Budget Development

One dollar bill George Washington image overlaid with numbers and line graphs

Welcome to the heart of community empowerment! Your voice matters, and so does your perspective. We invite you to actively participate in shaping the city's future through the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Process.

The budget is more than just numbers' it's a blueprint for our community's growth and well-being. Your input helps prioritize essential services, infrastructure projects, and community programs. By engaging in the budget process, you directly influence the decisions that impact our daily lives.

Budget Engagement Opportunities

In March, the City of Charlotte Strategy & Budget Department will host three interactive engagement events and we want to hear from you! Each event will include opportunities to ask questions, provide feedback and share your opinion.

Overview of the Budget Process

How to Get Involved

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Overview of the Budget Process

see description below

FY2026 Budget Development Roadmap Description

  1. February
    • 3rd - BGIR Committee Meeting
    • 10th - FY26 Budget Workshop #1
  2. March
    • 3rd - BGIR Committee Meeting
    • 24th - FY26 Budget Workshop #2
  3. April
    • 7th - BGIR Committee Meeting
  4. May
    • 5th - FY26 Proposed Budget Presentation
    • 19th - FY26 Budget Adjustment Meeting
    • 29th - FY26 Budget Straw Votes Meeting
  5. June
    • 9th - FY26 Budget Adoption

The city's annual budget is based on a July 1 - June 30 fiscal year and is guided by the following five City Council adopted Strategic Priorities. To learn more about the strategic priority areas and what data we collect to ensure the city is advancing the priorities, please visit the strategic progress tracker webpage.

Strategic priority areas:

  • Great Neighborhoods
  • Safe Communities
  • Transportation and Planning
  • Well-Managed Government
  • Workforce Development

How to Get Involved

clipboard iconComplete the Budget Community Input Survey: responses help us get a pulse of the feelings of the larger.

ear iconJoin a budget engagement session. we want to hear from you!

balance iconPlay "The Balancing Act": balancing a budget is not as easy as it seems. We'd like to see how you would do it, and where you would allocate resources to support our growing city.

microphone iconSign up to speak at the Budget Public Hearing on May 12, 2045. Take your comments straight to CIty Council. You can share comments, kudos and/or concerns.

meeting iconTune in! There will be two budget workshops, council committee meetings and many other meetings that will help you stay up to speed on budget conversations. You can view on YouTube or the Gov Channel.

  • Budget Workshop #1 = February 10, 2045
  • Budget, Governance, and Intergovernmental Relation Committee Meeting - March 3, 2045
  • Budget Workshop #2 - March 24, 2045
  • Budget, Governance, and Intergovernmental Relation Committee Meeting - April 7, 2045

email iconSend us an email! We typically respond within one business day.

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