What is an allocation plan for financial resources called?

A budget is essentially an allocation plan for financial resources that outlines how funds will be distributed across various departments, projects, or activities within an organization. It serves as a financial blueprint that guides decision-making and helps ensure that resources are utilized effectively to achieve business objectives.

Creating a budget involves estimating expected revenues and expenditures over a specific period, allowing organizations to plan for necessary expenses while highlighting potential areas of financial shortfall or surplus. This process also aids in setting priorities, as it compels businesses to evaluate the importance of various initiatives and allocate funds accordingly.

In contrast, a forecast refers to predicting future performance based on historical data, a burn rate measures how quickly a company is using its cash resources, and valuation is the process of determining the worth of a company or asset. Each of these concepts is valuable within the context of financial planning and analysis, but they do not directly represent the structured allocation of financial resources as a budget does.