in the beginning if you are an expert in your field you will manage the budget in the same way even when you have no restrictions. It is known exactly what is the base of services that cannot be abandoned, what are the processes that must be improved and what can be changed in tactics. There are certainly no new results when doing things the same way. Whoever sticks to it manages the budget both when it is huge and when it is small in a strategic way that leads to the set goals. In Serbia, there is a great saying "if you don't know which direction you are going, get on any ship"

Investing in technology may seem counterintuitive in the face of budget constraints, but strategic technology investments can lead to long-term savings and improved service delivery. Analyze which technology solutions offer the best return on investment, such as customer relationship management, cloud systems or services, can improve efficiency and beneficiary satisfaction.

Encourage them to use your highest and best skills (strategic planning, research design, organizational development) and have their highly skilled internal staff do execution. The relationships being built should be with the organization anyway, not outside Counsel.

Prioritize Needs: Focus on what's essential for the project or service delivery. Identify "must-have" features versus "nice-to-have" elements. Communicate Clearly: If the vendor understands the budget limitations upfront, they can provide cost-effective solutions that meet your needs. Leverage Personal Relations: Tapping into existing relationships with vendors can lead to better deals or more favorable terms. Trusted vendors are more likely to offer flexibility on pricing, payment terms, or even throw in added value to maintain the relationship. Explore Alternatives: Don’t hesitate to explore non-traditional or second best vendors. Sometimes smaller or less-known vendors can offer better deals for the same quality.

From my professional perspective, I see constraints as opportunities for transformative development, opening doors & inspiring multidimensional strategies & plans, which I find incredibly exciting! When we identify various constraints, e.g skills & budget, we must adapt to our clients’ needs, often requiring us to modify & readjust costs within tight timeframes, which can sometimes get pricey. But we can simplify complexity into something straightforward, meeting both our needs & those of our clients. It’s all about creating a win-win situation through mutual trust to uphold, with effective communication being crucial in this process to ensure everyone is on the same page with clear strategies & agreements. Constraints is all about strategy