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03/04/2025 9:42 am

Budget Process

Timeline and public input for annual budget and capital improvement plan

Updated: Mar 4, 2025

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Budget Timeline Your Input Matters for the City Budget Questions?

Putting together the City of Raleigh's annual operating budget and five-year Capital Improvement Program is a collaborative process between the public, departments, and the City Council.

Budget Timeline

a timeline showing the steps in the budget process

City departments work on the budget year round. Key dates and milestone are featured below. The process includes a public hearing, Budget Communities Priority Survey, and City Council work sessions. 

Date
Range		 Phase Description 
December to January Engagement Budget and Management Services hosts in-person and virtual listening sessions.
December to January

Budget Development

Budget and Management Services (BMS) staff reviews input from listening sessions and the survey to vote on projects. BMS staff recaps engagement themes and priorities and comes up with a recommended plan to take to City Council for funding priority projects from the survey.

Departments work on aligning their upcoming year budget requests with the Cities needs and priorities. Departments are reviewing their goals and the City's goals to ensure that resources align with community expectations.

Departments also work on new programs during this time. These new programs meet a need that is in the community or address an area of service improvement. These requests for new resources go to the Budget and Management Services Department and City Manager's Office for review. 
February to April

Budget Review 

Budget and Management Services staff work with the City Manager’s Office and City Council to finalize the recommendations that make up the budget.

Budget Work Sessions happen during this time and provide Council the opportunity to provide feedback before the manager’s proposed budget presentation in May.  
May - June

Budget Proposal, Public Hearing &
Budget Adoption

At the second Council meeting in May, the city manager provides Council with their proposed and balanced budget. The proposal includes any fee or tax increases, new funding requests, and capital improvement projects. 

A public hearing on the proposed budget is typically held at the first Council meeting in June. 

The Council meets each week in June as they deliberate and request additional information on the proposed budget. The Council must adopt a budget by June 30.

Upcoming Council Budget Work Sessions

 

  • Jun
    2

    City Council Budget Work Session

    4 p.m. • Monday
    Raleigh Municipal Building (RMB)
    Add to Calendar 2025-06-02 16:00:00 2025-06-02 17:00:00 City Council Budget Work Session The Raleigh City Council will meet for a budget work session.  Watch Council Meeting Live Stream View agendas and past minutes Visit our City Council page to find your council member and other council services.   Raleigh Municipal Building (RMB) 222 W. Hargett St. Raleigh, NC 27601 Held in Council Chamber.  City of Raleigh Council Staff: councilstaff@raleighnc.gov Mayor Staff:mayorstaff@raleighnc.gov Council Members:citycouncilmembers@raleighnc.gov Phone: 919-996-3050 America/New_York public
  • Jun
    9

    City Council Budget Work Session

    4 p.m. • Monday
    Raleigh Municipal Building (RMB)
    Add to Calendar 2025-06-09 16:00:00 2025-06-09 17:00:00 City Council Budget Work Session The Raleigh City Council will meet for a budget work session.  Watch Council Meeting Live Stream View agendas and past minutes Visit our City Council page to find your council member and other council services.   Raleigh Municipal Building (RMB) 222 W. Hargett St. Raleigh, NC 27601 Held in Council Chamber.  City of Raleigh Council Staff: councilstaff@raleighnc.gov Mayor Staff:mayorstaff@raleighnc.gov Council Members:citycouncilmembers@raleighnc.gov Phone: 919-996-3050 America/New_York public
  • Jun
    16

    City Council Budget Work Session

    4 p.m. • Monday
    Raleigh Municipal Building (RMB)
    Add to Calendar 2025-06-16 16:00:00 2025-06-16 17:00:00 City Council Budget Work Session The Raleigh City Council will meet for a budget work session.  Watch Council Meeting Live Stream View agendas and past minutes Visit our City Council page to find your council member and other council services.   Raleigh Municipal Building (RMB) 222 W. Hargett St. Raleigh, NC 27601 Held in Council Chamber.  City of Raleigh Council Staff: councilstaff@raleighnc.gov Mayor Staff:mayorstaff@raleighnc.gov Council Members:citycouncilmembers@raleighnc.gov Phone: 919-996-3050 America/New_York public
  • Jun
    23

    City Council Budget Work Session

    4 p.m. • Monday
    Raleigh Municipal Building (RMB)
    Add to Calendar 2025-06-23 16:00:00 2025-06-23 17:00:00 City Council Budget Work Session The Raleigh City Council will meet for a budget work session if needed. If council concludes its budget work in a prior session, this session will be canceled. Watch Council Meeting Live Stream View agendas and past minutes Visit our City Council page to find your council member and other council services.   Raleigh Municipal Building (RMB) 222 W. Hargett St. Raleigh, NC 27601 Held in Council Chamber.  City of Raleigh Council Staff: councilstaff@raleighnc.gov Mayor Staff:mayorstaff@raleighnc.gov Council Members:citycouncilmembers@raleighnc.gov Phone: 919-996-3050 America/New_York public
  • Jun
    30

    City Council Budget Work Session

    4 p.m. • Monday
    Raleigh Municipal Building (RMB)
    Add to Calendar 2025-06-30 16:00:00 2025-06-30 17:00:00 City Council Budget Work Session The Raleigh City Council will meet for a budget work session if needed. If council concludes its budget work in a prior session, this session will be canceled. Watch Council Meeting Live Stream View agendas and past minutes Visit our City Council page to find your council member and other council services.   Raleigh Municipal Building (RMB) 222 W. Hargett St. Raleigh, NC 27601 Held in Council Chamber.  City of Raleigh Council Staff: councilstaff@raleighnc.gov Mayor Staff:mayorstaff@raleighnc.gov Council Members:citycouncilmembers@raleighnc.gov Phone: 919-996-3050 America/New_York public

Your Input Matters for the City Budget

The Budget and Management Services team held eight total sessions to hear input from residents on the FY 25-26 budget. Parks, Public Safety, and a combination of Stormwater, Water and Solid Waste led the list of what the City does well. Top requests from residents included sidewalks, traffic, transit and affordable housing. You can view the full document here - FY26 Budget Engagement Recap.

Related Pages

 

Current City Budget & Capital Improvement Program

Budget and CIP Documents Archive

Grant Opportunities

Questions?

We’d love to hear from you!
Contact the Budget and Management Services Department at 919-996-4270 or email us.

Contact

 

Questions?

CONTACT 

Sadia Sattar
Director

919-996-4270

Address
Raleigh Municipal Building
222 W. Hargett St., Ste. 311
Raleigh, NC 27601

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