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Vallejo (CA) Approves First City-Wide PB Process in US Vallejo, California just approved the first city-wide participatory budgeting process in the US! Residents will decide how to spend around $3 million from new sales tax revenue. For more info see the Times Herald article....
by pbp at April 19, 2012 01:55 PM -05:00 GMT

Design and Communications Internships - Summer 2012 The Participatory Budgeting Project is looking for two interns for summer 2012 - see the ad below: Design and Communications Internships The Participatory Budgeting Project, Inc. (PBP), a non-profit organization based in New York City, is seeking part-time design and communications interns for summer 2012. Our mission is to empower community members to make informed, democratic, and fair decisions about public spending and revenue, by opening up public budgets to meaningful democratic participation. We work with elected officials, government agencies, and community groups in the US and Canada to set up participatory budgeting programs - public processes that let local people directly decide how to spend public money. The two interns will work out of our New York or Chicago offices for at least 20 hours per week, starting in May or June and ending in August. The interns will work closely with other staff to develop materials and media that make complex policy issues accessible to diverse audiences. The internships are ideal for talented individuals eager to apply graphic design, social media, marketing, and communications skills to engage people in their communities and government. Responsibilities for the design intern will include: - design publicity materials and educational materials about participatory budgeting for diverse audiences, including brochures, info sheets, powerpoint presentations, guides, and posters - contribute to website design Responsibilities for the communications intern will include: - prepare content for publicity materials, including brochures, powerpoint presentations, press releases, and website - expand social media engagement and reach - compile media coverage - maintain and further develop contact database The ideal candidates will have: - a completed Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field - experience working with non-profit organizations - strong skills working with Powerpoint, Word, GoogleDocs, Photoshop, InDesign, Mailchimp, or other relevant software and platforms - strong communication and organizational...
by pbp at March 22, 2012 10:22 PM -05:00 GMT

Launching the First University PB in the US PBP is thrilled to be a lead partner for a new pilot PB process at Brooklyn College, part of the City University of New York. The Brooklyn College Student Government is setting aside 10% of its budget – at least $20,000 – for students to allocate this spring through participatory budgeting. This will be the first college or university in North America where all students will be invited to develop and vote on budget proposals. The process kicks off with two town hall meetings at the start of March, and students will decide which projects get funded at an April vote. For more information, see the press release below. As universities across North America are threatened by funding cuts, we hope to model a new way for students to take control of their education and make their own budget decisions. -- BC Student Government Press Release February 14th, 2012 Brooklyn, NY Today the Brooklyn College Student Governments of CLAS, SGS and GSO revealed an exciting new budgeting plan. 10% of their budgets are to be voted upon directly by students. Through the new initiative, called Participatory Budgeting, students will come together in two town hall meetings (March 6th and March 7th) to discuss student needs and priorities. They will then propose specific projects to address these needs. Student volunteers will work with representatives from the administration, student government, and faculty, to develop these proposals into functional projects and make sure each proposal is financially, technically, and legally feasible. These proposals will then be placed on a ballot and students will vote on which ones to fund in April (around the same time as the Student Government election). Traditionally, these funds are utilized by student clubs. While it is important to support clubs, as well as their events, and initiatives, student...
by pbp at February 20, 2012 03:14 PM -05:00 GMT

Want to be an international PB leader? (Board Member Opportunity) Do you want to help PB grow across North America, and serve as a leader for an international movement to build public control over public money? If so, see our Board Member ad below! Board Member Volunteer Opportunity The Participatory Budgeting Project, Inc. (PBP), a non-profit organization based in New York City, is seeking up to three additional members for its Board of Directors. Our mission is to empower community members to make informed, democratic, and fair decisions about public spending and revenue, by opening up public budgets to meaningful democratic participation. We work with elected officials, government agencies, and community groups in the US and Canada to set up participatory budgeting programs - public processes that let ordinary people directly decide how to spend public money. This work involves three main activities: public education, technical assistance, and research & evaluation. As a Board Member, you will help lead a growing movement to build real democracy. Participatory budgeting (PB) is practiced in over 3,000 cities around the world, but it is relatively new to North America. As the primary organization promoting PB in the US and Canada, PBP has served as a lead partner for the first two PB processes in US cities (in Chicago and New York), and we are working to launch additional processes in over a dozen other cities. Our board and staff include PB experts, practitioners, and participants based in over five cities. Because we are a start-up organization, incorporated in 2011, we expect Board Members to play an active role in developing the organization. We seek board candidates who will: - Serve at least a two-year term, - Attend three to five board meetings per year, via phone or in person, - Contribute additional work outside of meetings, by serving on at least one board...
by pbp at February 20, 2012 03:03 PM -05:00 GMT

