Overview
In this assignment, you’ll examine the importance of financial trend analysis, a tool for evaluating the financial health of a government entity. This analysis guides decision-makers in creating effective policies.
Your task includes presenting and analyzing financial trends within a state, local, or nonprofit agency, identifying an area of concern revealed in the analysis, and crafting a policy statement to address that concern.
Preparation
Review the Financial Trend Monitoring System in Chapter 7 of your textbook to aid in the research of the fiscal health of a state, local, or nonprofit agency.
Note: A federal entity should not be used for this assignment.
You may choose a new agency to analyze or use one of the agencies you investigated in the Week 5 assignment or the Week 7 assignment. I used the Georgia Department of Education previously.
Review the financial factors from Table 7.1 in your textbook titled, “Factors Affecting Financial Condition.” Use 2 to 3 of those financial factors in your trend analysis of your chosen agency.
Then, review the Essential Components of a Policy Statement [DOCX] Download Essential Components of a Policy Statement [DOCX]to guide you in step 4 of this assignment.
Instructions
In a 4-5-page paper (plus a cover page and a source list page), please include the following:
Evaluate your chosen financial factors by analyzing financial data from your selected agency over at least the last five years.
Title this section of your paper Financial Factors Trend Analysis.
Create a table or chart for each factor, indicating the direction of the trend.
Title this section of your paper Financial Factors Data.
Note: This section of your paper should just be your tables and/or charts. You’ll analyze the tables and/or charts in the next step.
Describe the tables and/or charts you generated, offering a brief analysis of the trends observed over the last five years and pinpointing one specific area of concern within the data.
Title this section of your paper Financial Factors Data Analysis.
Develop a policy statement that addresses the specific area of concern you identified.
Title this section of your paper Managing Financial Factors with a Policy Statement.
Develop an introduction paragraph, the first paragraph of the assignment, that sets the stage for your trend analysis, and a conclusion paragraph the last paragraph of the assignment, that wraps up your analysis with key takeaways and insights.
In a Source List using proper SWS style, support your observations by citing at least four credible sources.
For more information on finding sources that are credible, visit Library FAQ: How do I know if information is credible?
This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The library is your home for SWS assistance, including citations and formatting. Please refer to the Library website for all support. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is:
Evaluate financial trends for a selected agency and propose fiscal recommendations.