Other Ways to Explore the Budget
In addition to downloading the budget data below, you can also engage with the budget by:
- Reading the budget publications, which provide narrative and context
- Using Open Budget, which allows for interactive exploration of the data
- Attending or requesting a Community Budget Presentation, which includes a budget overview and Q&A session
Download Budget Data
- Operating budget data from Open Baltimore
- Capital budget data from the Department of Planning website
Data Dictionary
| Column Name | Data Description | Data Type | Data Example | Data Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | ||||
Activity A subdivision of a service that specifies how the service is performed. Some services may be accomplished through the performance of only one activity, while other services may require the performance of two or more activities. | ||||
Agency An organization authorized by the Mayor and City Council to operate in the best interest of the public. Each agency is obligated by the City Charter to submit a budget request outlining projected costs of operation for the upcoming fiscal year to the Director of Finance and/or Planning Commission, as applicable. | ||||
| F | ||||
Fund A sum of money segregated for specific activities. Use of this money requires adherence to special regulations established for each type of fund. The funds identified within Baltimore City's budget are the Capital Fund, Conduit Enterprise Fund, Convention Center Bond Fund, General Fund, Internal Service Fund, Parking Enterprise Fund, Parking Management Fund, Special Grant Fund, Special Revenue Fund, Stormwater Utility Fund, Water Utility Fund, and Wastewater Utility Fund. | ||||
| O | ||||
Object A group of similar services, commodities, equipment, or personnel costs used to clarify spending within the budget. Objects of expenditure identified within Baltimore City’s budget are: Salaries; Other Personnel Costs; Contractual Services; Materials and Supplies; Equipment; Grants, Subsidies and Contributions; Debt Service; and Capital Improvements. | ||||
Outcome A set of broadly defined goals for the City set by the Mayor and Senior Team. The Fiscal 2022 budget was built around five Priority Outcomes: Prioritizing Our Youth, Building Public Safety, Clean and Healthy Communities, Equitable Neighborhood Development, and Responsible Stewardship of City Resources. | ||||
| P | ||||
(Capital Improvement) Project A long-term investment, typically in physical infrastructure, such as roads, monuments, public buildings, parks, or art. Capital improvement projects are defined by the Board of Estimates as "… any physical betterment or improvement and any preliminary studies and surveys relative thereto, including, but not limited to, any property of a permanent nature, and equipment needed in connection with such improvement, when first erected or acquired. | ||||
| Q | ||||
Quasi-Agency Independent entities that act on the City’s behalf, such as the Parking Authority, Baltimore Development Corporation, Family League, and others. Budget accounts fall under agencies, but are managed by quasi-agencies. | ||||
| S | ||||
Service An activity or set of activities performed by an agency that has: identifiable costs for budgeting purposes; a clear public purpose and measurable objectives; and clear lines of accountability for its performance and fiscal management. Services are the means to achieving desired outcomes for City residents. | ||||
Subobject A subdivision of an object of expenditure in which groups of similar services or related articles are further delineated into more specific types of expenditures. | ||||
| activity_id | The unique 3-digit identifier assigned to each activity. | Text | 003 | Each Activity ID is unique within a service. |
| activity_name | The formal name assigned to each activity (see glossary) in the City's budgeting system. | Text | Alleys and Footways | |
| agency_id | The unique 4-digit identifier assigned to each agency. | Text | 7000 | |
| agency_name | The formal name assigned to each agency (see glossary) in the City's budgeting system. | Text | Transportation | |
| fund_id | The unique 4-digit identifier assigned to each fund. | Text | 1000 | |
| fund_name | The formal name assigned to each fund (see glossary) in the City's budgeting system. | Text | General | |
| object_id | The unique 1-digit identifier assigned to each object. An object is a grouping of sub-objects. | Text | 1 | The first digit in a sub-object ID is the same as the Object ID. |
| object_name | The formal name assigned to each object (see glossary) in the City's budgeting system. | Text | Salaries | |
| outcome_id | The unique 2-digit identifier assigned to each Priority Outcome. | Text | 20 | |
| outcome_name | The formal name of the Mayor's Priority Outcomes (see glossary), assigned by service, in the City's budgeting system. | Text | Clean and Healthy Communities | |
| project_id | A six-digit unique identifier in YYY-YYY format, also referred to as a CIPI number, which allows users to cross-reference projects between all available capital budget reports. | Text | 504-200 | Additional capital budget reports are available on the Department of Planning website. |
| project_name | A title given to a capital improvement project, usually by the project manager in the responsible agency. | Text | Alley Reconstruction | |
| quasi_agency_name | The formal name of the quasi-agency in the City's budgeting system. | Text | Family League | Quasi-agencies are typically budgeted as a service within an agency, and each quasi-agency is associated with a service ID. |
| service_id | The unique 3-digit identifier assigned to each service. | Text | 683 | Each Service ID is unique across all City agencies. |
| service_name | The formal name assigned to each service (see glossary) in the City's budgeting system. | Text | Street Management | |
| subobject_id | The unique 3-digit identifier assigned to each sub-object. | Text | 101 | The first digit in a Sub-object ID is the same as the Object ID. |
| subobject_name | The formal name assigned to each sub-object (see glossary) in the City's budgeting system. | Text | Permanent Full-Time | |