NGOs/CSOs and the Public cooperate and participate in the budget process to influence the National Budget to be more credible, transparent and fair so that it benefits poor and vulnerable groups.

The National Budget Project is a sub-project of the Economic Development Project and the issue of the National Budget was identified in 2006 by the members of the Trade and Economic Development Network (TEDN). The project officially started in November 2006 and made substantial achievements throughout 2007, 2008 and 2009.

The NGOs/CSOs and public ability to engage with and influence Government and Parliament on issues around the national budget is still weak because of: i) the limited knowledge and time investment among CSOs and public on the national budget issues; ii) the scarcity of and limited access to budget information on the Cambodian national and sectoral budget and iii) the lack of transparent and participatory budget process. Due to these three constraints, Cambodian NGOs are currently not able to fully use the opportunities that the budget could offer them to back their advocacy efforts by facts and figures from the National Budget, the National Budget project aims to address the three constraints to promote fair, credible and transparent budget process.