Participatory Budgeting Steering Committee Volunteers Sought

The City of Cambridge is preparing to launch its second Participatory Budgeting (PB) cycle from June-December 2015.  This time, the City will set aside $600,000 for capital projects to improve the community. These funds will be used for one-time capital projects to improve the community. Residents will brainstorm ideas for projects, develop them into proposals, and projects that are vetted by City staff and approved by the City Manager will appear on a ballot in December for a public vote. Winning projects will be included in the FY 2017 Capital Budget for adoption.  We are seeking volunteers to serve on the PB Steering Committee to help oversee the process and work with City staff to ensure that the PB process is transparent, fair, and inclusive.

What is Participatory Budgeting (PB) all about?
Participatory Budgeting is a democratic process through which community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. The goals of PB in Cambridge are to directly involve residents in the budgeting and City-building process, foster civic engagement and community spirit, and help ensure that the City’s Capital Plan reflects the priorities of Cambridge residents. Since its inception in 1989, over 1,500 city budgets around the world have undertaken Participatory Budgeting initiatives, including Cambridge, Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and Vallejo, CA.

Steering Committee Member Responsibilities
Members serve throughout the PB cycle (June-December 2015) by:  

• Overseeing the PB Cambridge process by reviewing the rulebook, deciding who can participate in the process and how, helping to plan idea collection and voting events, and determining voting goals/targets;
• Attending at least 5 of the 7 monthly committee meetings;
• Volunteering for at least 2 idea collection events in August;
• Volunteering for at least 2 voting events in December ;
• Promoting PB through their networks, social media, and at community events; and 
• Helping to recruit volunteers to serve as Budget Delegates. 

PB Cycle 2/Steering Committee Schedule
Committee meetings will generally take place on Thursday evenings from 6-8 p.m. in a City building. Organizations should nominate an alternate to attend meetings if/when the primary representative is not available.

• Steering Committee Meeting 1, Thursday 6/25, 6-8 p.m., Lombardi Bldg. 831 Mass. Ave. Basement Conf Rm.
  Introductions; review and approval of the PB rulebook; SC members determine and join subcommittees.
• Steering Committee Meeting 2, Thursday 7/16, 6-8 p.m., Central Square Library, 45 Pearl St, Cambridge 
  Discuss idea collection events/methods; sign up to staff idea collection events; make outreach plans in subcommittees.  
• Idea Collection in August 
  Steering Committee members promote idea collection through their networks, social media, and by volunteering at 2+ events. 
• Steering Committee Meeting 3, Thursday, 8/6, 6-8 p.m., Lombardi Bldg. 831 Mass. Ave. Basement Conf Rm., Cambridge. Check in about idea collection outreach & staffing; set Budget Delegate recruitment targets.
• Steering Committee Meeting 4, Thursday, 9/10, 6-8 p.m., Central Square Library, 45 Pearl St, Cambridge 
  Review idea collection phase; explain proposal development phase and role of Budget Delegates. 
• Steering Committee Meeting 5 Thursday, 10/8, 6-8 p.m., Central Square Library, 45 Pearl St, Cambridge 
  Updates on proposal development phase; brainstorm voting sites & events; determine goals for the vote.
• Steering Committee Meeting 6, Thursday, 11/5, 6-8 p.m., Lombardi Bldg. 831 Mass. Ave. Basement Conf Rm., Cambridge
  Sign up to host/staff voting events; make voter outreach plans.
• Steering Committee Meeting 7 Thursday 12/3, 6-8 p.m., Lombardi Bldg. 831 Mass. Ave. Basement Conf Rm., Cambridge
  Prepare for the vote!
• Participatory Budgeting (PB) Vote Dec. 5-12 
  Steering Committee Members promote the PB vote citywide through their networks, social media, and by volunteering at 2+ events.
• Results Party Thursday, 12/17 Time/Location TBD 
  Winning projects are announced!

Application Process and Deadline
Steering Committee Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, June 19.
If you are interested in serving on the PB Cambridge Steering Committee, there are two ways to apply:

1. Visit www.cambridgema.gov/yourbudget, download and save Word version of application form to your computer, complete and email it back to pb@cambridgema.gov or

2. Link here to application form and complete it online.

For more information, contact us at pb@cambridgema.gov, (617) 349-3266, or visit the Budget Office on the first floor of City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue.

The City Manager and his Finance team will review applications to ensure that selected candidates represent the city’s diversity and will announce Steering Committee members on Monday, June 22.