	Introduction

In the last 30 years, the United States has devoted resources and committed billions of dollars toward restoring large ecosystems such as the Chesapeake Bay, the Great Lakes, the Florida Everglades, and the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers Delta (California Bay-Delta). Congress is generally responsible for authorizing federal agency involvement in restoration efforts and establishing guidelines for managing and implementing ecosystem restoration projects. Congress is also interested in the progress of ecosystem restoration initiatives because many restoration activities and projects are funded by federal appropriations. A crosscut budget can be developed and organized in several ways. Potential Elements of a Crosscut Budget

		Purposes, Stakeholders, and Audiences

At its most basic level, a crosscut budget is often used to present budget information from two or more agencies whose activities are targeted at a common policy goal or, alternatively, related policy goals. This can assist in making data from multiple agencies more understandable (e.g., putting levels of effort into perspective, showing how different efforts relate to each other) and might be used as a tool for congressional oversight committees, participating agencies, and stakeholders implementing an ecosystem restoration program or initiative. A crosscut budget may be used to track program accomplishments, measure progress toward achieving program goals, or compare activities conducted by various agencies aimed at the same goal. When designing a crosscut budget, questions to consider include:
How closely related to the overall program goal must an activity be to be included in the crosscut budget? (See " Tracking Progress ," below.) Stages of Funding

Funding may be tracked in terms of appropriations, obligations, and outlays. Therefore, the time frame for submitting the crosscut budget may affect the accuracy or currency of the data. Examples of Crosscut Budgets for Ecosystem Restoration

The Everglades and CALFED ecosystem restoration initiatives submit crosscut budgets annually. Funding Categories

Defining what programs should be included in an assessment of restoration activities and their funding has been controversial for several restoration initiatives. Before determining what activities to include in a crosscut budget, some restoration initiatives have defined the geographical area of the ecosystem and determined what activities constitute ecosystem restoration. However, if crosscuts become too unwieldy and large, or are not designed to address the needs of specific audiences and stakeholders, some believe that they will not communicate information in an effective and timely manner and will result in a wasted investment of resources.
In the last 30 years, the United States has devoted enormous effort and committed billions of dollars toward restoring large ecosystems such as the Chesapeake Bay and the Great Lakes. These ecosystem restoration initiatives generally address multiple objectives that go beyond restoring the ecosystem, such as water conveyance and levee stability. Consequently, these initiatives involve many stakeholders conducting and implementing a variety of restoration activities and other projects. Coordinating and overseeing the implementation and funding of such projects and activities can be challenging, and sometimes controversial. To address the complexity of organizing, managing, and implementing ecosystem restoration initiatives, some agencies involved in restoration initiatives have implemented crosscut budgets.
At its most basic level, a crosscut budget is often used to present budget information from two or more agencies whose activities are targeted at a common policy goal or related policy goals. Crosscut budgets can assist in making data from multiple agencies more understandable, and could be used to inform congressional oversight committees, participating agencies, and stakeholders implementing an ecosystem initiative. A crosscut budget may also be used to track program accomplishments, measure progress towards achieving program goals, or compare activities conducted by various agencies aimed at the same goal.
When designing a crosscut budget, there are several potential elements that can be considered, including the scope of the crosscut, or which types of programs and activities should be included in the crosscut; levels of aggregation within the crosscut; stages of funding tracked by the crosscut (e.g., appropriations or outlays); time frame covered; timing of submission and updates; assigning responsibility for gathering the data for the crosscut; and tracking progress of restoration activities and projects.
The variability in the design and implementation of crosscut budgets for ecosystem restoration initiatives generates several design questions. For example, some believe that funding amounts should be portrayed in relation to progress toward achieving restoration goals. Other issues include determining what programs to include or exclude in a crosscut budget, assigning accountability, and coordinating projects in an ecosystem restoration initiative.
Crosscut budgets can help address coordination and organizational issues in restoration initiatives. Some contend that expanding their breadth to track progress or evaluate success in restoration initiatives may make them more effective. Others, however, suggest that if crosscuts become too unwieldy and complex, or are not designed to address the needs of specific audiences and stakeholders, they may not communicate information in an effective and timely manner.