zero-base budgeting

or zero-based budgeting

noun

1. a process in government and corporate finance of justifying an overall budget or individual budgeted items each fiscal year or each review period rather than dealing only with proposed changes from a previous budget. : ZBB

Word History and Origins

Origin of zero-base budgeting¹

First recorded in 1970

Example Sentences

Zero-base budgeting should account for every penny you bring in, but just because it’s budgeted doesn’t mean it has to be spent.

From Seattle Times

Mr. Stefanowski would take an ax to the state’s spending with an approach known as zero-base budgeting, with no sacred cows.

From New York Times

He said he wants the school system to rein in spending by implementing zero-base budgeting and by evaluating programs to determine their worth.

From Washington Post

What’s clear is the 3G method of zero-base budgeting — a cost-cutting mentality that calls on employees to think of company dollars as their own — has changed the historically stodgy processed-food industry, forcing other food companies to sharpen their own knives in order to compete.

From Seattle Times

More recently, Kellogg has been rolling out zero-base budgeting internationally.

From Wall Street Journal