Blog
Making PB Inclusive and Fair
Typically, when we want to know how inclusive and fair a Participatory Budgeting (PB) process is, we ask “Who shows up?” While this is a good starting point, it’s not enough. To meaningfully assess equity, we need to dig deeper. Celina Su, Chair of Urban Studies at the City University of New York (CUNY) and…
Read MoreParticipatory budgeting increases voter likelihood 7%
The effects of PB on voter likelihood Trust in government is at an all-time low, as only 18% of Americans say they can trust the government to do what is right. This deep distrust and cynicism leads many to stay home on election day. The US has one of the lowest rates of voting among…
Read MoreParticipatory Budgeting in NYC: $210 million for 706 community projects
For the 7th straight year, New Yorkers just decided part of the city budget. We’re excited to share the impressive results from 2018 – and a new tool that brings past results of Participatory Budgeting in New York City (PBNYC) to your fingertips! 2018 Vote Results More than 99,250 residents age 11 and older participated…
Read MoreMeet our new staff & board members (then join them)
Our team at the Participatory Budgeting Project (PBP) is committed to re-shaping democracy and continues to develop to deliver on this goal. I’m honored to introduce you to seven amazing individuals who recently joined our board and staff. I’m inspired by how these new team members are showing up for a democracy that we believe…
Read MoreSchool engagement that’s almost too good to be true
Last year, we shared the very wonderful story of how Participatory Budgeting (PB) was introduced at P.S. 139, a local elementary school in Brooklyn where Miro (the son of our co-Executive Director Josh Lerner) goes to school. PB addressed a sincere need at P.S. 139: a need to connect with families at a school of nearly…
Read MoreBuilding Community and Student Power in Public Universities
Urban public universities are difficult places to find community. In what are largely “commuter schools”, students have less opportunities to connect on a daily basis. Many students balance coursework, family commitments, and multiple jobs. It’s easy for campus life to fall by the wayside. In the face of this, Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a vital…
Read MoreThis is our moment – are you in?
Our team at PBP shows up month after month to grow participatory budgeting (PB) because we – like you – know how critical it is to build real democracy. Will you join us by signing up as a PB Amplifier, to contribute the monthly donations that we need to sustain our work? This week…
Read MoreYou made it happen: Your PB2 Vote Results
Our supporters voted to fund two AMAZING projects with $20,000 of their donations. We’re grateful to these folks for enabling even more people to make informed decisions about public money! Two of our superstar PB Amplifiers Kelsey Foster and Ashley Kuenneke, made this possible. Thank you to Kelsey and Ashley for facilitating our PB2 process!…
Read MoreBuilding Participatory Democracy at International Conference
Seventeen-year-old Participatory Budgeting Youth Fellow Jacinta Ojevwe stood before an international audience at our Innovations in Participatory Democracy Conference and said, “To breathe life into this revolution, young people must be involved. That means we have to go to where young people are” just before she declared: “I am not just here for this conference,…
Read MorePBP News: BIG School PB, Conference Recap, Your Turn to Vote
PBP SPRING NEWS It’s time to elevate young leaders At the March for Our Lives, Chicago’s Mya Middleton, 16, underscored the power of youth voice: “We are the turn of this century. We are the voice of change. We are here to fix what America is falling short of.” Just weeks prior, New York’s Jacinta…
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