ROI & IMPACT PLANNING TOOL
ROI Calculator for Government, Schools & Civic Organizations
A simple, back-of-the-envelope tool to estimate how a new website, portal, or AI system could
impact staff time and budgets for municipalities, public works, ISDs, higher education, and
other public sector teams.
How to Use This Calculator
- Estimate how many requests, cases, or tickets you handle each month
(calls, forms, work orders, applications, etc.). - Enter how many minutes of staff time each one takes today vs. with a
better digital system (website, portal, or AI). - Add your average fully loaded hourly rate for staff time, plus the
estimated project cost and ongoing monthly cost. - Review the estimated monthly savings, payback period,
and 3-year net impact.
Step 1: Enter Your Estimates
Use round numbers. This is for planning conversations, not audit-level precision.
Think: calls, applications, work orders, support tickets, resident requests, etc.
Include time to review, respond, and document — not just “click time.”
Salary + benefits + overhead estimate for typical staff handling the work.
Hosting, support, licensing, and maintenance for the new system.
Step 2: Review Estimated Impact
These numbers are directional — built to support board, council, or leadership discussions.
Monthly Cost Comparison
Manual handling with your existing process
$0
With improved website / portal / AI + system cost
$0
$0
Payback & 3-Year View
Months to recover one-time project investment
—
36 months of savings minus one-time project cost
$0
How to Read This
Enter a few numbers on the left to see how the calculator estimates impact on staff time and
budget over time.
This tool is for planning and discussion only and does not guarantee specific financial results
or funding outcomes.
Using These Numbers in Council, Board, or Leadership Conversations
Public sector and education projects aren’t just about “ROI” in the private sector sense.
They’re about service quality, staff capacity, and risk reduction as much
as dollars saved.
- Pair this calculator with qualitative benefits (faster response times,
fewer dropped calls, better resident or family experience). - Highlight staff capacity unlocked: hours per month that can move from
reactive work to proactive projects. - Use the 3-year view to align with capital plans, bond cycles, or grant windows.