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Planning Your 2026 Budget Don T Overlook These 5 Pr Priorities Forbes

Bonisiwe Shabane
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planning your 2026 budget don t overlook these 5 pr priorities forbes

Heather Kelly is the CEO of Next PR, an award-winning, full-service public relations firm with offices across the U.S. With budget planning season well underway, persistent political and economic upheaval has many business leaders facing several unknowns. Instead of feeling fearful or like a victim of uncertainty, remember that you have a surprising amount of control over your business growth, and now is the time to leverage it. Having a proactive public relations plan going into 2026 is one of the most powerful ways to control your own destiny. As I’ve explained before, PR should never be on the chopping block, even when things are tight or feel uncertain. In fact, it’s during these exact times when you need PR the most.

With the right strategy and a smart mix of tactics, PR can double as both a strong defense and a powerful driver of growth. This reality is likely why one poll found that 80% of in-house communications professionals expect increased PR and communications budgets next year, with 8% expecting a boost of more than 50%. Like most investments, simply spending more isn’t the solution—you must be strategic and focused on delivering real impact. Here’s where smart companies can put their money in 2026 and beyond. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s bold $50 billion budget shift sparks controversy, prioritizing border security over climate change initiatives. In a move that’s sending shockwaves through Washington, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has instructed top Pentagon officials to dramatically reshape the Fiscal Year 2026 Defense Budget.

The plan involves a substantial reallocation of funds, moving approximately $50 billion away from climate change programs and what Hegseth’s team terms “woke initiatives.” This bold strategy aims to refocus the Department of Defense... The proposed shift represents a staggering 8% of the Biden Administration’s projected FY-26 budget, signaling a clear departure from the previous administration’s priorities. This reallocation is not just a minor adjustment but a fundamental realignment of defense spending that reflects the Trump administration’s vision for national security. At the heart of Hegseth’s budget overhaul is a renewed focus on border security. For years, conservatives have decried the porous nature of our southern border, arguing that it poses a significant national security risk. Now, with this budget shift, the Pentagon is poised to play a more active role in addressing this long-standing concern.

“Funds should be moved from “so-called ‘climate change’ and other woke programs” and “excessive bureaucracy” to Trump-administration priorities, such as securing the border, building an “Iron Dome” for the United States, and ending DEI... Tariffs, trade wars, evolving security risks, and increasingly impatient customers are turning 2026 budget planning into a high-stakes challenge. To succeed, business leaders must act decisively, adapt quickly, and capitalize on emerging opportunities. Our Budget Planning Guides and additional resources provide research-backed strategies to help you invest boldly, scale back thoughtfully, and innovate with confidence. How can you balance tech innovation and adaptability to tackle uncertainty? Download our 2026 Budget Planning Guide and workbook for strategies to invest in transformative tech, optimize operations, and drive growth during challenging times.

Map and prioritize key stakeholders, make the case for strategy, and create a 120-day action plan with milestones and deliverables. Will your security organization be prepared to tackle unpredictable challenges in 2026? Explore our Budget Planning Guide and companion workbook to strategically allocate your security investments while addressing the most critical risks on the horizon. Prove business value, win budget, and reduce burnout in your security organization. Discover an actionable framework to align security with enterprise goals and justify funding. As manufacturers and building industry organizations prepare for 2026, the budgeting process is taking place against a backdrop of economic uncertainty and shifting buyer behavior.

Many B2B buyers, and companies for that matter, are adopting a cautious, “wait and see” approach. That environment can tempt organizations to reduce marketing and communications spending. But history shows that pulling back during uncertain times often leaves brands invisible at the very moment when staying top of mind is most important. Instead, communications leaders should think about budgeting smarter, ensuring resources are aligned with longer purchase cycles, digital transformation, and the growing influence of generative AI. Purchase decisions are stretching out. Buyers spend more time researching, validating, and comparing options before making commitments.

That means marketing allocations for 2026 should support multi-touch engagement rather than short bursts of high-pressure campaigns. Consider how the budget can be directed to nurture relationships over time through earned media, GEO-focused content, drip campaigns, and retargeting. Educational assets such as how-to guides, case studies, and product comparisons are increasingly valuable in helping buyers feel confident. As summer winds down, many companies are starting to plan their 2026 budgets—and workforce planning should be a central part of that process. Strategic workforce planning helps you align your talent needs with your business goals, prepare for turnover, and ensure you're investing wisely in your people. How Blueprint HRM, LLC can help: We conduct staffing audits, develop succession plans, analyze trends, and build hiring plans aligned with your business strategy.

