NATIONAL BUDGET SIMULATION PROJECT
You and your partner have been placed on special assignment by your think-tank organization, Budget
Solutions America, Inc. Your job is to design a national budget proposal that can be presented to both houses
of Congress and the President’s Budget Office for approval. You will use the Marketplace Budget Hero
software to help you simulate your budget and make cuts / additions where needed. You will have access to
numerous organizations and websites that will better inform you of the data you will need to make these
important decisions.
Your team will make your budget decisions based on the three criteria that have been assigned to you. Make
sure you study your stance and understand what you represent when creating your budget. Your goal at the
end of this project is to fulfill the criteria you represent.
When you finish your project you will print a budget report compiled by the software program. You will also
write a critical analysis report detailing your findings and explaining your major budget decisions, and if you
feel your budget meets the requirements established by the criteria. There is only need for one report per
team.
Below are the steps for entering and initiating the Budget Hero Software Program:
1. Go to Coach Cummings’ (President and CEO, Budget Solutions America, Inc.) website at
http://www.canyonisd.net//Domain/102
2. Click on the Government link on the left side of the page
Here you will find all the links to the information websites as well as the link to the Budget Hero
Software Program.
3. Click on the Marketplace Budget Hero link and get click “Get briefed” on your job details and how
to use the program.
4. After the briefing, click “Play Game” and it will take you to a screen asking for personal information.
Skip this – do not fill in any of the information. Simply scroll down to the bottom right side of the
page and click “Play.” Read the paragraph and click “Ok.”
5. You will pick the 3 badges that represent your team. Make sure you choose 3 that accurately
represent your stance on the budget issues. This information was given to you at the beginning of
class. Once you have chosen 3 badges click “Start.”
6. Now your team can begin analyzing and making changes in the National Budget where you deem
necessary. Keep in mind you have 2 days to complete your budget and report. Make sure to cover
all areas of the budget and decide what changes need to be made based on your team’s ideology
and point of view (3 badges).
7. Once your team has completed the budget, click “See how your budget stacks up” and print this
report.
8. After printing your report you will then write your critical analysis report detailing your budget and
your findings. This report needs to be no longer than 1-page, typed, 12-point New Times Roman
font, double spaced. You will staple both reports together and turn in to the CEO for final
inspection before being sent to the President of the United States and Congress for a vote.


Keep in mind; you may have to make several, if not many changes to accomplish your goals based
on your badges. Only print the final report when you feel you have achieved those goals based on
the criteria from the badges.
A NATION DEPENDS ON YOU!!! GOOD LUCK!!!
BELOW ARE THE LINKS TO THE WEBSITES AND THE BUDGET HERO SIMULATOR:
http://www.marketplace.org/topics/economy/budget-hero
Budget Hero
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget
http://www.federalbudget.com/
National Debt Awareness Center (NDAC).
http://nationalpriorities.org/budget-basics/federal-budget-101/
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collectionGPO.action?collectionCode=BUDGET
http://www.budget.senate.gov/
http://budget.house.gov/
http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/federal_budget_fy13
BELOW ARE ALTERNATIVE AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR YOU TO USE IF NEEDED:
Government Agencies:




Congressional Budget Office (http://cbo.gov/)
Government Accountability Office (http://gao.gov/)
Office of Management and Budget (http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/)
The Social Security Administration (www.ssa.gov)
General Budget Information:
















Public Agenda (http://publicagenda.org/)
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (http://www.cbpp.org/)
National Priorities Project (http://www.nationalpriorities.org/)
The Concord Coalition (http://www.concordcoalition.org/)
The Brookings Institution (http://www.brookings.edu/)
The Heritage Foundation (http://www.heritage.org/)
The Tax Policy Center (http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/)
Urban Institute (http://www.urban.org/)
The Milken Institute (http://www.milkeninstitute.org/)
Cato Institute (http://www.cato.org)
Center for Education Policy (http://www.cep-dc.org)
Center for Economic Policy Research (http://www.cepr.net/)
Citizens Against Government Waste (www.cagw.org)
Taxpayers for Common Sense (http://www.taxpayer.net/)
The Center for American Progress (http://www.americanprogress.org/)
Progress Policy Institute (http://www.ppionline.org/)
Specific Policy Information:












The National Education Association (http://www.nea.org/index.html)
The Sierra Club (http://www.sierraclub.org/)
American Dream Coalition (http://www.americandreamcoalition.org/)
Defenders of Wildlife (www.defenders.org)
Wilderness Society (http://www.wilderness.org/)
The Natural Resources Defense Center (http://www.nrdc.org/)
The Trade Adjustment Assistance Coalition (http://www.taacoalition.com/)
Joint Center for Housing Studies (http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/)
National Low Income Housing Coalition (http://www.nlihc.org)
Surface Transportation Policy Partnership (http://www.transact.org/)
The Urban Land Institute (www.uli.org)
The Center For Arms Control and Non-Proliferation (http://www.armscontrolcenter.org/)