Q&A

I think the money should go to me. How do I get the $100,000?

Unfortunately, we can’t give this money to individuals. It can only go to organizations. If you have an idea yourself that you want to see funded, it may be useful to partner with an organization to see if they could act as a sponsor for you.

Who is eligible to participate? 

Anyone between the ages of 9 - 24 can participate in step 1 (Young people say what they need) and step 3 (Young people vote).

What is The Civic Engagement Commission?

Created by a citywide referendum in 2018, the Civic Engagement Commission (NYCCEC) is charged with enhancing civic participation to foster civic trust and strengthen democracy in NYC. 

The NYCCEC's work spans across the electoral and participatory budgeting processes, including supporting  NYC's local representative bodies: Community Boards. 

Our mission is to build programs and services that are informed by the needs of residents and designed in partnership with communities to create equitable access to civic life.  This means working with underrepresented communities, youth, seniors, immigrant communities, and the private and public civic organization to build a more engaged NYC. 

Learn more here.

How much money is at stake?

There is a total of $100,000 at stake.

What can the money be used for?

Money will be given to organizations to implement projects that will address youth issues in New York City.

What do you all do with the issues I submitted on Pol.is?

Pol.is is used to conduct our needs assessment on what issues young people are facing right now. Your responses will help us decide what concerns and needs youth having during this time. Then, organizations will submit proposals to address those needs.

When do the proposals get drafted?

Organizations can start drafting their proposals on December 23, 2020 and must submit by January 27, 2021.

Is this a process that occurs annually?

We’re trying this out and assessing the impact, efficacy, and outcomes. The Civic Engagement Commission intends to continue providing participatory budgeting opportunities in the future, subject to available funding.

How do I win prizes?

If you stay engaged and attend our events, you are eligible to fill out a survey to get put into a lottery to win prizes, such as gift cards.

What is the timeline of It’s Our Money?

You can go to our timeline page to see what happens when.

What does this mean for me?

It’s Our Money is a way for you to get more involved in your community and help us identify what your needs are. You have a chance to work in collaboration with local government and neighborhood organizations to make sure this $100,000 makes as positive an impact as possible.

What should I do if i want to tell a friend about this process?

Go to our process page and click the “share” button the right or have them text the word “power” to 315-277-6937.

Where is the money coming from?

The money is coming from the CEC’s annual operating budget, using expense funding. City agency budgets to fund goods and services are funded through city tax levy dollars, or, taxes that residents pay to the City of New York. 

Why should I make an account for this website?

Registering on www.participate.nyc.gov is the best way to track ideas you like, talk to other civically engaged youth, and get notified when it’s time to vote.

Can a school apply for funding?

Schools can’t apply directly, but if they want to partner with an organization then that’s okay. Projects should strive to serve broader communities as opposed to just one school.  

Can I participate if I do not live or serve a priority community?

Yes, anyone that lives in New York City and is between the ages of 9-24 can participate, and organizations can submit proposals to be voted on so long as they serve youth in at least one of the 25 priority communities. They do not have to be physically located in a priority community.

How do I login to participate?

Log in here with your NYC ID.

When you're logged in, visit your public profile. The name and pseudonym fields are public and appear on your public profile alongside your proposals and comments.

How to submit an idea ?

First of all, you must login to the platform with your account. If you don't have one yet, please follow the registration process described above.

When you are on the list of ideas for youth on the "It's Your Money", you can add your own proposal by clicking on the "New proposal +" button. You indicate the title and content of your proposal, in 2,000 characters maximum.

A comparison step highlights previous proposals that may be similar to yours:

• You can then endorse them and browse them by clicking on their title;
• If you think your proposal is different, you can continue in its publication by clicking on the button "My proposal is original".

You have 30 minutes after submitting your proposal to edit it.

How to report inappropriate content?

If you notice that a proposal is inappropriate, you can inform the platform administrators by clicking on the flag visible in the title of the proposal, next to the name of its author.

You will then be asked to specify the problem and to say why this content seems inappropriate to you.

How to contact the site's moderators?

You can contact us at participate@civicengagement.nyc.gov if you encounter difficulties in contributing.