Engaging communities & deepening democracy in
cities and towns schools organizations policy-making decision-making

Engaging communities & deepening democracy in
cities and towns schools organizations policy-making decision-making

What is Participatory Budgeting?

Participatory budgeting (PB) is a democratic process in which community members decide how to spend part of a public budget. It gives people real power over real money.

What We Do

We are a nonprofit organization that works with communities to enable them to decide together how to spend public money. We create and support participatory democratic processes, such as participatory budgeting, that deepen democracy, build stronger communities, and make public budgets more equitable and effective.

Public funding allocated through PB
$ 0 M
Community-generated winning projects
0 +
PB participants across the US & Canada
0 K

Campaigns & Advocacy

Learn, Advocate + Win

We educate stakeholders and advocate for equitable, accessible and significant participatory democracy practices.
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Participation Lab

Innovative Resources + Tools

We support participatory democracy practices by developing and piloting resources and tools.
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Technical Assistance

Want support getting started?

We offer project planning and management, individually tailored training, coaching, materials, and other support.
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Want to dig deeper?

Looking for tools on how to implement PB in your school, community or organization? Check out the resource library!

Latest News

A group of young people hold up signs to advocate for investments in youth programs. One reads, “7 out of 10 support greater public funding for youth programs

15 Years: Lesson 3: Trust is Key

In the spring, PBP Research Fellow Gina Hakim had the opportunity to sit down with Gary Hytrek, a member of the North American PB Research...
An array of raised garden beds with thriving greenery

15 Years: Lesson 2: If you can spend it, you can (and should!) do PB with it

Author: Michael Cusack, PBP’s Director of Technical Assistance Cottonwood Urban Farm (www.cufarm.org) Rental assistance and anti-eviction programs, a mobile street medicine service, an urban farming...
Webinar title slide in blue with two photos and Zoom host video box in top right corner

PBP Learning Webinar: PB Ballot Initiatives and Charter Amendments

https://vimeo.com/1074493213Participatory budgeting (PB) is a democratic process in which community members decide how to spend part of a public budget. It gives people real power...

Let's start your project today!

Looking for support with education, advocacy, or with implementing a participatory process?