As the New Jersey PB Seeds advocacy program prepares for its third cohort, past “seeds” are already bearing fruit, with three new participatory budgeting (PB) processes getting off the ground in New Jersey – including Newark’s climate-focused PB process led by youth. At the same time, evaluations of earlier cohorts show how much participants value the program.
“The program was amazing. I feel like it opened a lot of doors for me and connections, so I’m very grateful for that.”
Participants spoke highly of the program facilitation, and especially valued the tools and templates that were shared:
“So having packets […] that people actually use was very helpful because you don’t feel like you’re starting from zero.”
Here are more findings from the PB Seeds evaluations so far:
PB Seeds leads to more PB — and PB advocacy — in local communities.
We already know that new PB processes have started due to previous phases of the PB Seeds program. And the summer 2025 cohort is primed to keep it up. When asked about their ability to launch advocacy plans, several participants voiced that they had initiated conversations about PB in their communities. What’s more, all participants in the fall 2024 cohort who were interviewed a year after their participation reported that they had engaged in advocacy since the cohort. One participant got grant funding to get PB work started in his area; another is working with other organizers to get a referendum passed for PB in their municipality; and two cohort members connected to form a working group on PB in their city.
Participants become PB champions.
Participants spoke powerfully about the potential for PB to make a difference for their communities:
“Now is the time for us all to be civically engaged, and not just those who can afford to go to school and learn about political science…[PB] is how you can get engaged and re-engage those who have been civically engaged for a while, but just lost faith in the system.”
“I think [PB is] like the purest form of democracy.”
“It’s a step towards actualizing democratic values in our republic.”
Participants want more!
Participants in both cohorts consistently asked for more training time, and some recommended events and offerings for all program alumni to help keep the momentum going.
This excitement about PB is matched with increased confidence: Although some summer 2025 participants entered the cohort with very little familiarity with PB, those who responded to the survey at the end of the cohort overwhelmingly felt “very” or “extremely confident” talking about why PB matters and its potential for their community, and most felt similarly confident about developing a strong plan to advocate for a PB process in their community.
As the PBP team is deepening outreach, refining the PB Seeds curriculum, and preparing for the next New Jersey cohort, we are also building on the success of a recent cohort in California and considering ways to expand the model to other states and regions. So stay tuned for future plans, and let us know if you’re interested in planting PB Seeds in your area!
PBP’s work in New Jersey, including the PB Seeds program, is generously supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Jane DeRonne
Development Director