📅 Schedule a Workforce Planning Consultation with Suzi Tropiano, MBA, SHRM-SCP today. Building a workforce budget for 2026 doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right framework and data, you can make confident decisions about salaries, benefits, and new hires. How Blueprint HRM, LLC supports you: We benchmark compensation, model workforce costs, and can help align your HR spend with your long-term strategy. When it comes to the federal budget, the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) advocates for responsible investments that grow the economy and help working families thrive, reduce waste and deliver better outcomes, and make the... To that end, BPC Action encourages Congress to prioritize spending that:

It is critical to recognize that the country’s fiscal trajectory is unsustainable, creating a drag on the economy that increasingly impacts every taxpayer and business. Rapidly rising debt and interest payments are slowing growth and making it more expensive for Americans to buy homes, attend college, and pay off credit cards. It is achievable to both prudently invest in the priorities outlined above and to exercise oversight that improves government efficiency and fiscal responsibility. See our letter to House and Senate Appropriations Committee leaders outlining how to achieve this balance in the FY26 budget. Also see BPC Action’s letters to Appropriations subcommittees detailing specific programmatic recommendations for FY26: Home • Blog • 5 Priorities to Consider When Building Your 2026 Digital Marketing Budget

As 2025 comes to a close, and I can’t believe I just said that, it’s time to start thinking about 2026. Budget planning is about making sure your digital presence grows with your customers and keeps up with technology. The businesses that plan thoughtfully now will be in a stronger position to attract, engage, and retain customers next year. Here are five areas to focus on as you put together your 2026 digital marketing budget. Your website is still the hub of your digital marketing. In 2026, marketers need to think beyond just how a site looks and incorporate the following:

Search engines continue to evolve, and SEO remains one of the most effective ways to reach new customers. Invest in technical SEO, structured content that matches search intent, and local optimization to keep your business visible. SEO is a long-term play, and consistent work here will pay off over time. And no, SEO isn’t going away any time soon. It remains foundational in any successful digital marketing plan. Forrester’s 2026 Budget Planning Guides: Leaders Grow More Cautious As Economic Uncertainty Persists

While volatility is here to stay, embracing scenario planning can help regain control LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--According to Forrester’s (Nasdaq: FORR) 2026 Budget Planning Guides, volatility is tempering 2026 budget optimism. Tariffs, trade wars, cyber threats, and economic uncertainty are resetting budget expectations, signaling a shift toward more cautious growth planning. Amid persistent volatility, leaders must turn to scenario planning and prepare for both deeper budget cuts and unexpected investment opportunities — protecting and prioritizing investments that create customer value, stopping spending on inefficient complexity,... While it’s no surprise that leaders are less bullish compared to last year, it’s not all doom and gloom. Despite the uncertainty, 86% of tech leaders across industries are expecting increased budgets from the year before.

Additionally, tech leaders in the financial services and healthcare sectors expect double-digit budget increases, driven by investments in generative AI (genAI), analytics, and threat intelligence. Forrester’s Budget Planning Guides provide data-driven spending intention benchmarks and concrete recommendations for technology and security, B2B and B2C marketing, customer experience (CX), digital strategy, and sales and revenue operations leaders to budget and... The guides provide actionable insights for areas to deepen investments, divest budget allocations, and experiment to surface new opportunities. It's time to stop chasing net worth and start chasing real worth. The question to ask yourself is: Does my financial plan support the life I want to live? Here's how to craft a plan that supports your well-being today and in the future.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. As 2025 winds down, many affluent families are taking stock, not just of markets and account balances, but of what those numbers really mean. For years, financial success has been measured by numbers, such as beating market benchmarks and increasing net worth. But with tax laws now clarified under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), inflation still weighing down portfolios and family priorities evolving, people are asking a different question: Do our financial plans support...

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Map and prioritize key stakeholders, make the case for strategy, and create a 120-day action plan with milestones and deliverables. Will your security organization be prepared to tackle unpredictable challenges in 2026? Explore our Budget Planning Guide and companion workbook to strategically allocate your security investments while addressing the most critical risks on the horizon. Prove business...