Developing 2017 Program Budget of Akhaltsikhe City Municipality and Citizens’ Guide

Project Description:

PMCG, as part of the consortium led by Tetra Tech ARD, under the USAID-funded Good Governance Initiative is providing support to Akhaltsikhe City Municipality to develop a priority-based 2017 Program Budget and Citizens’ Guide.

The project aims to support the city of Akhaltsikhe to: Define mid-term priorities, directions as well as programs for Akhaltsikhe City Municipality’s development; Ensure effective, efficient, transparent and priority-based use of public resources based on a needs-oriented 2017 program budget; Develop evaluation and monitoring framework for budgetary processes to institutionalize monitoring and evaluation processes with regards to the implementation of programs and sub-programs; Implement the commitments of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) including fulfillment of the OGP 2016-2017 National Action Plan commitments aimed at increasing public awareness of the budgeting process at local level; Elaborate an effective mechanism of communication with the local population and prepare grounds for an effective participatory budget process.

More specifically, PMCG’s team will perform the following activities:

• Assist staff of Akhaltsikhe City Municipality to develop and finalize the Priority Document for 2017-2020 and complete an initial draft of the 2017 Program Budget
• Assist staff of the Budget and PR sections of the Municipality in planning and facilitating a series of public meetings with citizens and broader groups of stakeholders to present the draft Priority Document and 2017 Program Budget
• Facilitate finalization of 2017 programs, sub-programs and performance indicators and assist in the development of a final draft 2017 Program Budget that will also include allocation for participatory budgeting
• Assist staff of the Municipality to develop a monitoring and evaluation institutional framework for performing monitoring and evaluation functions of budget programs and sub-programs
• Prepare a Citizens’ Guide to better understand the local budget

Background information:

USAID has awarded Tetra Tech ARD with a 5-year contract under the Office of Democracy and Governance, whose purpose is to support the Government of Georgia in strengthening overall transparency, accountability and effectiveness of selected governance and service delivery systems. GGI’s work targets the legislative and executive branches at both the central and local government levels. To ensure greater government accountability, GGI works with government and civil society representatives to enhance public participation and disseminate public information about key reforms. This activity addresses the Governing Justly and Democratically Objective of U.S. Government Foreign Assistance, and especially the promotion of well-governed states and civil society areas.

The objectives of GGI are to improve administrative and financial management of public institutions at all levels, to increase civic engagement and improved access to independent, reliable and balanced information relevant to Georgia’s good governance, to strengthen policy development and lawmaking processes and to strengthen institutional oversight of government.

Follow the links below for related projects:

Good Governance Initiative (GGI)
Supporting Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure (MRDI), Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs (MOLHSA), Akhaltsikhe, Batumi and Kutaisi Municipalities in Capacity Development of Internal Audit (IA) Units
Improving program budgeting capacity of Akhaltsikhe municipality
Strengthening Program Budgeting Capacity of Batumi Municipality
Strengthening Kutaisi Municipal Enterprise Management
Improving Program Budgeting Capacity of Kutaisi Municipality