A look at how over a million Americans have interacted with federal budget simulations and taxpayer receipts - shaping democracy, one click at a time.
At a time when civic trust and political polarization dominate national headlines, one organization is flipping the script. The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) has quietly - yet powerfully - engaged over a million people through interactive federal budget tools hosted on the Polco platform. Their secret? Transforming complicated fiscal policy into experiences that are accessible, transparent, and deeply participatory.
A Partnership Rooted in Transparency
The collaboration between BPC and Balancing Act by Polco started almost a decade ago, with a shared goal: help federal budgeting make sense to everyday Americans. Since then, the partnership has produced interactive simulations like the Federal Taxpayer Receipt and the Federal Budget Simulation, both live today and publicly available.
These tools aren't just educational - they’re transformative. The Taxpayer Receipt lets users see exactly how federal dollars are allocated, breaking down complex line items into tangible services and priorities. Meanwhile, the Budget Simulation gives users the chance to balance the federal budget themselves, making tough trade-offs across defense, social services, taxes, and more.
Why It Matters
With over 1 million tool views, BPC’s initiative has achieved what many public policy campaigns only dream of: sustained, large-scale civic engagement.
This is not a one-time campaign - it’s a movement built on Polco’s commitment to public trust, clarity, and accessibility. These tools work because they are grounded in Polco’s philosophy of resident empowerment through transparency:
Interactive simulations like Balancing Act’s tools give users firsthand experience with policy trade-offs.
Polco’s Engagement Platform ensures anonymous, safe, and user-friendly participation that encourages return visits and deeper engagement.
Clear call-to-actions and flexible content make it easy to integrate tools with partner campaigns, media stories, and educational curricula.
From Numbers to Narratives
Behind the million views are stories: a high school student using the simulation in a civics class, a policy nerd digging into how their taxes support the national defense, or a journalist framing an article with insights from the tool. The breadth of impact—across age groups, political ideologies, and geographic regions—is a testament to the universal value of informed engagement.
A Model for the Nation
What BPC and Polco have accomplished together goes beyond education - it’s an invitation to participate in the democratic process. These tools show what’s possible when federal policy isn’t confined to spreadsheets and legislative jargon, but is brought to life with interactive simulations that meet people where they are.
With tools like the Taxpayer Receipt and Budget Simulation still active, there’s no ceiling to the engagement that can be achieved. In fact, we believe this is just the beginning.
Explore the Tools
Want to see what over a million people have already discovered?
These Tools Aren’t Just for the Federal Government
While BPC’s success shows the national power of these tools, they’re just as impactful at the state and local level - where many budget decisions hit closest to home.
Cities, counties, school districts, and state agencies across the country are already using Polco to:
Show residents how their local tax dollars are spent with customized Taxpayer Receipts
Let the public explore real budget trade-offs in digital Budget Simulations
Host live community workshops with Meeting Mode
Collect actionable input to guide policies on housing, parks, safety, and more
Whether you’re planning a city budget, explaining tax levies, or preparing for a bond measure, these tools can help you bring residents into the process - with clarity, trust, and accountability.
Interested in building your own version?
We’ll help you bring your community into the budget conversation—no matter your size.
