How did PB work in Evanston?
Watch the participatory budgeting town hall to learn how participatory budgeting was planned in Evanston, including timeline, what the money can be spent on, and how to get involved.
Download the full report below.
What is Participatory Budgeting?
Plan
The City council PB Committee allocated $3m for the participatory budgeting and additional funding for staff, technical assistance and implementation.
City Council Participatory Budgeting Committee
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Devon Reid
Chair, 8th ward councilmember
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Bobby Burns
5th ward councilmember
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Jon Nieuwsma
4th ward councilmember
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Daniel Biss
Mayor
Staff & Technical Assistants
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Matt Ouren
PB Manager
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Ndona Muboyayi
PB Field Manager
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Celia Carlino
PB Coordinator
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Dave Stoneback
Deputy Manager
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Sarah Flax
Community Dev. Manager
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Matt Easterday
Technical Assistant
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Kristine Lu
Technical Assistant
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Gus Umbelino
Technical Assistant
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Morgan Wu
Technical Assistant
Partners
Meet the 2022-2023 Leadership Committee
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Adam Goldsmith
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Andrew Ginsberg
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Ann Stoner
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Arleigh Truesdale
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Belva Hill
Chair
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Elizabeth Hayford
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Miah Ebels-Duggan
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Evangeline Su
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Jackson Paller
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Jeffrey Korman
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Jerri Garl
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John Cleave
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Jonathan Gewurz
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Kathy Hayes
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Leonard Lamkin
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Melissa Raman Molitor
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Paula Danoff
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Paula Scholl
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Ruth Curry
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Simon Welling
Design the process
The steering committee writes the rulebook for how the PB process will work. The rulebook defines who can participate, what projects are eligible for funding, how we will include underrepresented community members, and so on.
Steering committee members:
meet monthly, face to face, at the civic center
write the rulebook
organize 2 idea collection and 2 voting events
reach out to community members
keep an eye on project implementation.
Organizations and individuals can apply to the steering committee in August 2022. Applicants will be selected by city council members, with a preference for members who can represent and mobilize underrepresented community members.
It’s here! Read the 2022-2023 Rulebook (updated July 15, 2023).
Collect Ideas
Community members organize 90 min idea collection assemblies where anyone can show up, learn about participatory budgeting, and generate ideas in small group. Participants can sign up to become budget delegates who will develop ideas into full projects.
Idea Collection Assemblies
Ideas were collected online and at collection assemblies:
Oct 12, 6:30, Noyes Cultural Center, Pilot Assembly
Nov 22, 6:45, Robert Crown Community Center
Dec 10, 11:00, Ecology Center
Dec 12, 2:15, Evanston Township High School
Jan 14, 3:15, Fleetwood-Jourdain
Jan 19, 5:30, Northwestern University
Jan 24, 11am, Fleetwood-Jourdain, EC2C
Jan 27, 6pm, Fleetwood-Jourdain, Youth & Young Adults
Jan 28, 11:30, Robert Crown, COFI (Spanish only)
Jan 28, 6pm, Robert Crown, African & Caribbean Immigrant
Jan 30, 6pm, Fleetwood-Jourdain, NAACP
Feb 1, 6pm, Koi, ASAPI
Ideas
We collected nearly 1300 ideas from Evanston community members!
Idea Collection by the numbers
PB Evanston volunteers: 24 active volunteers
PB Evanston canvassing sessions: 51+ PB Evanston hours canvassed: 213+
Signups total: 2077+ (over 1060+ through canvassing)
At least 46% of the volunteers at idea collection assemblies came directly from PB Evanston (excluding steering committee members)
Ideas collected: 1282
# unique idea collection participants: 310+ (target was 200)
51% of respondents said they have not attended a public meeting to discuss a local issue in the past year
51% of respondents said they have not contacted or visited a public official to express their opinion in the past year
33% of respondents said they have not worked with other people in their neighborhood to fix a problem or improve a condition in their community in the past year
34% Black/African-American (vs 16% in Evanston)
25% Hispanic/Latinx (vs 12% in Evanston)
Ward most represented - 5th ward (18%)
70% female
22% students
95% say Evanston should do PB again
Average rating recommend to a friend: 8.88 (out of 10)
Develop Proposals
Budget delegates meet in small committees over several months to develop ideas from the neighborhood assemblies into about 12 full projects that will go on the ballot.
