3.1 Winning Borough Ideas

From May 1 to June 25, 2025, 131,527 New Yorkers voted on how to spend part of the city budget to address community needs. Of those residents, 112,946 voted in-person on a paper ballot and 18,581 voted digitally. Below are the results of those votes.

          Click here to see the voting results by Borough

BRONX

29,326 Bronx residents voted in The People’s Money in 2025! Each project received $200,000 of funding.

• Youth-Led Performing Arts Program: A project that supports youth-led groups in developing creative projects in the performing arts, including music, dance, and drama to build their self-esteem and well-being.

• Healthy Food and Literary Nights for Families and Individuals: A project that will host healthy food and literary nights for families. Activities would be focused on Bronx history and culture. Access to resources for food assistance programs would also be available.

• STEAM Enrichment for Bronx Youth: A youth project that offers free therapy and an assortment of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) activities for youth to build their confidence.

• Support People with Housing Advocacy Groups: A project to provide tenants' rights workshops and legal aid to empower Bronx residents to create their own housing advocacy groups.

• Support for Parents and Guardians of Amazing Special Kids: A project that connects the parents of children with disabilities with all the necessary support services needed for their children from childhood all the way to adulthood.

BROOKLYN

32,176 Brooklyn residents voted in The People’s Money in 2025! Each project received $235,000 of funding.

• Youth Job Training and Employment Opportunities: Connect youth with job training through outreach and awareness of training opportunities. Offer presentations and counseling to the youth on employment, career, and trade opportunities.

• Youth Employment Training and Partnerships: Classes for youth focused on green jobs and technology that offer certifications with paid stipends. Engage local and national businesses to provide the youth with a broad range of experience.

• Job Training and Support for Employment for Single Parents: Provide job training and pathways towards employment for single parents, fostering independence and economic growth.

• Community Kitchen with Classes: Create a food center that offers cooking classes for the community. The center would provide food and teach participants to make a meal from what they selected. Field trips to farms could be included.

• Young Parent Support and Classes: A parenting hub that offers childcare for participants in order for them to receive coaching and support as well as helping them navigate crucial resources, benefits, and connections.

MANHATTAN

21,528 Manhattan residents voted in The People’s Money in 2025! Each project received $165,000 of funding.

• Youth Entrepreneurship Program + “The People’s Design by Community” Fellowship Program: This project would teach youth how to start a business. Participants would learn financial literacy and management skills. They would create a handbook documenting the process of bringing their idea to life. This project's funding includes $80K in additional funding and facilitation support for the Designed by Community (DxC) Fellowship Program.

• Learn to Grow and Cook Your Own Food: A series of workshops teaching a way towards better health. They would consist of cooking and nutrition classes along with urban farming demonstrations and classes. The workshops would be for public housing residents.

• Everyone Should be Able to Swim: A swimming class focused on youth in public housing. It would include lifeguard training to help get employment in the water safety field.

• Vocational Training for Middle and High School Students: Vocational classes for students from 11-18 years old. Participants would get training in a high demand job such as graphic design, video production, fashion design, and cosmetology. Professional career development would be provided.

QUEENS

37,147 Queens residents voted in The People’s Money in 2025! Each project received $195,000 of funding.

• Pathways to Professions for Youth: An after-school project to help students gain future-oriented knowledge and experience in their chosen interests of study. Field trips and mentorship opportunities should be included to give practical experience.

• Saving for Your Future: This project would hold weekly free financial literacy workshops for youth to teach essential financial strategies. It would provide tools to make sound financial decisions and build a strong financial foundation.

• Housing Workshops for Older Adults: There is an urgent need for older adult housing and helping them find out how to apply. Workshops and counselors would work with individuals to navigate the available older adult housing options.

• Pathways to a Successful College Career: A mentorship project offering bilingual workshops to empower students and parents. Mentors would lead workshops on how to apply for college, fill out financial aid forms, and provide educational support.

• Empowered with Opportunity: A project to equip people who are unemployed with skills and knowledge to apply for jobs, conduct an interview, and utilize professional social networking platforms.

STATEN ISLAND

11,310 Staten Island residents voted in The People’s Money in 2025! This project received $190,000 of funding.

• Staten Island Youth Internship Program: Provide Staten Island teens with work experience at hospitals, labs, and health-related businesses. Partners would provide internships per cohort and be located near MTA accessible locations. The teens would be paid stipends.