Rethinking Budgeting: The Problem with Public Engagement

Following the financial stress caused by the pandemic, GFOA decided a new vision for governmental budgeting was needed. To that end, last year GFOA convened a Rethinking Budgeting working group composed of finance officers from jurisdictions small and large across the country, as well as a handful of academics to balance the perspectives of those charged with performing the functional tasks of budgeting as well as the leading edge ideas in public finance.

This webinar is part of a three part series to look at 1) defining the program, 2) using rolling strategic plans, and 3) rethinking public engagement. In our final webinar of the three part series, attendees will learn why the current model for public engagement is inadequate for providing useful guidance to planning and budgeting . You will learn how new forces call for new approach to public engagement, different from what you may have heard before. You will also learn design principles for rethought approach to public engagement and hear about how these principles can be put into practice.

Who Will Benefit: CFO/Finance Director, Budget Manager, Department Director, Budget Analyst

• Understand why effective public engagement strategies are important to building trust and support for the budget
• Explore the limitations of the traditional public participation process and how it often maintains the status quo
• Learn how to provide more compelling reasons for citizens to participate in the budgeting process