Participatory Budgeting is a democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend part of Cambridge's Capital Budget. The process is about residents making real decisions about real money.
How to Start
- Check the Participatory Budgeting (PB) Website for key dates for the current year's process (June - December)
- Submit ideas during the idea collection phase via our online interactive map, as well as by contacting the City's Budget Office via email, phone, mail, walk-in, or filling out flyers at one of our many pop up events around town.
- Volunteer to serve as a Budget Delegate from September-December.
- Volunteer to help out at voting events in December
- Consider providing translation services for meetings or outreach materials so we can include the entire Cambridge Community in the process
- Help us spread the word about PB to make sure that people in all corners of Cambridge know about this initiative and can participate
Requirements
- Residents must be 12 years of age or older to vote on projects
- All project costs must be for one-time and not on-going projects or programs
Additional Information
The timeline for Cambridge's Participatory Budgeting cycle runs from June-December and include the following key phases:
- Community members brainstorm and submit ideas
- Volunteer Budget Delegates turn ideas into concrete project proposals
- City staff vet proposals for feasibility and cost
- Residents vote on which projects they’d like the City to fund
- Results are announced and winning projects are included in the City’s next Capital Budget