Budget delegates prioritize ideas, research ideas, ask their community members for feedback, and develop budgets with city staff.
This participatory budgeting process is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, so projects must help Evanston recover from the pandemic for example by:
providing government services to address lost revenue
improving public health
improving economic development
providing premium pay for essential workers
improving water, sewer & broadband infrastructure
Budget Delegates
Housing
Donny Tou (facilitator)
Julian Fefer (facilitator)
Lenny Lamkin
Rocio Mancera
Transportation
Amira Grace
Andrew Weidner
Eleanor Granstrom
Miah Ebels Duggan
Jackson Paller
Megan Lin (facilitator)
Suzanne Farrand
Environment
Anusha Kumar (facilitator)
Kayleigh Kavanagh
Pat Bernard (facilitator)
Rishabh Juneja (facilitator)
Susan Treacy
Wendy Pollock
Health & Safety
David Soglin
Hilda Morales
Judith Treadway
Liboria Gómez
Mia Xia (facilitator)
Palak Shah (facilitator)
Shelley McFarlane
ASPA
Melissa Roman-Molitor
Linda Gerber
Michelle Long
Youth & Young Adult
Alante Waters
Alexander Lloyd
Ava Adams
Carlos ConnorDavid Tapia
Gawun Marshall
Jave Bamberg
Jordan Pompey
Josh Johnson
Jourdin Hill
Rey Catuy
Timothy Williams
Tyshawn Williams
Education & Arts
Aleah Stone (facilitator)
Alexa Stone
Alexis Simon (facilitator)
Carol Henes
Evangeline Su
Franco Serpa
Lily Cohen (facilitator)
Melissa Roman-Molitor
Mercedes Santos
Renne Stone (facilitator)
Thony Daye
Virna Garcia
Spanish Language
Rocio Mancera
Liboria Gómez
Dominga Vicenicio
Economic development
Brooke Fein (facilitator)
Carolyn Mendenhall (facilitator)
Dalia Segal-Miller (facilitator)
Fabrice Chavannes
Madison Sings
Maggie Peng
Nancy Dudek
African/Caribbean
Renne Stoen
Thony Daye
Fabrice Chavannes
Shelley McFarlane
Community, Justice, Governance
Alexis Schwartz
Hana-Lei Ji (facilitator)
Jeffrey Korman
Jordan Muhammad (facilitator)
Kemone Hendricks
Lauren Walcott (facilitator)
Marin Ubersox
Seniors
Angela Hammond
Belva Hill
Brenda Grier
Iris Johnson
Judith Treadway
Ms. Willie Shaw
Priscilla Giles
Vetting 1 Proposals
Housing
Affordable Housing
Rental Assistance
Homeowner support program
Youth homeless shelter
Transportation
Equitable CTA/Metra Fares Pilot
Bike Lane Network Expansion
Sidewalk Improvement Acceleration
New bus stops and public restrooms
Environment & Food
Healthy trees, healthy cities
Lead water filters
Evanston urban farms
Health & Families
Mental health 1st-aid training
Mobile Dental Health Van
Education & Arts
Tutoring for 3-8 grade
Public Park Lighting
Art & Music education
Economic Development
Vocational support
Incubator Business Center
Youth Jobs Training
Small Business Grants
Community Building
Restorative Justice Center
Community Events Fund
Teen Parents Program
Enhance 211 & 311
YYA
Renovate Gibbs-Morrison
Roller Rink
Spanish speaking
Property tax relief for 1st time home buyers
Mental Health Support for Families
African/Caribbean
Affordable Refugee Housing
African Caribbean Center
ASPA
ASPA Cultural Center
Seniors
Senior Shuttle
Vetting 2 Proposals
Housing
Affordable Housing
Rental Assistance
Transportation
Equitable Fares
Bike Lane Expansion
Environment & Food
Evanston Green Teams
Evanston Urban Farm
Health & Families
Mental health 1st-aid
Mobile Dental Van
Education & Arts
