School's Budget Simulation Wins National Innovation Award

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The School of Government was awarded the Public Service Innovation Award by the Consortium of University Public Service Organizations (CUPSO) for a local government budget simulation, Budgetopolis. CUPSO invited participating university programs to submit a pitch for innovative projects or programs that provide new solutions to existing public service problems or needs not currently being adequately addressed.

Budgetopolis and Bottom Line! are tools, designed to look like board games, that help newly elected city and county officials (and others) learn to work as a governing board, agree upon common goals and values, and make budgetary decisions as a group. The simulation helps participants talk through the tough decisions they make about their communities' futures.

Faculty member Bill Rivenbark, one of the simulation co-creators, traveled to the annual CUPSO conference at Ohio University's Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs on April 6–8 to make the pitch. Other co-creators include faculty member Dale Roenigk, Local Elected Leaders Academy Director Donna Warner, Design Manager Robby Poore, Graphic Designer, Emily Hinkle, and MPA program alumnus Douglas Bean. An accompanying video, Budgetopolis: A Local Government Budgeting Simulation, was also recognized in the award.