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Get involved with the Innovations in Participatory Democracy Conference
The Innovations in Participatory Democracy Conference will bring together more than 250 community leaders, government officials and staff, practitioners, researchers, funders, young leaders, and technologists to explore innovations that empower community members to make real decisions and directly participate in government. Our conference kicks off just as 10 public high schools wrap up two weeks…
Read MoreTaking PB to Scale
Participatory budgeting (PB) has been successfully implemented in districts, cities, and school districts across North America, allowing members of these local communities to directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. From wards in Chicago, to schools in Phoenix, to across the city in Boston, we’ve seen hundreds of local-level PB success stories…
Read MoreParticipatory Budgeting in Elementary Schools: You’re Never too Young for Democracy
With the 2017-18 school year just around the corner, it’s time for fresh ideas to improve your local schools. One new model comes from New York City’s Primary School 139, with some special help from Participatory Budgeting Project’s Executive Director Josh Lerner – and his son Miro. P.S.139 is a large Title I public elementary…
Read MoreThis is Josh’s dad – can you help me celebrate his birthday?
Today is my son Josh’s 39th birthday. When he was a kid, every year for his birthday I bought him what he wanted more than anything in the world: Legos. I’ve been proud to watch Josh move from building things with Legos to now building a better democracy through participatory budgeting (PB). Now that he…
Read MoreNEW VIDEO – Participatory Budgeting in Schools
We are proud to share our newest tool to make civics education meaningful by putting real money on the table, our new Participatory Budgeting (PB) in Schools video! This video introduces you to participatory budgeting in schools by showing you how it worked in Phoenix. Featuring interviews with students, teachers, principals, local elected officials, and…
Read MoreMeet Hui Zhen Li – and celebrate with her on June 1st
Have you met Hui Zhen Li, a 90-year-old community leader in Oakland? We’re celebrating her amazing work as a PB leader with Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN) at our June 1st Oakland PBParty Benefit! As this summer marks five years of participatory budgeting (PB) in California, now is the time to get your tickets to…
Read MorePresenting your 2017 PB2 Ballot – Vote today!
Guest post by PB Amplifiers Kelsey Foster and Alex Kolokotronis. We’re writing to you as fellow supporters and advocates for participatory budgeting. Over the past few months, we teamed up with other advocates to develop 10 amazing projects to help grow PB. From today till June 2nd, 2017, you can vote to decide which projects…
Read MoreWhat happens when students lead PB?
Impacts, outcomes, and winning projects shine in Phoenix “Let’s rock and roll!” shouted Christopher Oglesby, Assistant Principal at Carl Hayden Community High School, to a team huddle of 30 spirited students. The group dispersed in all directions, and prepared to welcome over 1,500 student voters to the gym. This team of student leaders—along with school…
Read MoreMeet Chicko – and celebrate with him on April 20th
Have you met Chicko? We’re celebrating his amazing work as a youth organizer with Red Hook Initiative at our April 20th NYC PBParty Benefit! As PB vote week in NYC wraps up this week (Go Vote!), now is the time to get your tickets to the #PBParty, and to meet Chicko: After moving to Red…
Read MoreWhy HUD budgets are vital to rebuilding trust in government
What do youth apprenticeship programs, safe routes to schools, and mobile showers for the homeless community have in common? They all make communities more resilient, more equitable, and more sustainable. They are all eligible to be funded by Community Development Block Grants (CDGB). And they are just some of the many projects directly decided by…
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