Education, Training & Recreation
Public Park Lighting Improvement
Economic Development
Small business grants
Incubator Business Center
Community Building
Community Events Fund
Teen Parents Program
Youth & Young Adult
Roller Skating
Gibbs improvement
Spanish speaking
Low-income Ambassadors
Rent Relief for Low income households
African/Caribbean
Affordable Refugee Housing
African Caribbean Center
ASPA
ASPA Cultural Center
Seniors
Senior Transportation assistance
Vetting 3 Proposals
Housing
Affordable Housing
Rental Assistance
Transportation
Equitable Fares
Bike Vouchers
Environment & Food
foresTREE internships
Evanston Urban Farm
Health & Families
Mental health First Aid
Mobile Dental Van
Education & Arts
Grants for Education, Training & Support
Economic Development
Small business grants
Small business Incubator
Community Building
Community Events Fund
Teen Parents Program
Youth & Young Adult
Roller Skating
Youth Drop-in Program Improvements
Spanish speaking
Low-income Ambassadors
African/Caribbean
Affordable Refugee Housing
African Caribbean Resource Center
ASPA
ASPA Cultural Center
Seniors
Senior Transportation assistance
Project Expos
Budget delegates will host science-fair style events where community can learn about the projects they will be voting on.
Sunday, Sept 10, 2-5pm, @ Fleetwood-Jourdain Center
Saturday, Sept 23, 2-5pm, @ Levy Center
Vote!
Community members get to vote on which projects to fund with the $3m of ARPA funding.
In person voting will be held at project expos and community centers including:
Sunday, Sept 10, 2-5pm, @ Fleetwood-Jourdain Center
Saturday, Sept 23, 2-5pm, @ Levy Center
Main Library ( Evanston)
Ecology Center
Civic Center
Levy Center
Fleetwood Jourdain Center
Chandler Newberger Center
YMCA
Y.O.U.
YWCA
Gibbs-Morrison Cultural Center
Winning proposals
Proposal | Amount | Votes | % vote | % Evanston pop. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mental Health First Aid Training (funded) | $50,000 | 3400 | 52% | 4% |
Grants/Incentives for Activities & Education Support for Marginalized Students in Grades 3-12 (funded) | $700,000 | 3117 | 47% | 4% |
Evanston Urban Farm (funded) | $350,000 | 3014 | 46% | 4% |
Affordable Housing Subsidy (funded) | $810,000 | 2918 | 44% | 4% |
Affordable Refugee Housing (funded) | $645,000 | 2890 | 44% | 4% |
Rental and Utility Assistance | $747,000 | 2798 | 43% | 4% |
Youth and Young Adult Drop-In Center (funded) | $210,000 | 2692 | 41% | 3% |
Small Business Grants (funded) | $150,000 | 2095 | 32% | 3% |
Senior Transportation Assistance | $225,000 | 1951 | 30% | 3% |
Small Business Incubator | $150,000 | 1822 | 28% | 2% |
foresTREE Interships | $293,000 | 1822 | 28% | 2% |
Low-Income Ambassadors for Evanston Families | $220,000 | 1579 | 24% | 2% |
Mobile Dental Van | $2,500,000 | 1554 | 24% | 2% |
Equitable Transit Fares | $700,000 | 1432 | 22% | 2% |
Bike Vouchers | $680,000 | 1321 | 20% | 2% |
Roller Skating Project | $530,000 | 1320 | 20% | 2% |
Community Events Fund | $230,000 | 1262 | 19% | 2% |
Teen Parents Entrepreneurial Program | $300,000 | 1150 | 18% | 1% |
African/Caribbean Cultural & Resource Center | $628,500 | 802 | 12% | 1% |
Asian American Art & Cultural Center | $690,000 | 740 | 11% | 1% |
Implement Projects
After the vote, city staff will implement the winning projects.