Balancing Act from Polco

A Legacy of Civic Engagement

Balancing Act was created by Engaged Public, a Colorado-based public policy consulting firm founded in 1998. Engaged Public specializes in engagement-driven strategies and public policy leadership development, with a mission to bridge people and policy through meaningful, productive dialogue and innovative tools.

Over the years, Engaged Public has worked with municipalities, elected leaders, and other organizations to help them communicate with constituents on tough, complex financial issues. In its early years, this work took the form of facilitating meetings, town halls, and public hearings—often structured as “three minutes at the mic.” While these methods allowed for direct engagement, they also had limitations, as many residents either lacked the time or interest to attend in-person meetings.

Recognizing these challenges, Engaged Public developed its first interactive online simulation, Backseat Budgeter, in 2007 to model the State of Colorado’s budget. This tool was designed to help Coloradans gain a better understanding of budget complexities and the trade-offs that elected officials and staff must navigate. During the Great Recession, the website was viewed by over 40,000 people. As a result of its success, local governments worldwide began requesting similar simulations tailored to their own budgets.

The Evolution of Balancing Act

In 2014, Engaged Public committed to creating an easy-to-use, adaptable tool for governments and organizations to conduct high-quality online and in-person budget engagement. The following year, Balancing Act was launched. Designed to be an intuitive, interactive platform, Balancing Act allowed residents to explore different budget scenarios, provide input, and better understand the complexities of public finance.

Since its release, Balancing Act has become the leading budget simulation tool for local and state governments. The platform has continued to evolve with the addition of innovative features such as Taxpayer Receipt, which helps residents see how their tax dollars are spent, and Meeting Mode, which enables real-time participation in budget discussions. These enhancements have made Balancing Act the most comprehensive and accessible budget simulation tool available today.

Joining Forces with Polco

In pursuit of its mission to strengthen civic engagement through data-driven solutions, Balancing Act was acquired by Polco. This strategic acquisition combined Balancing Act’s expertise in participatory budgeting with Polco’s advanced data analytics and survey tools, creating a comprehensive platform for informed decision-making.

Now part of Polco, Balancing Act continues to evolve, integrating AI-powered insights and national benchmarking to provide governments with even more robust engagement capabilities. The synergy between Balancing Act and Polco ensures that public finance discussions remain transparent, inclusive, and driven by the needs of the people.

A Future of Collaborative Governance

As part of the Polco ecosystem, Balancing Act remains committed to its founding principles: empowering residents, fostering open dialogue, and strengthening democracy through data and engagement. With continued innovation, the platform will keep shaping the future of government transparency, making public budgeting a more participatory and impactful process than ever before.

Explore our suite of Simulation Tools

Polco offers a variety of simulation tools designed to address different aspects of community governance and organizational planning. Whether it's public or organizational budgeting, land use planning, or policy development, our tools provide a hands-on approach to understanding and solving community challenges. Discover the specific simulation tools we offer to enfuse your community’s decision-making in ways that can drive civil and constructive conversations around tough topics.

Real results: Success stories from our users

Polco isn’t just a tool—it’s a catalyst for transformation in communities nationwide. Our users have harnessed the power of data-driven insights to address challenges, engage residents, and make impactful decisions. Discover how Polco has helped other communities achieve their goals and see what’s possible for yours.