BudgetBeacon

BudgetBeacon is a web + mobile app that turns messy municipal budget PDFs, spreadsheets, and agenda packets into a searchable, plain-English map of spending. Users can follow a department (police, parks, housing), a vendor, or a project and get alerts when new line items appear, costs change, or contracts are amended. The app links each dollar figure back to the source document and meeting where it was approved, so it’s credible—not vibes. It also provides simple comparisons (year-over-year, per-capita, neighborhood) and a “what changed” summary for each budget revision. This is a combination traditional + AI app: AI is used to extract and normalize data from documents, but the UI is straightforward and audit-friendly. Monetization targets organizations that need this weekly: local newsrooms, watchdog nonprofits, and advocacy groups.