For Researchers
When the people decide the budget, here’s what they fund
When people first learn about participatory budgeting (PB), they often ask if it really makes a difference—if PB shifts funding to higher priority issues. At the Participatory Budgeting Project, we’re answering this question—with data! Using New York City Open Data and the NYC Council capital discretionary budget, we built myPB, a tool for tracking projects…
Read MoreMeet PBP’s New Research Fellow Loren Peabody
Our team at the Participatory Budgeting Project is excited to welcome a new Research Fellow, Loren Peabody. As a doctoral candidate at the University of Wisconsin at Madison in the Sociology Department, Loren is committed to learning and teaching about sociology, international studies, American society, and urban sociology. Loren, can you tell us about your…
Read MoreLessons from 30 years of a global experiment in democracy
The Hewlett Foundation and Omidyar Network recently funded a major new report on the lessons learned from 30 years of participatory budgeting (PB). In July, we hosted a webinar about the state and future of PB with report authors Stephanie McNulty and Brian Wampler. Check out the webinar recording, slides, and key takeaways below. We…
Read MoreSummer News: Welcome a new wave of voters + civic innovation
PB increases voter likelihood by 7% New research shows that people who take part in PB are 7% more likely to vote in an election. Candidates are winning recent elections by narrow margins. A 7% increase in voter likelihood could reshape political landscapes. These findings confirm what we’ve been hearing for years: PB inspires participants to…
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 for Businesses: It Justworks
Last April, Isaac Oates was leaving his local library when a stranger asked him to vote. At first he politely declined, but when the volunteer said it was about the budget and would just take a minute, Isaac took a ballot, and learned about participatory budgeting (PB). Six months later, Oates was leading a PB…
Read MoreHow to make evaluations awesome and meaningful
While evaluations are an optional part of the Participatory Budgeting (PB) process, they are well worth the time and energy required to conduct them. Christine Paulin, professor at the Université de Moncton, and Jake Carlson, PBP Research Fellow, led a PB Network Study Session to share their insights on PB evaluations. See more below for…
Read MoreRegister Now – Upcoming PB trainings filling up fast!
Are you ready to break the cycle of cynicism that makes participation in democracy feel meaningless? We have two new opportunities for you to learn how to launch and improve PB in your community – two trainings taking place 9am – 5pm on Wednesday, March 7th, the day before our Innovations in Participatory Democracy Conference.…
Read MoreOur top victories for democracy in 2017
As we reflect on 2017 and many challenges this year, we find hope in the thousands of people like you building real democracy through participatory budgeting (PB). We’re excited to continue pushing forward, and to share some of the year’s top victories at the Participatory Budgeting Project (PBP). What we did: We expanded PB to…
Read MoreYouth Scholarships for the Innovations in Participatory Democracy Conference
As we question many aspects of democracy, we can be sure about one thing: Young people are transforming what it means to show up and participate. And, beyond participating – young people are leading initiatives like Action Civics and Participatory Budgeting (PB) to create real change in their communities. In NYC, Coro PB Youth Fellows…
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