The challenges facing higher education today are fundamental and will require time and careful planning. As colleges and universities navigate competing demands on mission, resources, and business models, many are developing more sophisticated long-range plans to implement strategies at acceptable levels of risk. Often, boards of trustees are mandating multi-year views that capture all funds and align with audited balance sheets and income statements.
Kaufman Hall has provided financial strategy advice to healthcare and higher education institutions for decades – financial planning is in our DNA. We take a four-step approach to assess a university’s financial history, quantify all major prospective cash sources and uses, develop robust financial projections and risk analyses, and monitor the plan over time. Our clients often cite the value of our approach to communicate with and educate stakeholders across the institution and move leadership conversations from confusion or suspicion to a shared understanding of resource constraints and the need to prioritize.
Examples of our core service offerings include:
Financial plan development
Assessment of funding options
Pro-forma financial modeling and health assessments
Credit analysis (including peer comparisons) and debt capacity
Academic program cost and subsidy analysis
Financial Strategy Development (i.e., the Financial Plan)
Reimagining Higher Education On-Demand Webinars
This on-demand webinar series focuses on the task of reimagining higher education, with sessions on strategies for growth, transformation, and affiliation, as well as sessions on the tools and leadership skills required.
FEATURED INSIGHTS ON HIGHER EDUCATION strategic financial planning

4 Best Practices in Financial Planning for Higher Education, 2nd Edition


Liquidity in Higher Education: Setting the Table for All Stakeholders


Take First Steps on the Road to Financial Recovery


Navigating the Financial Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education
Talk with one of our experts to discuss the right path forward for your organization