Civic Engagement Commission Citywide Participatory Budgeting Vote Results

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NYC Civic Engagement Commission Announces Results of The People's Money Citywide Participatory Budgeting Vote

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 12, 2024

CONTACT:  publicaffairs@civicengagement.nyc.gov

NEW YORK – New York City Civic Engagement Commission (CEC) Chair and Executive Director Dr. Sarah Sayeed today announced the vote results of The People’s Money

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New York City’s annual citywide participatory budgeting process. From May 1 through June 16, close to 140,000 New Yorkers voted to select 20 community projects to be funded with $3.5 million in mayoral expense funding. The winning projects address a variety of community priorities, such as youth job training and college preparedness, mental wellness, food access services for older adults and people with disabilities, art programming, and employment readiness for immigrants. The projects will be implemented by community organizations to be selected through a competitive process.

“The ‘People’s Money’ brings together New Yorkers to discuss ideas, identify problems, and develop solutions to the problems and issues that matter most,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “By investing in this program, we are giving every New Yorker the opportunity to help decide how to spend our city’s budget and have a say in how we move forward as one city. We are excited to implement the 20 projects that residents selected in this year’s vote.”

“Community engagement is a priority of our administration, and I am impressed that more and more New Yorkers are stepping up to the plate,” said Chief of Staff Camille Joseph Varlack. “They have led the way in every phase of the People’s Money. Community members gave ideas for projects they want to see in their communities, they sifted through ideas in borough assembly committees to finalize the ballots, and ultimately voted to decide the projects they want to see funded. They are helping to make New York City a national leader in participatory democracy.”

“New Yorkers care deeply about the challenges in their communities, and they want to see government working for them and listening to their concerns,” said CEC Chair and Executive Director, Dr. Sarah Sayeed. “Earning their trust is a priority for the Civic Engagement Commission, and the People’s Money exemplifies our commitment to put community voice first. We are looking forward to partnering with community organizations to implement the projects so that New Yorkers can see direct results of their participation and have proof that their voices have impact.”

Between May 1 and June 16, nearly 140,000 New York City residents 11 and older voted for projects they want to see implemented in their borough, a 27 percent increase over last year. In addition, nearly 108,000 completed an exit survey, a 77 percent response rate. Over 31,000 voted online, and the remainder completed paper ballots at voting sites and events across the city. Each resident was able to vote in English or one of 12 additional languages. Projects listed on the ballot were selected by demographically representative Borough Assembly Committees made up of volunteers who reviewed hundreds of project ideas submitted by New Yorkers in the Idea Generation Phase.

Distribution of project funding for each borough is based on population and poverty indicators. The list of winning projects and breakdown of funding is:

In the Bronx, five projects will be funded with $174,000 each: Job Training for Young Adults and Adults in Trade Work; College Prep and Career Readiness for Youth; Creative Mental Wellness Program for Families with Children; Slashing Bronx Hunger and Boosting Knowledge About Healthy Eating; Youth Activity and Enrichment Program with the Arts.

In Brooklyn, five projects will be funded with $200,000 each: Life Prep for High School Students 101; Language and Job Recertification Information for Immigrants; Errands for Older Adults and People with Disabilities; Path to Success: Positive Money Habits; Home Repair Liaisons for Older Adults.

In Queens, five projects will be funded with $170,000 each: Healthy Meals Partnership; Youth Empowerment Afterschool Workshops; Connection Resource Center; Bridging the Skills Gaps: Job Training for High Schoolers; Connectivity Program for Seniors.

In Manhattan, four projects will be funded with $150,00 each: Mothers' Matter; Restorative Justice Education for Youth; Self- Defense Education for Women; Resource Outreach for People with Disabilities.

On Staten Island, one project will be funded with $180,000: Building Success for High School Students.

“The People’s Money participatory budgeting process is a great way to encourage local engagement and participation,” said Community Affairs Unit Commissioner Fred Kreizman. “I am thrilled that in Cycle 2 of the People’s Money, 20 projects were selected from all five boroughs, ensuring widespread positive impact throughout our communities.”

“MOIA is proud to have been part of the effort to encourage all New Yorkers, regardless of their immigration status - to take an active role of voting in this year’s Participatory Budget process,” said Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Manuel Castro. “I am excited to see the community impact that will come from this year’s winning projects.”

“Year after year, The People's Money campaign has made remarkable strides in bolstering civic engagement and community-led initiatives,” said New York City Chief Equity Officer and Mayor's Office of Equity and Racial Justice Commissioner Sideya Sherman. “We are thrilled to see the diverse range of winning projects chosen and commend all the partners who have worked tirelessly to bring about impactful local change.

“We're thrilled by New Yorkers' active participation in directing our city budget,” said Mayor's Public Engagement Unit Executive Director Adrienne Lever. “The Public Engagement Unit applauds the Civic Engagement Commission for spearheading this crucial effort. We're eagerly anticipating the positive impact of these projects throughout all five boroughs.”

“The People's Money affirms what we know: when we create the space for New Yorkers to voice what they need, they deliver,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “I can't wait to see these amazing initiatives get started, from career prep for high school students and language and job recertification programs for new immigrants to classes to promote personal wealth growth and management in low-income New Yorkers and support services for older adults and people with disabilities. Our communities' voices are powerful, and I thank the New York City Civic Engagement Commission for empowering our residents to create the change they want to see in our city.”

