Business Level 3 - Advanced Business Management

Learning Objective

Master advanced financial management including complex, diversified budgets across multiple funding sources and financial forecasting with stakeholder reporting, develop and retain strategic sponsor and community partnerships through real retention and loss scenarios, independently own the team's FIRST Impact Award submission -- tying together finance, outreach, and impact metrics into one judged deliverable -- and establish risk management frameworks for funding loss. This level typically takes a full season and centers on a capstone project reviewed and signed off by a mentor -- this is where students move from following a fundraising plan to owning one independently.

Prerequisites

• Business Level 2 - Strategic Planning
• Project Management Level 2 - Team Coordination
• Leadership Level 2 - Team Leadership

Primary Resources

• FIRST: Impact Award Judging Guidelines
• Propel Nonprofits: Financial Policy Guidelines and Example

Tasks

1. Advanced Finance

   • Manage complex, diversified budgets across multiple funding sources
   • Coordinate multiple funding sources (grants, sponsors, crowdfunding, team dues)
   • Create financial forecasts
   • Develop stakeholder reports

2. Partnership Management

   • Develop strategic sponsor and community partnerships
   • Manage a real sponsor relationship through a retention or loss scenario
   • Create partnership agreements
   • Measure partnership value

3. Impact Award

   • Own the FIRST Impact Award submission process for the team
   • Tie together finance, outreach, and impact metrics into one submission
   • Present the submission in a mock judging session
   • Capstone project: independently own and submit (or mock-judge) a complete Impact Award package, reviewed and signed off by a mentor

4. Risk Management

   • Identify strategic risks
   • Develop mitigation strategies
   • Create contingency plans
   • Monitor risk indicators

Level 3 Completion Requirements

• Mentor-reviewed capstone: independently owned and submitted (or mock-judged) FIRST Impact Award package
• Successfully manage a complex, diversified budget across multiple funding sources
• Build or retain a real strategic sponsor or community partnership
• Implement a risk-mitigation plan for funding loss

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