International PB Conference - Registration Open! Registration is now open for the first International Conference on Participatory Budgeting in the US and Canada, March 30-31, 2012, in New York City. We've also announced a new batch of speakers and co-sponsors - see the conference website for more info!...
by jlerner at February 1, 2012 03:16 PM -05:00 GMT

2012 PB Conference Updates We look forward to seeing you soon at the first International Conference on Participatory Budgeting in the US and Canada. Due to popular demand, the deadline for proposals has been extended to January 31st. Please see the call for proposals for submission guidelines, and feel free to ask us about your session ideas. The conference dates have also been set - March 30-31, 2012. The conference organizers are already planning an exciting lineup of sessions and activities. Here’s a taste of what to expect: - Site Visits to Observe PB Voting in NYC - Presentations on PB processes in New York, Chicago, Toronto Community Housing, Guelph, Montreal, Porto Alegre, the UK, and elsewhere - Sessions on e-Participatory Budgeting & Digital Media, Community Organizing, Arts & Culture, Public Housing, and Youth Engagement - Focused discussions for elected officials, practitioners, and community organizations Stay tuned to the new conference website for updates!...
by jlerner at January 5, 2012 11:01 AM -05:00 GMT

Los Angeles PB Event - Jan 12th The PB Project is speaking at a public event next week in Los Angeles - see the announcement below! --- Participatory Budgeting: From Budget Cuts to the People's Budget An introductory event Thursday, January 12th 7pm @ Haines Hall 279 on UCLA’s Campus Are you interested in real world solutions to the budget crises we face? Do you want to learn about a new approach to democracy being implemented NOW in over 1000 cities world wide including places like New York City and Chicago? Would you like to discuss how participatory budgeting can be applied to the city of LA, UCLA and the UC graduate TA union (UAW 2865)? Then please join us Thursday, January 12th, 7pm at UCLA, Haines Hall 279, for a panel discussion on the Participatory Budgeting (PB) movement. We will be joined by New York City Council Member Brad Lander, Pam Jennings from The Participatory Budgeting Project, and community representatives from NYC's 39th District. The discussants are part of a larger group of four NYC districts who are using participatory budgeting to allocate nearly 6 million dollars in capital discretionary funds. We will learn more about participatory budgeting, the challenges of implementing it in NYC, and discuss ways participatory budgeting can be used in LA and within the UC system. Refreshments will be provided. Hope you can join us! Please use this google map to find Haines Hall. Once you enter Haines Hall go up the main stairs to the 2nd floor and room 279 will be at the north end of the building on your left....
by jlerner at January 4, 2012 12:19 PM -05:00 GMT

New Orleans event The Participatory Budgeting Project is traveling to New Orleans next week, and we'll be speaking at a public forum on Wednesday December 14th. 6pm at Grace Episcopal Church – 3700 Canal Street. The event is sponsored by the Committee for a Better New Orleans and the New Orleans Coalition on Open Governance. For more information visit their event announcement....
by jlerner at December 8, 2011 08:57 PM -05:00 GMT

PBP in Baltimore, New Haven, New Orleans & Porto Alegre The PB Project is hitting the road! In the next month we'll be speaking at the following events: November 23-26: Porto Alegre, Brazil 10th World Congress of Metropolis November 25: Baltimore 4:00pm, at The Baltimore Free School (1323 N. Calvert, corner of Calvert and Mt. Royal) Event hosted by Occupy Baltimore organizers. More info. December 6: New Haven 7:00pm at the Hall of Records - City of New Haven (200 Orange Street) More info. December 13-15: New Orleans Visit organized by The Committee for a Better New Orleans and the Open Society Foundation....
by jlerner at November 22, 2011 05:49 PM -05:00 GMT

