> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://wiki.beabee.io/community-journalismus/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://wiki.beabee.io/community-journalismus/english/basics-media-entrepreneurship/how-to-develop-an-initial-financial-plan/template-initial-financial-planning-for-your-project.md).
# Template: Initial Financial Planning for Your Project
Use this template to create an initial financial plan for your journalism project. Replace the placeholders with your specific figures and ideas.
{% hint style="success" %}
We also have a ready-made Excel spreadsheet for budget planning. Simply enter your figures here and the rest will be calculated automatically.
Spreadsheet
{% endhint %}
***
## 1. Monthly expenses:
#### MUST-HAVES:
* Rent/operating costs: \[insert amount]
* Management: \[insert amount]
* Personnel costs for community management: \[insert amount]
* Personnel costs for project management: \[insert amount]
* Freelancers (text work, authors): \[insert amount]
* Tax consulting/annual financial statements: \[insert amount]
* Technical infrastructure (server, email provider): \[insert amount]
* (Freelance) programmer: \[insert amount]
* Legal fees: \[insert amount]
* Event costs (rent, drinks, food): \[insert amount]
* Marketing costs (flyers, printed materials): \[insert amount]
* Taxes: \[insert amount]
#### **NICE-TO-HAVES:**
* Photographer (for professional photos): \[insert amount]
* Travel expenses: \[insert amount]
* Participation in events (conferences, meetings): \[insert amount]
* Opportunities for further training for team members: \[insert amount]
* Regular team-building activities (retreats, etc.): \[enter amount]
#### **Expected income:**
* Month 1: \[enter amount]
* Month 3: \[enter amount]
* Month 6: \[enter amount]
* Month 12: \[enter amount]
#### **Financial buffer & reserves:**
* Available reserves: \[enter amount]
* External sources of financing (e.g., severance payments, grants): \[enter amount]
***
## 2. Sources of income
#### **What sources of income are you planning? Enter the relevant amounts.**
* Memberships: \[enter amount]
* Advertising/sponsorship: \[enter amount]
* Subsidies/foundations: \[enter amount]
* Crowdfunding: \[enter amount]
* Cooperation partnerships: \[enter amount]
#### **Questions about strategy:**
* Which sources of income can you activate in the short term?
* Which ones require long-term planning?
* What requirements must be met (e.g., specific reach, contacts)?
***
## 3. Best- and worst-case scenarios
Plan for different scenarios and prepare for bottlenecks:
#### **Best-case scenario (optimistic):**
* Higher income than expected. How will you use the surplus? \[Enter answer]
#### **Realistic scenario:**
* Revenue is in line with expectations. How will you develop your financing further? \[Insert answer]
#### **Worst-case scenario:**
* Revenue falls short of expectations. Which costs can you cut? \[Insert answer]
* Contingency plan: \[Insert measures]
***
## 4. Liquidity planning
#### **Monthly fixed costs vs. available liquidity:**
* Average monthly fixed costs: \[insert amount]
* Expected monthly cash flow: \[insert amount]
* Reserve for bottlenecks (ideally 3–6 months): \[insert amount]
#### **Measures to ensure liquidity:**
* Which bills can be deferred?
* Are there any short-term financing options?
* Which expenses are flexible?
***
## 5. Conclusion & next steps
* Review your financial planning regularly: \[e.g., every 3 months]
* Expand your sources of financing: \[insert specific measures]
* Set up a reserve fund: \[specify amount & time frame]
***
Get involved:
Ask a question or Make a contribution or Give feedback
---
# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.
## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.
Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:
```
GET https://wiki.beabee.io/community-journalismus/english/basics-media-entrepreneurship/how-to-develop-an-initial-financial-plan/template-initial-financial-planning-for-your-project.md?ask=&goal=
```
`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.
Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.