A PB Love Story: How Catherine and Neil Met
On Valentine’s Day, we bring you a story of love and democracy. Catherine Zinnel used to be the coordinator for participatory budgeting (PB) in New York City Council Member Brad Lander’s office. She met her now-husband Neil Reilly when he got involved as a PB volunteer. PB brings people together. For Catherine and Neil, PB…
Erik Olin Wright, Interstellar Leader of Democracy (1947-2019)
We lost a shining star of democracy last week. Erik Olin Wright, PBP Advisory Board member and leading scholar of democracy and social change, passed away on January 23rd, 2019 from leukemia. Erik was…
Spread Democracy for Shari’s Birthday!
This year I want to celebrate my 32nd birthday by making an impact and I invite my friends, family and community to join me. Instead of presents this year, join me in giving the gift of democracy. I’d like to raise at least $2,000 to sponsor 2 young people to serve on PBP’s boards to…
Our top 6 social media posts of 2018
2018 was a big year for participatory budgeting (PB), thanks to you! Looking back on our year in social media, we won great victories that make us optimistic going into 2019. Check out the highlights below, then make an end of year donation to support more victories in 2019! 1. De Blasio Announces Launch of…
Best of 2018: Our 5 Big Wins
Over nearly 10 years, we’ve shown that participatory budgeting (PB) is a powerful tool for transforming our democracy. In 2018 we invested in making PB better and bigger. We developed new resources, supported innovative programs, and expanded what real democracy can be. Check out our 2018 highlights below, and please make an end of year…
PB2: What’s your wishlist for democracy?
It’s that time of year again! We need your ideas for how to make participatory budgeting (PB) bigger and better. To practice what we preach, PBP invites everyone who donates to our organization to decide how part of the donations are spent–it’s our own PB process, called PB2. In the past, you voted to spend…
Art Makes Democracy Better
How the arts gets us to turn on, tune in, and help out Between committees on transport and whole debates on tax rates, the details of governance can be mind-numbing. That can cause would-be participants in democracy to be disinterested. That’s why democracy also has to be a culture. We have to have our hearts…
The next generation of digital democracy tools
Marijel walks by an old neighborhood park every day on her way to work. She fondly recalls visiting the park as a child, running around with friends, laughing away the sticky summer days. These days the park reminds her more of a vacant lot than a place for kids to hang out. While attending one…
Thank you for supporting young leaders like me
This #GivingTuesday, we raised over $8,500 from more than 110 supporters! Thank you for helping us spread participatory budgeting further than ever! Your support means so much to me as the community builder within the Participatory Budgeting Project. I joined the PBP team this spring after organizing with various student groups in Queens College, City University…
Hope for Democracy: A New Book Reflects on 30 Years of Participatory Budgeting
An expansive new volume edited by Nelson Dias features dispatches by more than 60 authors from the frontlines of participatory budgeting’s (PB) growth around the world. This book, Hope for Democracy, could not have come out at a better time for PB supporters in North America. Next year will mark 10 years of PB in…
First, we voted. Here’s what’s next:
The election may be over, but our campaign for real democracy is just getting started. We know you’re probably still buzzing from the election, whether you voted, donated, or volunteered. Elections matter – thank you for showing up! But as the pundits start to ponder the next round, we also know that voting every year…
PBP News: Victory in NYC, New Video, Rockstars for PB
VICTORY: NYC Voters Approve Citywide PB Last week was big for democracy, from the re-enfranchisement of 1.4 million voters in Florida to an upsurge in turnout across the US. It was also a big moment for participatory budgeting: New York City voters approved a city charter revision that will create a citywide PB process!…