Funding pressure is real — but “there’s not enough money” can become a default narrative that masks where trusts can still unlock capacity, resilience, and better outcomes through smarter operating models. This interactive workshop introduces a practical operational framework for thinking about MAT sustainability across finance, operations, and educational delivery, and why treating these as separate conversations holds trusts back. Through guided table discussion and real-world examples of trusts delivering meaningful savings through process mapping, automation, and clearer operating metrics, attendees will explore what “well-run” actually looks like beyond simply “not in a deficit.” We’ll also connect the conversation to emerging expectations around governance, organisational effectiveness, and trust-wide scrutiny and what that means for how finance and operations leaders professionalise their impact. Key Takeaways: A simple way to diagnose where operational inefficiency is hiding across the trust; A shared CFO/COO language for linking pedagogy, ops, and finance decisions into one system; Practical examples of the types of transformation work that can unlock material savings quickly (without harming delivery); A shortlist of “good MAT” metrics to build confidence in decision-making and growth planning; A 90-day action plan: five changes to take back to your trust to improve sustainability and how the organisation is run.