Participatory Budgeting: Next Generation Democracy
[White paper] – In a time of rising civic disengagement, many city leaders are using an innovative tool to reconnect with the people they serve: Participatory budgeting, known as “PB.” PB is a democratic process that gives ordinary people direct control over a portion of a public budget. It empowers residents, engages them in finding solutions, and knits communities together. The white paper explores three main reasons why leaders in more than 3,000 cities and municipalities have implemented PB:
- It’s Effective Leadership. The process motivates broad participation and engages communities in finding solutions that respond to community needs.
- It’s Fair Leadership. PB engages a true cross-section of the community. More people get inspired and active, including those who often can’t or don’t participate, like youth.
- It’s Visionary Leadership. By supporting their communities to become more resilient and connected, officials who do PB build a legacy as bold and innovative leaders.
[Download paper from the Participatory Budgeting Project site]
Reading Development 