The Learning Lab experience is supported by both asynchronous and synchronous components. Each part includes a set of resources, an asynchronous discussion, and an interactive live session, all of which culminate in the development of a project to apply learning to local and specific contexts in support of the learning objectives.
Schedule
Part 1: Assessing the Present Financial State
August 13, 2025, 3:00–4:30 p.m. ET
In this part, we’ll focus on understanding your unit’s fiscal health. You’ve navigated budget cuts before—but have you considered how reactive cuts could be eroding your unit’s brand and long-term value? In this session, you’ll explore traditional budget practices, analyze the impact of current allocations, and reflect on how financial decisions shape perception and performance.
Learning Objectives:
- Explore your unit’s brand, funding model, and value proposition
- Examine the impact of fiscal cuts and allocations on services and reputation
Part 2: What’s at Stake and Stakeholders
August 20, 2025, 3:00–4:30 p.m. ET
In part 2, we’ll focus on moving from “me” to “we” decisions. Sustainable fiscal strategies require shared ownership. This session focuses on identifying key stakeholders and building governance structures that support transparent, collective decision-making. You’ll create a stakeholder engagement blueprint and draft a governance charter to guide future communications and decision processes.
Learning Objectives:
- Build strategies for governance and stakeholder engagement
- Develop a communications approach for fiscal decisions
Part 3: Setting Priorities for the Future
August 25, 2025, 3:00–4:30 p.m. ET
In part 3, we’ll focus on mapping services to strategic goals. Aligning services with institutional mission and future needs is critical. You’ll map current offerings to strategic priorities, identify gaps and inefficiencies, and begin prioritizing investments.
Learning Objectives:
- Prioritize services and tools aligned with strategic direction
- Identify opportunities for operational efficiency and innovation
- Draft potential new services to meet emerging needs
Part 4: Designing Your Fiscal Roadmap
August 28, 2025, 3:00–4:30 p.m. ET
In our last session, we’ll focus on building a three-year financial strategy. Pulling everything together, this session walks you through developing a three-year fiscal roadmap. You’ll conduct a SWOT analysis, draft governance structures, match services to strategic goals, and outline plans for phasing out low-impact services—all tied to measurable outcomes.
Learning Objectives:
- Draft a three-year fiscal roadmap aligned to strategic goals
- Create a framework for sustainable investment and smart divestment
Lab Project/Assignments
As the culminating project for this experience, you will create a leadership-ready slide deck that presents a three-year strategic fiscal roadmap. Your slide deck will demonstrate values-driven and collaborative planning and will include your governance approach, service prioritization, and funding strategy. Using this structured framework, you’ll synthesize key concepts from the lab to produce a practical and persuasive tool for communicating fiscal strategy with institutional stakeholders.