Participatory Budgeting

Participatory Budget

E-participation is a comprehensive concept that refers to the use of digital technologies and online platforms to enhance citizens' involvement in decision-making processes and public policies, enabling them to express their opinions and suggestions, and follow up on the outcomes of their participation in public affairs. E-participation aims to improve transparency, increase accountability, and expand the base of democratic participation through various tools such as:

E-consultation

Participatory budget

E-voting

The Riyadh Municipality is committed to transparency and public participation in financial planning, in alignment with the objectives of Vision 2030. The participatory budgeting process enables citizens, residents, and business owners to contribute ideas, propose improvements, and influence spending priorities at both national and local levels. This initiative ensures the efficient allocation of government resources to meet community needs.

How Participatory Budgeting Works

Participatory budgeting gives community members a direct role in allocating portions of public funds across various sectors such as health, education, culture, and municipal services. The main objectives of this process include:

• Improving transparency and accountability

• Enhancing the efficiency of public spending

• Empowering local communities to set priorities

Stages of Preparing the National Budget

The municipality's budget is divided into several key stages:

Preliminary Analysis (July - September): Stakeholders, including the public, provide input through public opinion survey mechanisms.

Final Approval (October - November): The proposed budget is finalized, incorporating feedback collected during earlier stages of the process.

Official Issuance (December): The approved budget is published, reinforcing transparency and accountability.

Participatory Budget Mechanism

Citizens, residents, and business owners can participate through the national e-participation platform (Tafaul), which provides multiple channels for engagement:

• Idea Collection (Project Proposals): Submitting suggestions for new or existing projects.

• Proposal Preparation: Government entities assist in shaping ideas into specific prioritized proposals.

• Project Voting: Citizens vote on the final list of projects through the e-participation platform (Tafaul)/Participatory Budgeting 

• Implementation and Follow-up: Monitoring the execution of winning projects and participating in evaluation efforts.

Expanding Participatory Budgeting

The initiative follows a three-level approach:

• Level 1: Conduct surveys to identify priorities through the Tafaul platform, ensuring regular public opinion polls.

• Level 2: Pre-identify priorities for future projects, allocating a portion of the budget to participatory initiatives.

• Level 3: Evaluate the program and expand its scope based on participation results and project impact.

• To view the latest consultation on participatory budgeting and the prioritization of key development projects in Riyadh, click here.

• To view all published consultations specific to Riyadh Municipality on the Tafaul Platform, click here.

• To explore the map of community engagement initiatives carried out by Riyadh Municipality, click here.

We are dedicated to evaluating and developing proposed ideas, transforming them into successful and effective initiatives that serve the public interest — working together toward the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.