Colleges and universities are struggling financially as revenue streams decrease and institutional needs increase. To manage resource allocation, they use the budget as a strategic tool for planning purposes that can represent institutional goals, opportunities, and limitations. Increased competition for funds and cost concerns have placed budgeting discussions at the forefront of key meetings as limited resources are resulting in high stakes for administrators. This qualitative study explored how a budget management system influences mission-driven financial decisions. Using Bowen's Revenue Theory of Cost, the study investigated how the campus community interprets institutional priorities, based on their individual experiences. Employing semi-structured interviews, participants from a four-year public institution shared their experiences as budget leaders. The findings suggested that having a deep understanding of the mission, applying the strategic use of data, engaging in storytelling, and having leaders that drive action influences the budget management process in a way that encourages campus-wide participation. The findings from this study point to three overall recommendations for leaders: (1) clearly articulate the institution's priorities and develop an action plan to encourage a campus-wide engagement; (2) have a budget management system in place that can be clearly linked to the mission; and (3) plan for ongoing communication, dialogue, and training as it pertains to the budget management system. This study aims to guide budget leaders entrusted with the effective and efficient use of institutional resources to align financial decisions with their mission. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]