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A participatory process is a sequence of participatory activities (e.g. first filling out a survey, then making proposals, discussing them in face-to-face or virtual meetings, and finally prioritizing them) with the aim of defining and making a decision on a specific topic.

Examples of participatory processes are: a process of electing committee members (where candidatures are first presented, then debated and finally a candidacy is chosen), participatory budgets (where proposals are made, valued economically and voted on with the money available), a strategic planning process, the collaborative drafting of a regulation or norm, the design of an urban space or the production of a public policy plan.

Process phases

From September through November of 2022, New Yorkers were invited to virtual and in-person workshops to learn about the city budget cycle, identify community needs, and brainstorm ideas for expense projects through interactive activities and discussion. Residents were also able to propose ideas and projects online directly on this platform.

From December, 2022 through February, 2023, resident committees reviewed and evaluated projects that come out of the idea generation phase. They then further developed ideas into proposals and selected the final project proposals to be placed on the ballots. Ballot creation and translation will take place during March-April, 2023.

From May 10th through June 25th, 2023, all New Yorkers, ages 11 or up, regardless of immigration status, will have the opportunity to vote to fund projects in their borough and/or neighborhood. Residents will enter their zip codes to determine the ballot they receive

The organizations responsible for implementing the projects will be announced publicly by mid-October. The CEC will work closely with the implementing organizations over the course of the year to ensure they are supported, projects are effectively monitored, and are completed successfully.

The People's Money (2022-2023)

Your Money, Your Community, Your Voice.

About this process

What is The People's Money?

On September 14th 2022, Mayor Adams and the Civic Engagement Commission announced the launch of “The People’s Money” — New York City’s first-ever citywide participatory budgeting (PB) process. All New Yorkers age 11 and up, regardless of immigration status, can decide how to spend $5 million of the city’s budget to address local community needs.
Participatory budgeting is a democratic process in which community members decide how to spend part of a public budget. PB started in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 1989 as an anti-poverty measure. The process has been implemented over 11,600 times in states, cities, counties, schools, and other institutions across the world!
Though NYC City Council members introduced PB back in 2011, and many City Council members currently participate by putting up their own discretionary funding, The People’s Money is the first citywide process utilizing Mayoral expense funding. Expense funding can be used for projects and services, and the citywide process allows all New Yorkers to participate, regardless of the council district they live in.  
To learn more about the People’s Money’s phases and opportunities to get involved, navigate and click on each tab shown above. The process is currently in Phase 4: Project Implementation.


Reference: nyc-PART-2025-06-8

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