The DC Council is in the middle of the oversight and budget process to make decisions about how DC spends its money – from food assistance and school meals to grants for food businesses. Mayor Muriel Bowser is scheduled to deliver her proposed budget for the Fiscal Year 2026 to the DC Council in March 2025. In January through early April, each Council Committee is holding public hearings to hear residents’ thoughts and suggestions on the past year’s activities and the next year’s proposed budget. Residents’ voices are crucial to shaping a budget that supports an equitable, healthy, and sustainable food system and programs. You can submit written testimony, leave testimony over voicemail, or testify live. To help you prepare, we created videos below.
Which Oversight or Budget Hearing to sign up for?
Use the graphic below to identify the agency and council committee that oversees the program or issue you want to give feedback on. Take a look at the spreadsheet embedded below (or click this link) which the Food Policy team will continue to update budget hearing schedules. The spreadsheet includes links to register and submit your written testimony.
Learn more about the programs each agency is covering below:
How to sign up for live testimony and submit written testimony
If you are testifying live, you must register on the Council website 2 days before the hearing. If you need language or ASL interpretation, you must register and request on the registration form 5 days before. For step by step instructions on how to register for live testimony and submit written testimony, watch the video tutorial below or click here.
Use the FPC guide to the DC Budget on Food to learn about the budget process, identify the food-related program or issue you want to give feedback on, which agency and committee oversee, and steps on how to share your thoughts with decision makers.