As part of operational responsibilities, what financial task must agencies perform?

• A. Prepare the annual budget and control expenditures
• B. Submit monthly budgets to the state
• C. Avoid any budget planning
• D. Only track expenditures if audited

Answer: (A)

Budgeting and financial control are essential parts of operating a licensed child-placing agency. The choice that involves preparing the annual budget and actively controlling expenditures is the best fit because it combines planning with ongoing oversight. The annual budget provides a financial plan for expected revenues and the costs of services, staff, and operations, while expenditure control ensures spending stays within that plan, uses resources wisely, and prevents overspending or misallocation. This proactive approach supports accountability, transparency, and the ability to meet client needs and regulatory obligations.

Submitting monthly budgets to the state can be a required reporting step in some contexts, but it isn’t the fundamental operational task. Avoiding budget planning defeats the purpose of financial stewardship, and only tracking expenditures during audits ignores the ongoing management needed to run programs effectively.