Democracy Made by You Campaign

What is your vision of democracy? Whatever your answer, it is probably far removed from what we have experienced in 2017 - democracy turned upside down.

Most of us are infuriated with our political process, angry that our voices aren’t being heard. And yet, we still look for solutions through this same broken political process. If only we elect someone new, everything will change, or become great again.

Organizing to elect and influence officials is essential, but it is not enough to fix our broken democracy. What happens when we instead seek solutions in we the people? When we invite people to actually govern, to help make the decisions that affect their lives?

This is democracy made by YOU.

The Participatory Budgeting Project (PBP) creates and supports participatory budgeting (PB) processes that deepen democracy, build stronger and more inclusive communities, and make public budgets more equitable and effective. For the past eight years, we have been the lead organization growing PB across North America. We have helped to support PB processes in more than 20 cities, distribute over $240 million to much needed community projects, and engage more than 300,000 people.

On Giving Tuesday, November 28th an international day of giving, PBP is launching our “Democracy Made by You” Campaign. Our goal is to raise $30,000 to grow PB processes, create new resources, and provide scholarships for our Innovations in Participatory Democracy conference in Phoenix, AZ in March 2018.

Will you become a PBP supporter this #GivingTuesday to help us to define what a real democracy looks and feels like?

Despite the odds, PBP made history in 2017.

The Phoenix Union High School District (PUHSD) became the first school district in the U.S. to do PB in their schools with district-wide funds. Students voted to fund music programs, filtered water stations, shade structures, and a study lounge. We also completed the first PB process for federal funds in the US--for Community Development Block Grants in Oakland. More than 1,200 people of all ages speaking four different languages came together to decide how to spend $784,678 to benefit low-income residents.

Hui Zhen Li is a 90-year-old community leader in Oakland. What inspired her the most about PB is its mass appeal to community members of all walks of life to make real decisions with real money. “I was surprised by all those great ideas that were generated from the community,” she said, “given the Chinatown community is a lot more reserved in wanting to make changes.”

This is what Democracy Made by YOU looks and feels like: Empowered Residents and Engaged and Connected Communities.

PBP created new resources to make PB bigger and better in 2017.

We launched Data for Delegates, a tool that promotes equity by developing PB proposals that address the deepest community needs - a project kicked off with funding from individual donors like YOU. We also created a PB in Schools Video that shows you how PB works for school budgets. As one high school student remarks in the video, “seeing what’s wrong with my community, coming up with ways to fix it, and then acting upon it--that’s what I like doing. I just never really got a chance to act upon it until now because of PB.”

This #GivingTuesday, we'd like to invite you to become a PBP supporter with a gift of any amount to help us build on our shared vision of what a real democracy looks and feels like.

In 2018, your gift will help us bring young people to our upcoming Innovations in Participatory Democracy Conference in March 2018. It will help us expand PB in schools, launch more PB processes across North America, and create new resources like Data for Delegates and PB in Schools Video.

We are so encouraged by your commitment to make PB part of everyday civic engagement in every community, with participation from everyone.

We ask you again what is your vision of democracy for 2018? If it involves building more engaged and connected communities and empowered residents, please become a PBP supporter to help us continue to build on our shared vision of a real democracy.

“Through the participatory budgeting process we’ve learned that there’s no age limit for change - all of us can make a change.”

--Chicko and Leslie, PB Youth Leaders at Red Hook Initiative