Budget Process

Seeing the big picture: move beyond short-term fixes 

Most public budgets operate on annual cycles with three to five year horizons. Short-term concerns and political pressures drive decisions, creating uncertainty that hampers collaboration on long-term goals. 

Thinking in systems: enable holistic and preventative approaches 

Budgets are typically drafted by isolated departments with little cross-sector collaboration or public input. This siloed approach misses opportunities for effective, holistic interventions.

When finances are strained, governments fight today's fires rather than preventing tomorrow's — a reactive approach that costs more as problems worsen over time.

Being distributive and regenerative by design: make budgets work for people and the planet 

Short-term budget cycles constrain long-term investment in public assets such as renewable energy and social housing. The cost of ecological breakdown is pushed to future generations.

Many governments, especially in low-income countries, struggle with budget implementation. Extractive global financial systems constrain their ability to invest in capabilities, undermining institutional capacity and fuelling corruption in a vicious cycle. This often results in underspending on critical priorities like gender equality, agriculture, and water sanitation — further eroding credibility and governance. 

Budget priorities are determined through inclusive, democratic processes that reflect community needs and values. 

Learn more: 

• The International Budget Partnership ranks the level of public participation in budgetary processes globally and offers strategies and research on participatory budgeting. 
• Participedia collates case studies of participatory budgeting in action.