Description of the initiative

The Provincial Council of Huelva is promoting a pilot project to align the municipal budgets of five municipalities with the 2030 Agenda, integrating its principles into local financial planning.

The objective is to test a methodology for the localization of the 2030 Agenda in the municipalities of Aljaraque, Alosno, Beas, Cartaya, and Hinojales, involving citizens as well as staff and government teams in the process.

Execution period

2024-02-01 to 2024-09-30

Methodology

The methodology of the Provincial Council of Huelva’s pilot project has been based on a structured four-phase approach, applied in five municipalities of different sizes and geographical areas of the province:

1. Training and budget alignment with the 2030 Agenda, building capacity within municipal teams.
2. Measuring the impact of the budget on the SDG Targets, evaluating its direct reach and
3. Communication and awareness-raising, conveying results to citizens and stakeholders.
4. Reorientation of budget planning for 2025, adjusting strategies based on the findings of the process.

Resources

Human resources from the Provincial Council’s technical staff, government teams, and municipal technicians have been employed, along with technical assistance from the University of Huelva. Regarding technical resources, a dashboard has been used to monitor the project, and funding has been provided by the Provincial Council of Huelva.

Involvement of stakeholders and building partnerships

The project has featured a multi-stakeholder and multi-level alliance, involving the Provincial Council of Huelva, the participating city councils, third-sector organizations, and the University of Huelva. Each actor has played a key role in the execution, providing knowledge and resources to ensure the alignment of municipal budgets with the 2030 Agenda.

Furthermore, the University of Huelva, through its spin-off Sintering, has provided technical assistance and innovative methodology, ensuring that the initiative adapts to the reality of provincial and city councils, facilitating its replicability in other territories.

Coordination

Internal coordination: The Provincial Council of Huelva has managed the project through its technical staff, guaranteeing alignment with the 2030 Agenda and monitoring the execution phases.

External coordination: Work has been carried out in alliance with city councils, third-sector organizations, and the University of Huelva, which has provided technical assistance through its spin-off Sintering, ensuring a methodological approach adapted to municipal reality.

INNOVATION What are the most novel aspects of the initiative?

The project stands out for its innovative approach by using municipal budgets as a tool for localizing the 2030 Agenda, integrating a methodology developed by the University of Huelva. Additionally, its multi-stakeholder and multi-level alliance allows the strategy to be adapted to different municipal sizes, facilitating its replicability in other territories.

Replicability, scalability, and transfer: What elements should be considered for the replicability of the initiative in another Local Entity?

To successfully replicate the project in another territory, it is key to have institutional commitment, a methodology adaptable to different municipal sizes, and a multi-stakeholder alliance, including local administrations, the third sector, and academic entities. Furthermore, it is essential to have specialized technical assistance, monitoring tools, and a calendar aligned with municipal budget approval times.

Obstacles: What have been the main obstacles encountered in the different phases of the project?

The main obstacle has been coordinating municipal budget approval times with the project’s execution dates. This has required careful planning and coordination between the city councils and the Provincial Council to ensure the correct implementation of each phase.

Triple impact: To what extent has the triple impact been considered in the design and execution of the initiative?

While the project has a methodological focus rather than a direct social, economic, or environmental impact, its design contributes to the triple impact by integrating municipal budgets with the 2030 Agenda. This allows for planning aligned with the SDGs, favoring economic sustainability, social equity, and the efficient management of public resources at the local level.

Is it sustainable from an environmental, economic, and social point of view?

The project is sustainable as it integrates municipal budgets with the 2030 Agenda, promoting efficient resource management that favors economic sustainability, social equity, and environmentally responsible planning.

Results, measurement, and impact

The project has succeeded in aligning municipal budgets with the 2030 Agenda in five pilot municipalities, advancing the integration of the SDGs into local financial planning. Although execution is not yet complete, the first two phases have been finished, and a dashboard has been established for monitoring and measuring results, using local indicators to evaluate the impact on budget management and its contribution to sustainability goals.

Links of interest:

www.diphuelva.es/ODS