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Quest Training

Program-Based Budgeting & MTEF Implementation for Ministries Training Course

Hands-on workshop helping ministry budget units adopt program budgets: designing and costing programs, setting KPIs and applying three-year MTEF ceilings.

GFBP · Government Finance, Budgeting & Public Financial ManagementAll Levels#2994ClassroomEnglish , Arabic
Duration
5 Days
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Free substitution at any time · 30+ days' notice: full refund minus 10%. Cancellation policy

Sectors:Government & Public SectorCategories:Government Finance, Budgeting & Public Financial Management

Course Overview

The Program-Based Budgeting & MTEF Implementation for Ministries Training Course is a hands-on implementation workshop for the finance, budget, and planning units of ministries moving from line-item budgets to program budgets. Rather than revisiting the general budget cycle, it works through the reform itself: designing a program structure, costing programs, setting program indicators, and linking them to a three-year Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) ceiling. Many ministries already prepare strategies and performance plans, yet their budgets are still appropriated and reported by organizational unit and economic item. Decision makers therefore cannot see what each program costs, what it delivers, or what would change if funding rose or fell. Program-based budgeting closes this gap by organizing resources around policy objectives and holding program managers accountable for results. Participants first diagnose their ministry's starting point and agree a realistic reform sequence, then design programs, sub-programs, and activities from the ministry's mandate and strategy. They map organizational units and cost centers to programs and build crosswalks to the administrative, economic, and functional classifications already in use. The middle of the course concentrates on costing and performance: costing existing services separately from new proposals, allocating shared costs, estimating the recurrent costs of capital projects, and developing output and outcome indicators with baselines and targets. The final day connects programs to the medium term by reconciling top-down ceilings with bottom-up estimates, preparing forward estimates, and reprioritizing within the ceiling. Working on a sample ministry all week, participants leave with a draft program structure, costing template, KPI framework, and three-year program budget.

Learning Objectives

  • Diagnose the limits of line-item budgeting and a ministry's readiness for program-based budgeting.
  • Prepare a phased reform roadmap with clear roles for the Ministry of Finance, line ministries, and program managers.
  • Design programs, sub-programs, and activities derived from the ministry mandate and strategy.
  • Map organizational units and cost centers to programs while preserving clear accountability.
  • Build crosswalks between program, administrative, economic, and functional classifications.
  • Develop program objectives and results chains linking inputs, outputs, and outcomes.
  • Cost program baselines separately from new spending proposals using documented cost drivers.
  • Allocate shared and support service costs to programs using defensible methods.
  • Select output, outcome, and efficiency indicators with baselines, targets, and data owners.
  • Link program targets to resource levels so the performance effect of funding decisions is visible.
  • Allocate a three-year ministry expenditure ceiling across programs and prepare forward estimates.
  • Prepare a program budget submission that explains priorities, reallocations, and changes in estimates.

Who Should Attend

This training course is designed for Budget Directors, Budget Managers, Budget Analysts, Planning Directors, Strategy and Performance Officers, Financial Planning Specialists, Program Managers, and finance staff responsible for preparing ministry budget submissions. It is particularly relevant to professionals working in line ministries, Ministries of Finance and Planning, government agencies, and public authorities that are introducing or extending program-based budgeting and medium-term expenditure frameworks. Reform team members and advisors supporting budget classification, costing, and performance reporting will also find it useful. The program will benefit most those who will design or own their ministry's program structure, cost programs, set performance targets, and defend program budgets within a medium-term ceiling, as well as senior officials who must steer and sequence the reform.

Learning Outcomes

  • Explain why line-item budgets limit policy choices and how program budgets improve accountability for results.
  • Assess a ministry's readiness for program-based budgeting and propose a realistic reform sequence.
  • Design programs, sub-programs, and activities aligned with the ministry mandate and strategy.
  • Map organizational units and cost centers to programs with clear managerial responsibility.
  • Prepare crosswalks linking program, administrative, economic, and functional classifications.
  • Formulate program objectives and results chains connecting resources with outputs and outcomes.
  • Cost program baselines and new spending proposals using documented assumptions and cost drivers.
  • Allocate shared and support service costs to programs consistently and transparently.
  • Develop KPI frameworks with baselines, targets, and assigned data responsibilities.
  • Show how changes in program funding affect expected outputs and outcomes.
  • Allocate a three-year expenditure ceiling across programs and prepare forward estimates.
  • Prepare a medium-term program budget submission and an action plan for the reform.

