Participatory budgeting makes sure that those who haven't usually had a voice in local government, such as those under the age of 18, those who are undocumented, and those who have a felony on their record are encouraged to participate.
It increases leadership capacity, social cohesion, social capital, and build
- healthy communication
- mutual understanding
- and trust
between residents and their local government.
Most of all, it allows residents to identify their own priorities and creates opportunities for their ideas to be heard.
The purpose of participatory budgeting is to increase equitable decision-making and allow residents greater access to government processes.
We believe this kind of participation will improve health and equity in Louisville.
If we get lots of community participation, our goal is to use the success of this pilot initiative to make this opportunity available again to the entire county
How can YOU help?
Roles and Responsibilities include:
■ Residents:
- Identify local problems and needs
- Propose project ideas
- Vote for winning projects
- Evaluate process
* Note: Residents of Metro Council Districts 6 & 8 will be eligible to participate in this pilot initiative, however, residents who would like to participate during the next budget cycle are strongly encouraged to contact your local neighborhood association or Metro Council representative.
■ Steering Committee:
- Design and oversee the participatory budgeting [PB] process
- Recruit stakeholders
- Do outreach for the pb process
- Help facilitate assemblies and committee meetings
- Monitor project implementation
- Evaluate PB process
Note: Steering Committee participants attend trainings, monthly general meetings, and contribute 5-10 hours a month.
■ Civic Innovation Volunteers (aka community scientists):
Volunteers will have the opportunity to shape the decision-making about which community ideas get funded in their neighborhoods
- Discuss and prioritize initial ideas submitted
- Consult with residents, the Steering Committee, and Metro Staff to determine the eligibility project ideas
- Develop community idea submissions into ballot proposals
- Prepare project displays and presentations for voting in February
- Email Clayton Oeth if you're interested in attending volunteer orientation
■ Louisville Metro Government / Center for Health Equity:
- Provide support and convene the steering committee
- Provide cost estimates for project proposals
- Offer feedback and technical assistance on project proposals
- Deliver final budget priorities for implementation
- Evaluate the PB process
- Listen & support residents in their decision-making throught this community-led process
- Provide outreach for PB process
- Establish/determine administrative costs
- Provide data on neighborhoods & districts
■ Community Stakeholders & Partners:
- Work with Community Reps to develop proposals
- Help Facilitate assemblies and committee meetings
- Evaluate the PB process
- Help secure venues for meetings
Rebecca Hollenbach from Louisville Metro Government’s Center for Health Equity and Maria Hadden of Our City Our Voice discuss how participatory budgeting can be used to create health equity in Louisville during the Commonbound Conference hosted by the New Economy Coalition in St. Louis
Residents design the eligibility criteria for which projects get funded.
Volunteers practice how to enter communities respectfully when they knock on doors of resident's homes to collect ideas
Volunteers meet get to meet their local Councilman and learn about how they can help their family and friends decide how to spend $75,000 during the Our Money Our Voice Volunteer Orientation
14 residents from Metro Council Districts 6 & 8 design the rules for who gets to participate in the participatory budgeting pilot.
Volunteers demonstrate how the voting process works during this mock participatory budgeting exercise during the kickoff event that took place August 2018
Who will determine which projects get funded?
The steering committee has worked to draft a rule book of guidelines for how the participatory budgeting process will be implemented in in order to help residents in Council Districts 6 & 8 participate meaningfully in the decision-making about how to spend $150,000 of the local budget.
The final decision about which projects get funded will be made by voters from District 6 & District 8.
Click to view | Draft Louisville PB Handbook [currently under construction]
Stay Tuned for Upcoming Events!
Voting Begins
February 15-March 15
In Metro Council Districts 6 & 8
How can YOU get involved?
Do you or anyone you know have any of the following skills? These are some of the many ways you can get involved:
| Participatory governance |
| Campaign management |
| Evaluation expertise -- community scientists |
| PM expertise -- community scientists |
| Public education and accessible curriculum design [UDL, IXD, User-Centered Design, universal design] |
| Participatory design |
| Anti-oppressive facilitation |
| Campaign administration |
| Constituency analysis |
| Accessibility coordination |
| Volunteer management |
| Grassroots field coordination |
| Phone bank coordination |
| Communications management |
| GOTV branding |
| User experience research – with an emphasis on measuring our accountability toward equitable engagement |
| Infographics |
| New media management |
| Data management |
| Tech management |
What's happening in YOUR council district?
District 6 Newsletter
District 8 Newsletter
Need Help?
Check out the MyLouisville tool to find out whether you're part of a participating district
Representation Matters
We're looking for champions committed to:
- Ensuring a sense of belonging and resources for Our neighbors with special needs and/or disabilities to be able to meaningfully participate, extending beyond regulatory compliance with the ADA
- Creating an engaging environment which allows for Our youth to meaningfully participate
- Equitably amplifying the contributions & perspectives of Our West End neighbors (District 6)
- Protecting the health and wellbeing of Our undocumented neighbors
- Creating a welcoming & equitable environmental for our Spanish-speaking, Muslim, Asian-American/Pacific Islanders, and LGTBQIA+ neighbors (poblaciones de habla española, السكان الناطقين بالعربية, 说话人群).
- Considering the needs for Our senior neighbors
- A welcoming & equitable environment for Our foreign-born neighbors
- Creating a sense of belonging and resources for Our neighbors who live in public housing to participate meaningfully and know their contributions are valued
- Creating a family-friendly and equitable environment for families with limited access to childcare
- Create a space which welcomes for Our residents with limited digital access and/or limited transportation
- Recognizing that, if an identity or need was not named here, we are still committed to creating space for them to thrive in this process
Know of someone who should have a seat at the table or who’d benefit from learning more about participatory budgeting? Contact the Center for Health Equity to find out more about all the ways you can get involved.
Want to learn more about the process?
