The GN-PBO is a practitioner network that seeks to:

1. Enhance community members’ understanding as to the role of Parliamentary Budget Offices (PBOs) in constructively supporting parliaments and parliamentarians in discharging their duties in the budget making process;
2. Provide technical training opportunities to GN-PBO members on key topics identified by the network; and
3. Convene members of the GN-PBO in order to advance the global PBO knowledge agenda

The community will bring together staff of PBOs, technical staff from parliamentary secretariats that provide parliamentarians with budget analysis, and external research units that support parliamentary engagement in the budget process through provision of budget analysis.

In addition, the community will be open, on an ad hoc basis, to those individuals and institutions that have an interest in strengthening the capacity of PBOs.  Examples of such individuals/ institutions include external knowledge experts, and international organizations like the World Bank and OECD.

The GN-PBO CoP provides a platform for knowledge and experience sharing on best practices, concepts, challenges and opportunities related to the design, establishment, and operation of PBOs. This will be achieved through a combination of face-to-face seminars/dialogues, regular distance learning/knowledge events (such as video-conferences, webinars, e-courses) and virtual participation and dialogue through the online portal.

In particular the GN-PBO CoP will aim to:

I.Increase connections, connectivity and communications between PBOs;

II.Enhance access to information and resource materials;

III.Improve understanding of concepts, mechanisms and practices on planning, establishment, and implementation;

IV.Promote knowledge exchange, experience sharing, and collaboration between PBOs

To do so, the approach of the GN-PBO CoP would be as follows:

• Capacity Gap identification through knowledge exchange
• Capacity development through structured learning
• Experience sharing through featured initiatives
• Collaboration in collective problem solving through seeking advice from members of the community

The CoP will shape its identity via:

Relevant stakeholders will be connected through Video-conferencing, Facilitated Online Discussions and Surveys aimed at identifying capacity gaps related to parliaments’ role in budget formulation and passage, especially around the availability of independent budget analysis.

The community will publish bi-monthly newsletters and other knowledge products. 

Face-to-Face annual meetings will be organized

Communications Format:

We will use a blend of online and offline Face-to-Face member engagement activities.

• Examples of online activities include – Time-bounded Topical e-Discussions, e-Newsletters
• Case studies, documented learning, and knowledge products can be shared online.
• Examples of off-line activities include conference phone calls /skype
• Face to face meetings, case clinics, and Webinars also be offered

CoP stewards will take responsibility for the planning of webinars, monitoring progress and identifying key areas for engagement. They will also support the development of the CoP by building and maintaining relationships with core members, identifying strategic content, external resources and expertise in the field.

The CoP can draw upon other mechanisms and tools in order to advance the its agenda, such as leadership groups/ working groups etc.

The new GN-PBO platform link is: http://www.e-pbo.org

The main language of the GN-PBO online platform is English.

The platform will include the following types of content and collaborative features:

• E-learning courses

• Learning Events (e.g.-annual workshops,  study missions within the GN-PBO, regional meetings)

• Resource materials
• Webinars and Video conferences
• Discussion forums
• Case Studies
• Case Clinics (Country level)
• Multimedia: Photo/Video

As a convening tool, the community will have annual conferences which will bring together a number of core members.

In monitoring and evaluating the CoP’s performance, the leaders /managers will implement:

• Metrics: to check the growth targets through number of new membership (monthly increase) and amount of knowledge production (number of posts shared), activity targets, and participation
• Measurement of the total number of platform interactions/ usage among the members in the CoP as an indicator of knowledge transfer - e.g. number of replies to discussions (online participations, external emails, phone/Skype calls) and number of documents uploaded or downloaded
• Online Survey – An annual survey will be conducted to request feedback from CoP members on the effectiveness of the Community of Practice
• Annual Report – Will highlight the evaluation of achievements
• Number of unique visitors through guest login portal
• Rating system for quality of contributions for both registered and unregistered users
• Number of invitations for events posted on the website by third party users

The main outcome indicators would be member satisfaction, increased participation, and applied/ realized value.