Tim - you'll want to reach out to the Center for Priority Based Budgeting they do exactly as you describe below. Check out their website at http://www.pbbcenter.org/ that has lots of good articles, documents and client list.

Pam

Tim, Effective Utility Management (EUM) is a utility based matrix however it can be adapted to fit most organizations. http://www.watereum.org/resources/interactive-primer/ten-attributes/

Effective Utility Management is a process to identify and address needs of a water/wastewater utility. This process encompasses five elements:

10 attributes,
five keys to management success,
five-step assessment and planning tool,
measures to gauge performance and progress,
and a resource toolbox from six collaborating associations.
10 Attributes

The 10 attributes paint a picture of what an effectively managed utility should look like regarding

Product quality
Customer satisfaction
Employee and leadership development
Operational optimization
Financial viability
Infrastructure stability
Operational resiliency
Community sustainability
Water resource adequacy
Stakeholder understanding and support
5 Keys to Success

The five keys to management success define approaches/systems that management can employ to achieve the outcome of the 10 attributes.

Leadership
Strategic business planning
Organizational approaches
Measurement
Continual improvement management framework
5-Step Process

In order to determine where a utility stands and where the opportunities for improvement are, a five-step process of assessment is utilized.

Assess current conditions
Rank importance of each attribute within the utility
Graph results to define levels of importance and achievement
Select attribute to improve
Develop and implement improvement plan
Success Measures

With an improvement plan under way, measurement becomes critical to ensure success. Measurements have been applied to each of the attributes to help in gauging the direction and level of change in relation to the strategic target.

An online toolbox of resources from six collaborating associations, developed in collaboration with the US Environmental Protection Agency, has been aligned to each attribute. Utilities can link directly from the toolbox to the respective association's offerings via the attribute.
Among the tools is the free, downloadable Effective Utility Management Primer for Water and Wastewater Utilities designed to help utility managers make practical, systematic changes to achieve excellence in utility performance.
Released in June 2008, the Resource Toolbox stems from a 2007 report titled Findings and Recommendations for a Water Utility Sector Management Strategy prepared by the collaborating associations (APWA, AWWA, AMWA, NACWA, NAWC, WEF).
After the release of the Effective Utility Management Primer in June 2008, four utilities became case studies as to how the principal concepts and tools were applied. Each of the case studies describes a brief utility overview, delineates existing management initiatives, explains how the self-assessment was utilized, defines how the attributes were applied, lists the attribute-related utility measures, enumerates the keys to management success, and points out the lessons learned.
The Effective Water and Wastewater Utility Management Case Studies document can be downloaded as a PDF file from the blue Related Resources box above.

Thank you, both. Very helpful!

Hi Tim! I would echo Pam Muse' suggestion to look into the Priority Based Budgeting model as offered by the Center for Priority Based Budgeting. This model has been endorsed by ICMA's Center for Management Strategies as a leading practice for local governments and offers a proven tool for identifying the programs/services offered by your jurisdiction, their costs and an evaluation of those services in light of your community's priorities and strategies. Ultimately, the tool will guide elected officials and appointed staff through the appropriate policy questions needed to set budgetary expenditures based on community strategies and priorities.

ICMA has endorsed this process as a leading practice because of its comprehensive approach to budgeting, its linkage to work that supports the priorities/goals of the organization and the ultimate identification of expenditures that support the work on critical priorities and goals (as well as those that don’t support the community priorities!)

CPBB has an impressive client list of cities across the US that have effectively utilized this process. A client listing can be found on the websites listed below.

You can find additional information at the Center for Management Strategies website at icma.org/management strategies or at the Center for Priority Based Budgeting website at http://www.pbbcenter.org/ The Center for Management Strategies also has an active blog site on the Knowledge Network that features a number of articles and information on the Priority Based Budgeting Process and can be found athttp://icma.org/en/icma/knowledge_network/blogs/blog/50/Center_for_Management_Strategies

I encourage you to take a look at this process for your budget prioritization needs. If I can assist you in in your assessment of this process in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me.