In 1995 Charlotte won first prize in the City Livability Awards, being cited for "setting the standard by which to measure good local government".

The City of Charlotte has had a long tradition of performance measurement for city services, having instituted Management by Objectives in 1972. In 1994, the City began its implementation of the Balanced Scorecard, a performance management model that challenges organizations to evaluate success and achievement across four perspectives: financial, customer, internal processes and learning and growth.

By 1996, the City of Charlotte had developed its first Balanced Scorecard, the Corporate Scorecard. Since then, the City of Charlotte has been inducted into the Balanced Scorecard Collaborative Hall of Fame.

The Budget & Evaluation office is responsible for administering the City's strategic planning process, which includes developing Charlotte's Corporate Scorecard. The City of Charlotte's performance management and strategic planning approach consists of identifying organizational strategy based on City Council Focus Areas, translating and communicating the strategy through the Corporate Scorecard (developing corporate objectives and measures), implementing the strategy as described by the Strategic Focus Area plans and Key Business Unit and Support Business Unit business plans - SOP's.

Business Plans-SOP's (Strategic Operating Plans) FY2009
Key Business Units, Support Business Units and divisions within the City Manager's Office submit annual business plans that describe how the organization provides services and programs, and responds to strategic and organizational initiatives.

Aviation FY2009 SOP
Budget and Evaluation FY2009 SOP
Business Support Services FY2009 SOP
Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) FY2009 SOP
Charlotte Department of Transportation FY2009 SOP (Not yet completed)
Charlotte Fire Department FY2009 SOP
Charlotte-Mecklenburg 311 FY2009 SOP
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning FY2009 SOP
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police FY2009 SOP (Not yet completed)
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities FY2009 SOP
City Attorney FY2009 SOP
City Managers Office FY2009 SOP
Community Relations Committee FY2009 SOP
Corporate Communications FY2009 SOP
Ecomonic Development FY2009 SOP
Engineering and Property Management FY2009 SOP
Finance FY2009 SOP
Human Resources FY2009 SOP
Internal Audit FY2009 SOP
Neighborhood Development FY2009 SOP
Office of the Chief Information Officer FY2009 SOP
Solid Waste Services FY2009 SOP

 For questions view the SOP Handbook (updated Oct. 2007)

Benchmarking
The City of Charlotte participates in an annual performance measurement benchmarking study of select service areas, including residential refuse collection, household recycling, yard waste/leaf collection, emergency communications, fire services, asphalt maintenance and repair, fleet maintenance, human resources, and water services. This study is conducted by the Institute of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and includes 17 large and mid-size cities statewide.

IOG Data Report - FY2007

Related Links:
FY2003 State of the City Report