Skip to content

PBB

 

Applying Priority Based Budgeting

 

Software solutions to transform your 
budget process and optimize resources

Priority Based Budgeting identifies the cost of all government programs and aligns the budget with the strategic priorities set by elected officials by answering these three critical questions:

What do we do?

What does it cost?

Why are we in business?

 

REQUEST A DEMO

Decision-Making and Reporting
Data and Analytics to Inform and Drive Decisions

Pothole patching program data

Program Data for Decision Makers

Priority based budgets clarify all of the details important to decision-makers. Each program clearly states the purpose of the program, how much it costs to deliver, and how it aligns with the overall priorities of the community. Additionally, program data includes important information about mandates and the reliance the community has on the organization to provide this service. This level of understanding communicates the impact of funding changes in a way that line item budgets simply can't. 

Planning and Analysis
Short and Long-Term Resource Optimization

Fiscal Wellness Today and Beyond

Do the Important Things Well. Cut Back on the Rest. In a time of a deficit, a traditional budget process often attempts to continue funding all the same programs it funded last year, albeit at a reduced level (e.g. across-the-board budget cuts). Priority Based Budgeting identifies the programs that offer the highest value and continues to provide funding for them while reducing service levels, divesting, or potentially eliminating lower-value services. An incremental budget process doesn’t seriously question the spending decisions made in years past. PBB puts all the money on the table to encourage more creative conversations about services.

Planning and Analysis for Fiscal Wellness
Rethinking Budgeting (1)

"Central to "rethinking" is the shift from the line item decision-making unit to a program decision-making unit within the budget process."

Littleton-Apr-19-2021-07-48-48-24-PM

"PBB is one of the ways we tell our community we're being good stewards of their money. We're really giving them that way to see that we are applying resources to the most aligned community items. And that way if we ever do come and say we need more or we need to make this reduction, they can see why."

Budget Development
Operating and Capital Budgeting

Budget Development in Alignment with Values

Budgets that Assign Value to Values

Budgets are how cities truly express their priorities. Traditional budgets track line items across departments, such as postage and paper. But they don’t organize line items by program or activity, making it challenging to understand where each line item goes. Traditionally, departmental budget requests would identify line items to increase or decrease. With the priority-based program budget, each request can be tied to defined programmatic outcomes and detailed information based on achieving an organization's goals.

The resulting budget shows the benefit of the PBB approach, with funding allocated for new staff, training, tools, etc., that will enable the organization to better track and be held accountable for their results.

Communication and Transparency
Stakeholder Engagement and Inclusion

Increases Budget Accessibility

There are many reasons to consider adopting program and priority based budgeting, but perhaps the most important is its ability to create a more transparent budget and budget development process. PBB creates and promotes data to connect departments and elected officials with the public. The foundational programmatic language facilitates a "say what you mean and mean what you say" budget process that demands accountability.

Communication and Transparency Budget
Pitt

"The idea that we create a shared language in terms of how we finance operations and improve outcomes for our residents is really what is in everybody's best interest. Creating that shared space in the shared language is a huge opportunity that ResourceX creates."

Backed by Industry Leaders

The most trusted and well-known industry leaders agree... Programs are the vehicle for change.

GFOA-1-1

Distinguished Budget
Presentation Award

In an update, effective in 2021, GFOA criteria now mandate the inclusion of program descriptions and program alignment to priorities. The importance of a narrative-rich budget for transparency and decision-making is now recognized in GFOA's prestigious award.

ICMA white-1

Credentialed Managers
and Candidates

ICMA Credentialed Managers are viewed with distinction by local governing bodies due to high standards of integrity and professional development. In 2022, Priority Based Budgeting will be a part of that program ensuring these leaders bring the programmatic knowledge and approach to their communities.

Latest posts

Check out the ResourceX Blog: We're Doing Budgeting Differently