We’re living in a period of time where physical security breaches can devastate brand reputation and become a costly exercise in protecting people and assets. But security leaders still face growing pressure to justify their budget needs while demonstrating clear business value.

With 70 percent of organizations increasing their physical security spending in 2025 and an expected 46 percent overall budget increase, understanding how to effectively build and present security budgets has become a crucial skill for security professionals. And having a seat at the table in the C-suite means being able to speak the language of executive leadership—no matter where you are in the chain of command.

How Security Budgeting Has Evolved

The days when security departments could simply dictate spending without accountability are long gone. Today's security leaders must approach budgeting as a strategic exercise that aligns with broader organizational goals and the values that drive the company forward. A well-structured security budget isn’t just about acquiring resources anymore; it’s about demonstrating how these investments protect assets, maintain facility safety, and support long-term strategic planning.

Step 1: Building a Strategic Framework

The foundation of an effective security budget begins with understanding its scope and alignment with organizational goals and quantified risks. Security leaders often fall into the trap of thinking about each function at a granular level without a focus on governance-level business planning. The base of a strong security program is a focus on alignment with business goals, alignment with 10-K reporting if it’s a public company, and a strong focus on how current resources can be shared and leveraged across business departments and functions. With that in mind, security leaders should evaluate their current resources and how to demonstrate strong return-on-investment.

This evaluation should consider multiple budget categories:

• Operating expenses for day-to-day operations
• Capital investments for long-term infrastructure
• Project-specific allocations, and if projects will drive better results
• Personnel costs, including training and development
• Technology investments, focused on what is redundant or unnecessary
• Third-party services and contingency funds

Step 2: Creating Cross-Functional Value

Another part of security that is rapidly shifting is the idea that the security team operates in a vacuum. That isn’t the case when interconnectivity, data-driven insights, and brand reputation are driving decisions. Modern security investments must demonstrate value beyond traditional security functions (it’s non-negotiable these days).

So, when security leadership is taking on the evaluation of technology solutions, they need to consider:

• Multi-problem solutions rather than single-purpose tools
• Cross-departmental applications
• Operational efficiency improvements
• Integration capabilities with existing systems
• Daily usability and team adoption potential

Step 3: Prepare (and Then Prepare Again)

Listen, I know that some security leaders aren’t necessarily well-versed in strategic business planning, but I’ve seen so many organizations secure funding for forward-thinking technology just by putting in the work. This means preparing for the conversation with decision-makers based on what those executives are used to seeing from other business units asking for money.

Essentially, success in security budgeting comes down to thorough preparation and strategic communication. This looks like creating detailed proposals with clear justifications for investments, understanding how the approval (and even the denial) process works, using data and metrics to support the initiative, creating a narrative that aligns these investments with business outcomes, and engaging with stakeholders early to make sure they’re on board and supportive.

Sometimes just building relationships with decision-makers can help security leaders move the needle that much more.

Step 4: Face-to-Face with the C-Suite

This is when it gets real. Presenting to executive leadership can be stressful—but it’s really all about translating the technical side to the business side. The C-suite wants to make sure that security leaders are able to demonstrate clear return on investment (ROI), align security initiatives with business priorities (pro tip: you should make sure you know what these are before you ever set foot in a boardroom), use data to make your case, highlight how multiple departments might benefit from these investments, and be able to prioritize them appropriately.

Security leaders also need to be able to answer some tough questions, like:

• Can this investment be delayed?
• Is there a cost-effective alternative?
• Is there something we already have that might address this need in the short term?
• How does this align with our organizational key performance indicators (KPIs)?
• Can other departments benefit? 

Confidently being able to answer the tough questions thoughtfully (and with data-backed answers) will go a long way in your conversations.

The Payoff

Just like security, budgeting needs and strategies change and it’s up to security leaders to evolve as needed with the times. The focus should remain on demonstrating how security investments protect and enable the business—all while providing measurable returns. The key to success is not just in requesting resources, but in demonstrating how these investments will deliver value, protect assets, mitigate identified risks, and support the organization's strategic objectives.

As one security leader put it: “It’s no longer acceptable to simply say ‘I want this’—you must clearly articulate ‘With the investment of X, we will achieve Y.’”

 

Ryan Schonfeld is the founder and CEO of HiveWatch, a security technology company reimagining how companies keep their people and assets safe. With past experience as a security consultant, law enforcement officer and an end user at a Fortune 500 organization, Schonfeld recognized the need for security leaders to be more aware, connected, proactive, and informed.

 

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