People’s Workshop on Participatory Budgeting

History of Participatory Budgeting (PB)

• First started in Brazil
• Chicago first city in US to have it
• Collaborative effort of UIC Great Cities institute, our city our voice and over 30 other nonprofits and community organizations

How does it work?

• Aldermen traditionally get $1.3 million to use on infrastructure projects
• Aldermen take $1 million dollars of that money and put it towards a collaborative process where citizenry can vote on which projects should be funded
• Anyone can participate – high schools have voted on projects that can be funded through their wards

What happens to the participants?

• People sometimes are combative when first get involved because government has not been responsive
• Often regular folks will suggest the same type of projects that policy analysts and other experts have previously recommended
• People are much more likely to vote and get engaged in other aspects of civic process after PB

How does it stand now?

• 7 wards actively participate in the annual process
• Other words have participated in the past but are not participating now
• Some wards do their own version of this process but don’t call it PB