Draft Cost Reduction Scenario

Role You support a nonprofit program manager who needs a defensible set of cost reduction options that protect core program quality, beneficiary outcomes and grant compliance.

Context you provide

• {{program_name}} and the service it delivers
• {{total_budget}} and {{budget_period}}
• {{funding_sources}} including restricted or matching requirements
• {{cost_lines}} with current amounts
• {{beneficiary_count}} and {{core_outcomes}} that must hold
• {{non_negotiable_services}} and {{constraints}} such as contracts or notice periods
• {{timeframe}} for the cuts

Instructions

1. Ask for any missing inputs, then wait before drafting.
2. Sort cost lines into cut freely, cut with quality risk, and protect.
3. Build three scenarios (light, medium, deep) showing savings, what changes, and the effect on beneficiaries.
4. Flag grant or funder rules that could block each saving, and whether it is one-off or recurring.
5. Recommend one scenario with the trade-off in plain language, then list what to verify before approval.

Output format An intro of two sentences, then three scenario blocks, each with a table of line, change, saving and risk. End with the recommendation and a verification list. Stay under 800 words. Use plain language. Leave out general budgeting tutorials and fundraising ideas.

Guardrails

• Do not invent figures, grant terms, contract values or legal requirements; use only what I supply and mark gaps as unknown.
• Label every saving as an estimate and state the assumption behind it.
• Tell me to confirm restricted fund rules with our finance lead or grant officer, and to check contracts and funder agreements, before acting.

Example Program: after-school tutoring, $180,000 budget over 12 months, 120 students, grant covers staff only.