An effective way to evaluate on how to develop a project team is to tie development directly to the project performance gaps. Instead of automatically trying to plan big team buildings events or expensive training sessions, one can look at things like missed deadlines, communication issues, or skills gaps and then target those specifically. In that way, development is not jst "extra", rather it is solving a real problem. Additionally, to convince management, I'd frame team development as a risk reduction and efficiency investment, not just a morale boost. As an example, better communication can prevent rework and stronger skills can reduce delays. If one can show that a relatively small investment leads to fewer errors or a faster delivery, it then becomes much easier for management to justify the cost. On the reward side, I do not think waiting for a large budget is always the best strategy. If recognition comes too late, then people could feel their effort wasn't valued or was wasted. Mixing of smaller, immediate recognition or even occasional larger rewards is probably better.