Web Portal: Budget Transparency

“Smart Processes” LLC has designed and implemented the Smart Budget Transparency System. Budget transparency is designed and structured to monitor municipal public expenses by citizens and civil society organizations.

This project aimed to build a simple instrument, away from technical language and formal formats and closer to citizens understanding. This instrument should also provide geo-referencing for the municipalities projects, works, and investments. In this way, citizens can see through the web where and how the budgeting is being spent and what assets are being made in the areas near them, etc.

Transparency during the budget preparations and reporting process of its implementation is one of the main pillars for establishing an open and developed society.

Smart Transparency Budget System enables citizens’ active participation not only in budget policy preparation but also in its implementation. Considering the technical nature of the budget, it is essential that information that is part of the budget be prepared and distributed in a simplified manner so that the public can understand and be able to make comments or ask for additional information. Through this instrument, citizens can be informed in real-time about every detail and work that occurs at the local level and become online suggestions.

This instrument is divided into three main modules: The Income and Expenses module, in My Taxes module, and the Mapping module, based on the Google Maps platform, for the Municipalities. Budget transparency is designed and structured to monitor municipal public expenses by citizens and civil society organizations. Thereby increasing the public’s access to information and sensitizing them to increase participation in drafting strategic financial documents for the municipality. This instrument shows how people contribute to the municipality’s income, providing information on each of taxes and tariffs, but at the same time, how each administrative unit contributes to such payment.

At the same time, it aims to raise citizens’ awareness to pay taxes, increasing the sense of ownership and more accountability for municipal property and investments.

Client: Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation (HSI)