Cambridge Launches 2017 Participatory Budgeting Cycle

The City of Cambridge will launch its fourth Participatory Budgeting (PB) cycle from June-December 2017. Participatory Budgeting is a democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget.

For this next process, the City will set aside $800,000 for capital projects to improve the community. Winning projects from past PB cycles include a public toilet in Central Square, bike repair stations, a freezer van for prepared food rescue, water bottle fill stations, bilingual books for children learning English, and many others.

We are seeking volunteers to serve on the PB Outreach Committee to help ensure that the PB process engages as many community members as possible.

Outreach Committee members will serve throughout the PB4 cycle (May-December 2017) by:

• Organizing community events and promoting PB through your networks and social media
• Attending monthly outreach strategy sessions from May-November (no meeting in September)
• Distributing PB fliers, door hangers, and posters around Cambridge
• Setting up and volunteering for at least two idea collection events in June/July
• Setting up and volunteering for at least two voting events during Vote Week in December
• Working in mobile voting teams during Vote Week in December to increase voter turnout from last year
• Recruiting volunteers to serve as Budget Delegates

The Outreach Committee schedule is as follows:

• OC meeting 1: Tuesday 5/23 from 6-7:30 p.m. at Central Square Library, 45 Pearl St.
• Idea collection: 6/1 - 7/31
• OC meeting 2: Tuesday 6/6 from 6-7:30 p.m. at City Hall, 795 Mass. Ave.
• OC meeting 3: Tuesday 7/11 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Central Square Library, 45 Pearl St.
• OC meeting 4: Tuesday 8/8 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Central Square Library, 45 Pearl St.
• OC meeting 5: Tuesday 10/10 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Central Square Library, 45 Pearl St.
• OC meeting 6: Tuesday 11/14 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Central Square Library, 45 Pearl St.
• PB Vote Kickoff: Saturday 12/2 (time and place TBD)
• PB Vote Week: 12/2 - 12/8
• PB Vote Results Party: Wednesday 12/13 from 6-7 p.m. at the Citywide Senior Center, 806 Mass. Ave.

Outreach Committee members will work closely with Budget Office staff to make PB4 the most successful cycle yet. Food will be provided at Outreach Committee meetings and each volunteer will receive a PB T-shirt.

For more information about the PB process or if you are interested in serving on the PB Cambridge Outreach Committee, visit pb.cambridgema.gov or contact Justin Casanova-Davis and Michelle Monsegur in the Budget Office at pb@cambridgema.gov or 617-349-4270. The deadline to apply is May 12, 2017.