Since reserve studies and reserve funding are a niche aspect of community association planning, finding information about their background and methodology can be difficult. There is generally a lack of easily accessible information about reserve funding on the internet or in books. The following list is some of the best information available on reserve studies (in addition to this website, of course):
CAI
The most comprehensive one that I am aware of is Reserve Funds: How and Why Community Associations Invest Funds. It gives a good overview of what is necessary and what to look for when planning on how to set up reserve funds and use them properly. It also talks about reserve funding models and it contains a lengthy section about reserve study frequently asked questions. This book is available from CAI for $25. A link to it can be found here: https://cai.caionline.org/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?site=CAI&WebCode=storeItemDetail&parentKey=40d7a2c9-c272-481c-be71-9d219cb8f9bc
CAI also has a best practices manual on reserve studies. In short, it is a fairly brief overview of reserve studies and their contents. It also has some pages devoted to what should be a reserve item and community association investing strategy. Additionally, there are 3 cases studies with real community associations and the challenges they face with managing their reserve fund accounts. Here is a link to it: www.cairf.org/research/bprs.pdf
DBPR Florida
A third resource is one that was published by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) in Florida called BUDGETS & RESERVE SCHEDULES: A Self-Study Training Manual for Beginners. It was published in 2007, so some of the information may be a little dated, but it is a great starting place for budgeting and reserves. It provides an excellent summary of reserve studies and has sample problems for the homeowner to work. It also discusses budgets, pooling reserves, and how to fund reserves. In addition, there is a chapter each on operating expenses and assessments. I am not aware of the DBPR having this manual up on its website anymore, so it can be downloaded here: Florida Reserves and Budgets
California Department of Real Estate
Another excellent resource is one that was published by the Department of Real Estate in California. First, it walks the reader through the two distinct parts of a reserve study: the physical analysis and the financial analysis. There are also notes on how the board should go about hiring someone to perform a reserve study and what professionals they should hire. Since it is California-based, it touches on specifics of the California statues with respect to reserve funding. It then discusses the importance of having a reserve study. This link will take you to it: www.dre.ca.gov/files/pdf/re25.pdf