Course Outline

Course Outline

Day 1

Reform Diagnosis & Roadmap for Program Budgeting

  • Limits of line-item, input-based budgets for policy and accountability
  • Core elements: programs, sub-programs, activities, objectives, and indicators
  • Diagnosing classifications, chart of accounts, budget law, and systems
  • Readiness of the budget unit, line departments, and data sources
  • Roles of the Ministry of Finance, line ministries, and program managers
  • Sequencing: pilots, shadow program budgets, and phased roll-out
  • Reform governance, steering committee, and change management
  • Practical application: Diagnose a sample ministry's budget and draft a reform roadmap
Day 2

Designing the Ministry Program Structure

  • Deriving programs from the mandate, sector strategy, and national plan
  • Criteria for a sound program: one objective and an accountable manager
  • Building the hierarchy of programs, sub-programs, and activities
  • Treating administration and support services
  • Mapping organizational units and cost centers to programs
  • Crosswalks to administrative, economic, and functional (COFOG) classifications
  • Program objectives and results chains from inputs to outcomes
  • Testing the structure for overlaps, gaps, and split accountability
  • Practical application: Design a program structure for a sample ministry
Day 3

Costing Programs & New Proposals

  • Costing the baseline of current policies and services
  • Attributing personnel, goods and services, transfers, and capital
  • Allocating shared and support service costs to programs
  • Unit-cost and activity-based costing for service programs
  • Costing new spending proposals separately from the baseline
  • Recurrent costs of capital projects over the medium term
  • Documenting cost drivers, price and volume assumptions
  • Practical application: Cost a program baseline and a new proposal
Day 4

Program Performance Frameworks & KPIs

  • Output, outcome, and efficiency indicators for each program
  • Common indicator design weaknesses and how to avoid them
  • Baselines, targets, and indicator definition sheets
  • Data sources, frequency, and data quality responsibilities
  • Linking targets to funding levels
  • Performance statements in budget documents and annual reports
  • Using performance information in budget hearings
  • Practical application: Build a KPI framework with three-year targets for two programs
Day 5

Linking Programs to a Three-Year MTEF Ceiling

  • Medium-term fiscal, budget, and performance frameworks
  • Reconciling top-down ceilings with bottom-up program estimates
  • Allocating the ceiling across programs for the budget year and two outer years
  • Forward estimates and rolling the framework each year
  • Reprioritizing within the ceiling: savings and new proposals
  • The strategic phase of the budget calendar and the budget circular
  • Presenting medium-term program budgets to the Ministry of Finance and legislature
  • Explaining changes between successive estimates
  • Final workshop: Develop a three-year program budget for a sample ministry covering the program structure, costing, KPIs and targets, ceiling allocation, forward estimates, and a reform implementation plan.

Upcoming Dates

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Bangkok · 11 – 15 Oct 2027 · Classroom

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MadridScheduled
2 – 6 Nov 2026€5,400—
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MakkahScheduled
2 – 6 Nov 2026€4,200—
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ManamaScheduled
9 – 13 Nov 2026€4,700—
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MarbellaScheduled
16 – 20 Nov 2026€5,400—
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MuscatScheduled
16 – 20 Nov 2026€5,300—
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OnlineScheduled
22 – 26 Nov 2026€1,700—
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AbujaScheduled
30 Nov – 4 Dec 2026€5,100€4,590until 9 Nov
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AccraScheduled
30 Nov – 4 Dec 2026€5,100€4,590until 9 Nov
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AmmanScheduled
6 – 10 Dec 2026€3,100€2,790until 16 Nov
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AmsterdamScheduled
14 – 18 Dec 2026€5,400€4,860until 23 Nov
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BakuScheduled
21 – 25 Dec 2026€4,800€4,320until 30 Nov
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BangkokScheduled
21 – 25 Dec 2026€6,100€5,490until 30 Nov
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BarcelonaScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€5,400€4,860until 7 Dec
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BeirutScheduled
3 – 7 Jan 2027€4,000€3,600until 14 Dec
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CairoScheduled
3 – 7 Jan 2027€3,300€2,970until 14 Dec
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Cape TownScheduled
11 – 15 Jan 2027€5,100€4,590until 21 Dec
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CasablancaScheduled
18 – 22 Jan 2027€4,300€3,870until 28 Dec
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DammamScheduled
24 – 28 Jan 2027€4,200€3,780until 4 Jan
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DohaScheduled
24 – 28 Jan 2027€4,400€3,960until 4 Jan
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DubaiScheduled
31 Jan – 4 Feb 2027€4,400€3,960until 11 Jan
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ErbilScheduled
7 – 11 Feb 2027€3,100€2,790until 18 Jan
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FrankfurtScheduled
8 – 12 Feb 2027€5,800€5,220until 18 Jan
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GenevaScheduled
15 – 19 Feb 2027€6,300€5,670until 25 Jan
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JeddahScheduled
21 – 25 Feb 2027€4,200€3,780until 1 Feb
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IstanbulScheduled
22 – 26 Feb 2027€4,700€4,230until 1 Feb
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KigaliScheduled
1 – 5 Mar 2027€5,100€4,590until 8 Feb
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Kuala LumpurScheduled
8 – 12 Mar 2027€4,400€3,960until 15 Feb
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LisbonScheduled
8 – 12 Mar 2027€5,400€4,860until 15 Feb
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LondonScheduled
15 – 19 Mar 2027€5,600€5,040until 22 Feb
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MadinahScheduled
22 – 26 Mar 2027€4,200€3,780until 1 Mar
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BangkokScheduled
11 – 15 Oct 2027€6,100€5,490until 20 Sept
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