NEW ORLEANS— The Committee for a Better New Orleans announced staffer Kelsey Foster and the Big Easy Budget Game have won the “Making Government Better” category of the 2017 NationSwell Tech Impact Allstars Awards for 2017. The Tech Impact Allstar Awards are a national competition among civic innovators working to solve some of America’s greatest social challenges using technology.
The Big Easy Budget Game is a data-driven, crowd-sourced interactive website that residents can use to balance the city budget with their own spending priorities. Just under 400 residents participated to date, indicating their desire for more accountable government, better responsiveness to issues on a community level, such as fighting blight and infrastructure improvements, and less funding for traditional reactive public safety like prisons. Read the mid-year report here
As a winner of this award, The Committee for a Better New Orleans and the Big Easy Budget Game will receive a comprehensive multimedia package to highlight the impact the site has had on the New Orleans budget process. Additionally, Foster will speak at the 2017 NationSwell Summit on Solutions in New York City this November.
The Tech Impact Allstars Award comes at an exciting time for CBNO, who is currently in the beginning stages of scaling the site to other cities both across the United States and internationally. “This technology, though developed for New Orleans, can be a powerful tool for cities, universities, and other public bodies seeking input into how to more equitably, effectively and responsibly spend public dollars,” Keith Twitchell, president of CBNO said. “We’re proud to work with our colleagues across the map to make public budgeting a more inclusive, meaningful process for residents everywhere.”
NationSwell is a digital media company focused on American innovation and renewal — identifying and profiling social innovators who are developing impactful ways to solve America’s most critical issues.
The Committee for a Better New Orleans works to create equity and opportunity for all New Orleanians by developing community leaders, fostering civic engagement, and advocating for open, effective and accountable government.
Play the Big Easy Budget Game here
