How do we advocate for shared power and inclusive democracy? Should we dream big with PB or start small and grow it?
The Democracy Beyond Elections Coalition is excited to share our newest case study with you about local advocates’ inspiring efforts to win PB in Cleveland, OH.
American Rescue Plan Act awardee People’s Budget Cleveland launched a historic PB ballot initiative in 2023. The initiative directed the city to put aside funds equivalent to 2% of the City of Cleveland’s General Fund annually towards participatory budgeting. The hard fought campaign built on their previous advocacy efforts to ask the city government to allocate $30.8 million of American Rescue Plan Act (“ARPA”) funds towards PB.
We sat down with the campaign managers, several key organizers, and a member of the opposition to compile an account of their advocacy narrative and the lessons they learned advocating for PB in their city.
Now, the DBE Research and Evaluation Committee is excited to share them with you! The story is a wild one, with twists and turns, unexpected opposition and new allies, and folks from across the city coming together to fight for community power in a place where they have felt marginalized and neglected.
We know you will enjoy it, and hope you will come back to it often as a resource in your advocacy efforts for PB. A huge thank everyone who contributed to this report and the ongoing efforts to win PB in Cleveland!