The CEC worked hard to ensure the voting process was equitable and accessible to New York City’s diverse communities throughout “Play Your Part: Your Money, Your Community, Your Vote” campaign. Thanks to a total of $914,000 in funding, 88 community organizations engaged in grassroots outreach ensuring inclusion of New Yorkers of all backgrounds and demographics. This effort included 33 equity neighborhoods, as identified by the Task Force on Racial Inclusion and Equity, as well as specific communities, such as youth, veterans, people with disabilities, immigrants, NYCHA residents, older adults, those with limited English proficiency, the faith-based community, LGBTQIA+, and justice-impacted residents.

In addition, the CEC engaged New Yorkers at five flagship events, one in each borough, drawing their attention through playful yellow statues with small red hearts called Sunnies, the giant inflatable Mama Sunny and the puppets named Civic and Engagement. CEC’s Artist in Residence Yazmany Arboleda created the Sunnies to represent New Yorkers who lead with their hearts and care about their community. Immigrant women, identified by a community organization Aids for Life International, hand crafted each of the Sunny figurines.

“As one of the most democratic intuitions in New York, Brooklyn Public Library was delighted to partner with the city’s Civic Engagement Commission on the participatory budgeting process, providing twelve branches throughout the borough to ensure the safe and fair collection of votes,” said Linda E. Johnson, president and CEO, Brooklyn Public Library.

“At the Women's Empowerment Coalition of NYC, we believe in the importance of civic engagement and that every voice matters and every vote counts. Our participation in the Voting Phase for People’s Money underscores our commitment to fostering civic engagement and empowering our community from diverse backgrounds to lead and to make the change that they want to see in their communities. Together, we are shaping a future where equity, unity, and leadership drive meaningful change,” said Somia Elrowmeim, CEO and founder, Women's Empowerment Coalition of NYC.

“KCS had a wonderful experience collaborating with CEC. This partnership allowed KCS to engage with a diverse range of community members and educate them about participatory budgeting, empowering them to decide how funds will be allocated in their community,” said Helen Jang, director, Workforce Development at Korean Community Services.

The Request for Proposals for implementing organizations will be open from August 12 through September 10. On October 1, CEC will announce the organizations selected to implement the winning projects. The project implementation period will run from December 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025. CEC will support the implementation organizations to ensure that the projects are completed successfully. The CEC will report back the results of the projects upon completion, including metrics such as the number of residents served, outcomes, highlights, successes, and challenges.

Later this year, the CEC will report on the impact of 46 community projects implemented in Cycle 1 of the People’s Money. The projects addressed a wide range of needs, including immigrant workers’ rights education, violence prevention, job training, and wellness support for women and low-income families.

“Several students that were trained in culinary arts and completed the Food Safety certification class through the Young Entrepreneurs Program have received a raise. The project made a direct impact in the lives of young adults and their families by increasing their income,” said Corina Liu, director, Youth Opportunity Hub, Commonpoint Queens.

“Thanks to the Keep Encouraging Youth Success project, participating Central Harlem youth are more engaged and aware of what is happening in politics on a local level. They are more empowered to assert change. We are grateful for the opportunity to implement a project that addressed a community priority identified in Cycle 1 of the People’s Money,” said Kimberly Hayes, consultant-director, Programming at Harlem Mothers and Fathers SAVE.
Detailed information about this year’s winning projects, the implementation RFP, and projects implemented in 2024, can be found at Participate.nyc.gov.

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More About “The People's Money”
The People's Money is New York City's annual citywide Participatory Budgeting (PB) process, where community members decide how to spend part of the city’s budget. This democratic process is open to all New Yorkers, ages 11 and up, regardless of immigration status. Its goal is to deepen civic trust and engage communities in a process grounded in collective determination. The PB process was passed by citywide referendum in November 2018 as part of broader ballot proposals establishing the Civic Engagement Commission and mandating it to implement a yearly citywide participatory budgeting program.
In the Idea Generation Phase, from September through November of 2023, roughly 2,000 project ideas were proposed by New York City residents. The CEC and over 100 partner organizations engaged New Yorkers in more than 440 virtual and in-person workshops across the five boroughs, enabling residents to identify community needs and brainstorm ideas for expense projects through interactive activities. Over 9,000 residents were also able to propose ideas and projects directly on CEC’s online platform.
In the Idea Vetting and Development Phase, January – February 2024, the CEC convened volunteer-based Borough Assembly Committees (BACs) to evaluate submitted ideas against equity and feasibility criteria and to finalize the ballot for their borough. A total of 100 residents served on the five BACs, holding weekly sessions that resulted in development of the top project ideas into ballot proposals.
The People’s Money was launched by Mayor Eric Adams and the CEC on September 14, 2022. In the first cycle of the citywide participatory budgeting process, a total of 46 community projects were funded with $5M of city funds. Over 100,000 New Yorkers voted to select expense projects that address a wide range of community needs, including mental health, youth programs, food security and nutrition, and vocational training. The winning projects are being implemented by community-based organizations throughout New York City.