International PB Conference: March 2012, NYC Please share with your networks: International Conference: Participatory Budgeting in the US and Canada March 30-31, 2012, New York City CALL FOR PROPOSALS--EXTENDED DEADLINE: JANUARY 31, 2012 Conference Website: http://pbconference.wordpress.com/ In a time of widespread budget crises and plummeting trust in government, politicians and community members are searching for more democratic and accountable ways to manage public money. Participatory Budgeting (PB) offers an alternative. PB is a democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. The process was first developed in Brazil in 1989, and there are now over 1,000 participatory budgets around the world. Most are for city budgets, but counties, states, towns, housing authorities, schools, and other institutions have also used PB to open up public spending to public participation. PB is now common in Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa - and in some cases even required by law. Yet it has only recently appeared on the radar in the US and Canada, with a few Canadian processes starting in 2001 and some initial US experiments starting in 2009. This first regional conference on PB will take place in New York City to allow participants to observe and celebrate the closing of the city’s first PB cycle. The conference will provide a space for participants and organizers of the initial PB processes in the US and Canada to share and reflect on their experiences so far, alongside interested activists, practitioners, and scholars. Dates March 30-31, 2012 Note: The conference will coincide with the final vote for the New York City Participatory Budgeting process. The dates of the vote have not been finalized yet, but we expect them to be one of these two weekends. We will confirm the dates as soon as possible. Locations New York City: Pratt Institute...
by jlerner at November 16, 2011 02:27 PM -05:00 GMT

Occupy Baltimore calls for participatory budgeting Organizers with Occupy Baltimore called for participatory budgeting at a public hearing they organized with the Baltimore Development Corporation. Read more....
by jlerner at November 9, 2011 11:42 AM -05:00 GMT

New Project: Environmental Justice PB in Louisiana The PB Project is partnering with the Louisiana Bucket Brigade to launch a new PB process for environmental justice funds in Louisiana, with support from the Fund for Democratic Communities. Faced with widespread industrial pollution, Louisiana communities are struggling to protect their environment, public health, and local economies. Oil refineries in the state experience an average of 10 chemical accidents per week, releasing up to 80 different chemicals into surrounding communities. Grassroots groups are struggling to document these environmental injustices, educate residents, and advocate for change. Through a PB process, the Bucket Brigade will invite these groups to directly allocate $100,000 for local projects and to shape hundreds of thousands of dollars of general organizational spending. We hope that the initiative will help local groups develop the budgeting and fundraising skills needed to sustain campaigns and engage community members, while enabling the Bucket Brigade to better support grassroots action. At the same time, it will model a new use for PB, showing how organizations and coalitions at the state or regional level can engage members in deciding collective budgets. More info coming soon!...
by jlerner at October 23, 2011 02:06 PM -05:00 GMT

Full Steam Ahead in NYC PBNYC is well into its Neighborhood Assemblies stage! Across the four participating City Council Districts, community members are coming out en masse to learn about PB and share project ideas. Roughly half of the Neighborhood Assembly participants so far have volunteered to serve as budget delegates and work over the next several months to turn the ideas collected into a final ballot. The PB Project has been busy supporting the more than 25 assemblies city-wide in October and November. Starting in a few weeks, hundreds of budget delegates will begin meeting - and organizers will start planning the final vote and expansion for next year. For updates and more info, check out the PBNYC website and Facebook page....
by jlerner at October 23, 2011 01:38 PM -05:00 GMT

PB at Occupy Wall Street As the Occupy movement is inspiring people around the world, it is turning to PB for inspiration. The PB Project has been invited to help facilitate teach-ins this Sunday (October 23rd) at 6pm at Occupy Wall Street and at 2pm at Occupy Providence. Occupiers in Boston, Greensboro, and other cities are also reaching out, to see how PB can fit into the movement's diverse tactics and demands. OWS and PB assemblies are both drawing out hundreds of people to build a new form of democracy, in New York and elsewhere. Mainstream media and organizers on the ground are starting to draw connections. Occupiers could use PB to manage the funds they have raised (over $300,000 at OWS!), modelling a more democratic economy. PB is also one of the more winnable demands occupiers could make, since it's already happening in over 1,000 cities around the world. Existing PB processes could likewise benefit from new support, if occupiers can push for more public control over more money....
by jlerner at October 23, 2011 10:26 AM -05:00 GMT

Project Censored: PB One of Top Censored Stories For the second year in a row, participatory budgeting has won the bittersweet honor of being named to Project Censored's list of the top 25 censored stories of the past year. Hopefully that streak will end this year, as PB is attracting more coverage from media such as the New York Times and ABC....
by jlerner at October 5, 2011 12:38 PM -05:00 GMT