Our project depends on a funding approval that is not confirmed. Can work begin?
Unfunded commitment riskSeparate authorized preparatory activity from commitments that assume future funding. Establish a spending boundary and a stop point so discovery does not quietly become an unfunded delivery project.
What to do now
- Confirm available authority and funds
- Classify reversible and irreversible work
- Approve a capped preparatory scope
- Set a funding decision deadline
When to escalate
Escalate when
The next commitment exceeds confirmed authorization.
Who decides
The accountable sponsor
Example
A team completes requirements interviews but postpones a supplier order until the funding decision is documented.
Mistake to avoid
Treating expected funding as money already available.
Prevent a repeat
At each stage decision, check that the expected outcome, owner and justification remain valid.
Suggested ApprovedFlow setup
- Projects
- Documents
- Approvals
Keep the decision brief with the project and request a recorded sponsor decision before the next commitment. See the platform
Related cases
- Nobody knows which assumptions the plan depends on. Where do we begin?Invisible planning assumptions
- Two departments are funding the same initiative. Who owns the project?Split sponsorship
- A sponsor approves scope but not the extra budget. What should we do?Unfunded change approval
- A project has budget but no people. Can it be considered approved to start?Funding-capacity mismatch