Balanced Scorecard: Step-by-Step for Government and Nonprofit Agencies, 2nd Edition

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The City of Charlotte: A Balanced Scorecard Success Story

Roadmap for Chapter 12 The City of Charlotte, North Carolina is widely considered the best example of Balanced Scorecard success in a public or nonprofit setting. An early adopter, the city implemented their first Balanced Scorecard in 1996. Adhering to a firm belief that “measurement matters,” they have continuously fine-tuned their efforts, maximizing the benefits of the Scorecard as a measurement system, strategic management system, and communication tool. Their success has resulted in a long list of accolades, including: University Best Practice from the International City/ County Manager’s Association (2001), and entry into the Balanced Scorecard Collaborative’s Hall of Fame (2002). Charlotte’s former City Manager, and Scorecard guiding force, Pam Syfert, was named a top ten public official in 1999 by Governing magazine.

When writing the First Edition of this book in 2003, I had the distinct pleasure to conduct a wide-ranging interview with three people instrumental in Charlotte’s Balanced Scorecard success: Lisa Schumacher, Tiffany Capers, and Matt Bronson. Lisa has been with Charlotte’s Budget and Evaluation Office for over 20 years and has worked with the Balanced Scorecard since its inception in 1996. She has spoken on the Charlotte experience at seminars and conferences throughout North America and has coauthored articles on the use of the Balanced Scorecard. Tiffany and Matt are also key players contributing ...