Capital Improvement Budget Process
Last Edited: January 5, 2026
Community members are encouraged to submit proposals for investments to City places, spaces, and roads.
The 2026 Capital Improvement Budget (CIB) Community Proposal Process carries forward a longstanding commitment to Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), and will review submissions and recommend funding for budget years 2026 – 2028. The process benefits from the work of the City Council Audit Committee and Wilder Research, as well feedback and recommendations submitted by community, and works to implement process improvements, prioritizing those which impact the experience of the community members who submit applications, such as simplifying the application, providing additional ways to submit ideas, and improving communication and promotion of direct technical assistance opportunities.
The Proposed and Adopted Capital Improvement Budget from current and prior years are available on the City's budget page. Visit the CIB Committee web page for more information on committee meetings, meeting agendas and minutes, and meeting locations and times.
The Capital Improvement Budget (CIB) is how we fund the construction and maintenance of City infrastructure. This includes improvements in streets, bridges, libraries, parks, recreation centers, and other public facilities and infrastructure. The budget is composed of a variety of state, federal, and local funding sources. The CIB Committee is an advisory body of 18 Saint Paul residents that recommends projects and funding levels to the Mayor every year by June 30. The Capital Improvement Budget is approved by the Mayor and City Council annually.
The Saint Paul Capital Improvement Budget (CIB) process is designed to engage residents in evaluating capital needs in the City. In 2019, we launched a new CIB process to replace the over three decades old existing process and focus more strongly on:
One of the most significant changes to the process is the creation of a two-year cycle with the first year dedicated to City department-submitted projects and the second for community-submitted projects, eliminating the competition for funding between City and community projects that existed in the previous process. In 2025 the City Council Audit Committee partnered with Wilder Research to complete the Capital Improvement Budget Process Study which assessed the new process and developed recommendations for improvement. Planning around process improvements is ongoing, and community feedback is always welcome.
The Saint Paul Capital Improvement Budget (CIB) process is designed to engage residents in evaluating capital needs in the City. In 2019, we launched a new CIB process to replace the over three decades old existing process and focus more strongly on:
One of the most significant changes to the process is the creation of a two-year cycle with the first year dedicated to City department-submitted projects and the second for community-submitted projects, eliminating the competition for funding between City and community projects that existed in the previous process.
In both years, the CIB Committee forwards recommended capital improvement budgets for the following two fiscal years to the Mayor by late June. In even years, when City department projects are not considered, the tentative budget for City projects in the second year of the biennium generally is recommended by the CIB Committee, proposed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council. Revisions to the tentative budget are allowed for projects that satisfy one of three conditions: 1) elimination of a life/safety hazard; 2) leverage of non-city funding; or 3) coordination with other projects.
The Mayor proposes capital (and operating) budgets to the City Council and residents in mid-August. Typical proposals have requested improvements in streets, bridges, libraries, recreation centers, playground equipment, traffic flow and other public facilities and infrastructure. All improvements must have a useful life of at least 10 years. Current and past budget books can be found online: stpaul.gov/budget.
During the fall, the City Council reviews the Mayor’s proposed budgets and holds public hearings. In mid-December, the Council adopts a final capital improvement budget for the next fiscal year and approves a tentative budget for the year after. Current and past budget books can be found online: stpaul.gov/budget.
This poll is ongoing and includes the projects proposed by departments for or Capital Improvement Bond funding in 2027 - 2031, tentative funding recommendations for 2027 were made by the Committee, this and other polls will be used in each department proposal budget review process
In even-numbered years, the City and CIB Committee begin recruiting applications for projects from the community. The 2024 -2025 Capital Improvement Budget Community Proposal Process carries forward a longstanding commitment to Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), a core principle of Mayor Carter's Community-First Public Safety Framework. CPTED enhances the quality of our built environment to influence outcomes and behaviors. It also supports improving the quality of our public spaces to ensure they are well-designed, well-maintained, and well-lit to proactively improve quality of life, and limit opportunity for undesirable activity.
The process occurring in 2025 developed recommendations for the 2026 Adopted and 2027 Tentative Capital Improvement Budgets, and culminated in the budget adoption by City Council in December of 2025.