Understanding and Calculating True Program Costs – July 14, 2026
$95
Registration
Early Bird: $95
Standard Registration: $125
Spots are limited to keep the session interactive. Early registration is encouraged.
About this workshop:
Most nonprofits can tell you what they spend on programs — but far fewer can explain what those programs actually cost to deliver.
Without a clear understanding of true program costs, organizations often underprice services, underfund infrastructure, and make decisions based on incomplete information.
The challenge isn’t a lack of financial data — it’s that most systems are not designed to show the full cost of delivering programs, including the shared resources that make that work possible.
In this live, interactive workshop, you’ll learn a practical framework for understanding and calculating the true cost of your programs. We’ll focus on how to connect financial data to operations — so you can make more informed decisions about pricing, funding, and long-term sustainability.
In this workshop, we will cover:
- What “true program cost” means in a nonprofit context — and why it matters for decision-making
- The difference between direct costs, shared costs, and indirect (infrastructure) costs
- How leadership, administrative, and support functions contribute to program delivery
- Practical approaches to allocating shared and indirect costs across programs
- How to avoid common mistakes that lead to incomplete or misleading program cost information
- How to use program cost data to support pricing, funding conversations, and strategic planning
- How to communicate program costs clearly with funders, boards, and stakeholders
This workshop is ideal for:
- Executive Directors and CEOs
- CFOs and Directors of Finance
- Program leaders and department managers
- Board members and finance committee members
- Nonprofit staff involved in budgeting, planning, or financial analysis
What you’ll walk away with:
- A clear understanding of what your programs actually cost to deliver
- A practical framework for allocating shared and indirect costs
- Greater confidence in using cost data for decision-making and planning
- Tools to communicate program costs more effectively with stakeholders
No advanced accounting background required
Whether you are building program budgets, analyzing costs, or making strategic decisions, this workshop is designed to be practical, accessible, and immediately useful.
Workshop Details & FAQs
This is a live, instructor-led workshop conducted via Zoom.
Because this is a live, interactive session, the focus is on real-time learning, discussion, and Q&A.
Yes. Slides and any supporting materials will be provided.
If your plans change, you can cancel up to one day before the workshop. If you need to leave early or miss the session, we’re happy to transfer your registration to a future session at no additional cost.