Consulting

Balancing Act budget simulation software was created out of frustration. For 25 years, our parent company, Engaged Public, has been facilitating discussions of public issues. In the mid-2000s, we had become so discouraged with attempts to educate and engage the public on budgets and financial matters that we knew we had to find a better way. Pro forma hearings (aka “three minutes at the mic”) or surveys that can reveal preferences on priorities but do not illustrate cost effects have limited value.

Our solution? Use the increasingly sophisticated potential of the internet to build a new type of budget facilitation tool: online budget simulations. Now over a hundred local governments are using our software.

The value of simulations is that you can put users in the shoes of decision makers so that they can see how difficult it is for themselves. Our aim with our software is to convey the Three C’s of Budget Engagement:

• Constraints
• Context
• Consequence

While great software helps make a huge improvement on the status quo, successful initiatives require more. That’s why we created Our Budget, a comprehensive set of wrap-around consulting services designed to get you the outcomes you need.

Our Budget helps you to:

• Develop a plan for budget engagement.
• Understand the perspectives of key stakeholders such as budget officers, elected officials and members of the public.
• Help make efficient use of your staff resources, including budget and communications functions.
• Build or co-build your simulation.
• Facilitate meetings using the simulation, online, in-person or hybrid.
• Write report.
• Present results to stakeholders, including elected officials.

Our consulting services are custom designed to take into account your own staff resources and the type of assistance you require. Contact us to discuss and we will create a custom proposal for you.

Contact us to discuss your unique needs and how we might be able to help.