How to Request Additional Budget Mid-Project
Sometimes the approved budget for a project is not enough to deliver everything you need. This article explains how to handle a budget increase request professionally and efficiently.
When Additional Budget Is Needed
Mid-project budget requests typically arise because of:
- Approved change requests that add scope
- Requirements that proved more complex than initially estimated
- New requirements that emerged during development
- Third-party costs (licences, APIs) that were higher than estimated
- Timeline acceleration requests
Before Requesting More Budget
Consider whether the additional spend can be offset by descoping something else. Your Project Manager can help you identify which backlog items could be deferred to a Phase 2, freeing up budget for higher-priority work without needing additional funds.
The Process
- Your Project Manager raises a formal Change Request or Budget Amendment document detailing the additional work, reason, estimated cost, and timeline impact
- You take this document through your internal approval process (this is where your PO process or budget holder approval fits)
- Once approved internally, you provide written authorisation to Progressive Robot
- We issue a revised or supplementary Statement of Work for the additional scope
- Both parties sign before additional work begins
Emergency Budget Situations
In rare cases (e.g. a critical security issue requiring urgent remediation beyond current scope), we may need to proceed before formal approvals are in place. In such cases, your Account Manager will obtain verbal authorisation from your Project Sponsor and follow up with written confirmation within 24 hours.