preferences across US minority and white managers. Public Administration, 95(3), 605.
  This research examines the impact of race on the value preferences of public managers.

Week 3 Resources

Fiscal Administration: Analysis and Applications for the Public Sector 

Mikesell, J. L. (2018). Fiscal administration: Analysis and applications for the public sector (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Read Chapter 7: Capital Budgeting, Time Value of Money, and Cost-Benefit Analysis: Process, Structure, and Basic Tools

*Please refer to the Getting Started module in your course (NCUOne) to access your textbook.

• Resource allocation in decision support frameworksPhelps, C., & Madhavan, G. (2018). Resource allocation in decision
  support frameworks. Cost Effectiveness & Resource Allocation, 16(1), N.PAG.
  The resource provides an in-depth discussion of cost-benefit analysis.