ATLANTA & TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 24, 2025--
Amid ongoing fiscal uncertainty, a new national report from Euna Solutions® reveals how public sector finance teams are adapting to economic pressures, rising demands for transparency, and evolving citizen expectations. The 2025 State of Budgeting Report, based on survey data from 100 public sector finance professionals, offers a snapshot of how agencies are managing tighter budgets, leaner teams, and increasing complexity through the use of modern digital tools.
“Public sector budgeting has never been easy, but today’s environment, from inflation to staffing shortages to rising expectations for transparency, makes it even more complex,” said Tom Amburgey, CEO of Euna Solutions. “Yet what we’re seeing isn’t stagnation, it’s adaptation. Finance leaders are embracing change, adopting smarter tools, and exploring emerging technologies like AI to solve persistent challenges. This transformation isn’t just about efficiency, it’s about enabling governments to be more responsive, transparent, and strategic in how they serve their communities.”
The findings come at a critical time: federal COVID-era support programs are set to sunset, inflation continues to impact operational costs, and many local governments are facing budget cuts or bracing for a fiscal cliff, a sudden drop in government funding that threatens essential services and stability. Yet, the report highlights a wave of resilience and innovation across the sector, driven largely by the adoption of cloud-based budgeting technology and scenario planning tools.
Key findings from the report include:
- Budget Cuts Are the Top Concern: Nearly half (49%) of public finance leaders cite budget cuts and shortfalls as their greatest challenge. With shrinking revenues and rising costs, agencies must stretch their limited resources while maintaining existing services and launching new initiatives, often without additional staff or modernized systems.
- Strategic Alignment Remains Elusive: Many agencies (37%) struggle to align their budgets with long-term goals, resulting in misallocated resources and underfunded priorities. In today’s fast-paced environment, connecting financial planning to broader outcomes is crucial for driving measurable community impact and maintaining public accountability.
- Technology Is No Longer Optional: The report underscores that digital tools are essential, not optional, for modern budgeting. From scenario planning to digital budget books, technology empowers teams to make smarter decisions, collaborate across departments, and respond quickly to economic uncertainty.
- Transparency is a Growing Priority: The report highlights a persistent gap between budgeting goals and the tools in use. Despite growing expectations for transparency and efficiency, many finance teams still use spreadsheets (39%) to manage budgets, and a significant amount (81%) still rely on PDF files for sharing financial documents and budget books with the public. This gap presents an opportunity to leverage digital tools to support strategic goals, such as transparency, that make budget data easier to understand, explore, and act upon.
- Resilience Through Scenario Planning: More than half (55%) of finance teams now use scenario planning to test assumptions and model different outcomes, despite only 15% using purpose-built software and 16% using ERPs to support them. This strategic process reflects a proactive approach to revenue volatility, preparing agencies to sustain operations through potential fiscal cliffs and funding reductions – the adoption of digital tools will enhance the speed, accuracy, and collaboration needed to make scenario planning even more effective.
“This State of Public Budgeting Report isn’t just a snapshot of the present – it’s a blueprint for the future,” said Amburgey. “Public finance leaders are rewriting the playbook for how government budgeting works, making it more transparent, agile, and accountable. At Euna, we’re proud to power that progress with technology that doesn’t just keep up with change, it drives it. The future of public service is smarter, faster, and more connected, and it’s already taking shape.”
To download the full 2025 State of Budgeting Report or learn more about Euna Budget, visit eunasolutions.com/resources/the-state-of-budgeting-report-2025
About Euna Solutions
Euna Solutions® is a leading provider of purpose-built, cloud-based software that helps public sector and government organizations streamline procurement, budgeting, payments, grants management, and special education administration. Designed to enhance efficiency, collaboration, and compliance, Euna Solutions supports more than 3,400 organizations across North America in building trust, enabling transparency, and driving community impact. Recognized on Government Technology’s GovTech 100 list, Euna Solutions is committed to advancing public sector progress through innovative SaaS solutions. To learn more, visit www.eunasolutions.com.
View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250724473989/en/
CONTACT: Media contact:
Michael Tebo
Gabriel Marketing Group (for Euna Solutions)
Phone: 571-835-8775
Email:[email protected]
KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CANADA GEORGIA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TECHNOLOGY PAYMENTS FINANCE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES PUBLIC POLICY/GOVERNMENT SOFTWARE INTERNET OTHER EDUCATION STATE/LOCAL EDUCATION
SOURCE: Euna Solutions
Copyright Business Wire 2025.
PUB: 07/24/2025 06:10 AM/DISC: 07/24/2025 06:10 AM
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250724473989/en
