Open Call: Technical Support for Local Citizens’ Budget Practices (Nepal)

Deadline: 07-Sep-2026

UNICEF is seeking a partner in Nepal to provide technical assistance for institutionalizing Citizens’ Budget practices at the local government level and expanding their adoption nationwide. The initiative will support federal endorsement of Citizens’ Budget tools, pilot implementation in seven local governments—one in each province—and wider adoption and publication by 35 local governments. What Is the Initiative? The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is seeking a qualified partner to strengthen participatory budgeting, fiscal transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement across Nepal’s local governments. The initiative recognizes Nepal’s federal governance structure, under which provincial and local governments have greater authority and fiscal responsibilities to respond to community needs. A key objective is to ensure that local budgets are easier for citizens to understand and that communities can better engage with government spending decisions, particularly investments affecting children. What Is a Citizens’ Budget? A Citizens’ Budget is a simplified and accessible version of a government budget that explains public revenues, expenditures, priorities, and planned investments in language that citizens can understand. This is a partnership opportunity for an organization capable of providing technical and institutional support in Nepal. The selected partner is expected to work across multiple levels of government and coordinate with relevant stakeholders. The organization should therefore be capable of supporting: Federal government engagement. Provincial-level coordination. Local government capacity building.

Participatory budgeting processes

Transparency and accountability mechanisms. Development and dissemination of standardized tools. Scaling and institutionalization of government practices. Geographic Scope The initiative covers Nepal, with implementation involving: Federal stakeholders. Provincial governments. Local governments. Seven pilot local governments, representing all seven provinces. An additional group of local governments for expanded adoption, bringing the targeted scale to 35 local governments. How the Initiative Works

Step 1: Establish Federal Ownership

The partner will work with federal stakeholders to secure endorsement of standardized Citizens’ Budget tools and procedures.

Step 2: Develop and Disseminate Tools

Templates, manuals, and SOPs will be prepared or refined and disseminated for use by local governments.

Step 3: Implement Seven Pilots

One local government in each province will pilot the Citizens’ Budget approach.

Step 4: Secure Local Approval

The partner will support the pilot governments in obtaining the necessary approval and institutionalizing their Citizens’ Budgets.

Step 5: Share Knowledge

Lessons and experiences from the pilot phase will be shared with other local governments.

Step 6: Expand Adoption

Technical assistance and knowledge sharing will support the adoption and publication of Citizens’ Budgets by 35 local governments.

Step 7: Integrate the Practice Into Government Systems

The long-term objective is to move Citizens’ Budget practices from individual projects into regular government budgeting and governance systems. Why It Matters Nepal’s federal structure gives local governments an important role in determining how public resources are allocated to local priorities. However, effective decentralization also requires citizens to understand government budgets and participate meaningfully in decision-making. Institutionalized Citizens’ Budgets can help bridge this gap by making public financial information more accessible and strengthening the relationship between governments and communities. The initiative also has an important child-focused governance dimension, because clearer and more participatory budgeting can help communities and governments identify and monitor investments affecting children. Key Outputs The partnership is expected to contribute to: Federal endorsement of Citizens’ Budget tools. Standardized templates and manuals. Standard operating procedures for local governments. Seven provincial pilot implementations. Approved Citizens’ Budgets in the seven pilot governments. Expanded adoption across 35 local governments. Publication of Citizens’ Budgets. Increased institutional capacity for participatory budgeting. Integration of Citizens’ Budget practices into government systems. Common Challenges to Consider Organizations developing a response should consider potential challenges such as: Differences in capacity between local governments. Coordination across federal, provincial, and local authorities. Ensuring Citizens’ Budgets are genuinely accessible to citizens. Maintaining consistent standards across different municipalities. Moving from pilot activities to long-term institutional adoption. Ensuring that transparency tools are integrated into existing government systems rather than operating as standalone initiatives. Frequently Asked Questions What is UNICEF seeking through this call? UNICEF is seeking a partner to provide technical support for institutionalizing Citizens’ Budget practices at Nepal’s local government level. What is a Citizens’ Budget? A Citizens’ Budget is an accessible version of a government budget that helps citizens understand public revenues, expenditures, priorities, and planned investments. How many local governments will participate in the pilot? The initiative will pilot Citizens’ Budget practices in seven local governments, with one local government representing each of Nepal’s seven provinces. How many local governments are targeted for wider adoption? The initiative aims to facilitate expanded adoption and publication of Citizens’ Budgets by 35 local governments. What tools will be developed or disseminated? The initiative includes federal endorsement and dissemination of Citizens’ Budget templates, manuals, and standard operating pro