New York
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 MoreWe’re supporting #YesYesYesNYC… will you?
Did you know that participatory budgeting will be on the ballot November 6? New York City voters have an opportunity to raise the bar for PB by voting for ballot proposal 2. If approved, it will launch the largest PB process in North America – likely bigger than all other programs in the US and Canada combined! Will…
Read MorePBS Releases New Film on PBNYC
Participatory Budgeting has never been more beautiful! PBS’ acclaimed documentary film series POV just released Public Money, a stunning short film on Participatory Budgeting in New York City (PBNYC). Produced by our friends at Meerkat Media, the 15-minute film follows community members in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighborhood as they launch PB in the district. Here’s…
Read MoreVictory! Citywide PB is on the ballot in NYC – will you help it win?
Big News! After years of hard work, we’re thrilled to announce a major victory for participatory budgeting (PB) in New York City and beyond: NYC’s Charter Reform Commission just decided to include a ballot measure in the November election calling for a new citywide PB process. The measure also includes expanded support from a new…
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 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 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 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 MoreCan you sign up as a PBNYC poll worker?
People across NYC are gearing up to vote on how to spend millions of dollars through Participatory Budgeting in New York City (PBNYC). PBNYC works because people like you volunteer to make a difference in their community. Can you volunteer as a poll worker, to help your neighbors vote in PB and build real democracy?…
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