Feedback from 2021 Participatory Budgeting Process Participants and Prompts for Steering Committee Consideration
In Fall 2021, the Office of Mayor John Cooper embarked upon its first experience with Participatory Budgeting (Participatory Budgeting), a community-driven approach to determining how government funds are spent. This document summarizes feedback received from 2021 Participatory Budgeting participants and a series of prompts for consideration by Participatory Budgeting Steering Committee members to address this feedback in future Participatory Budgeting cycles. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all updates to the Participatory Budgeting process that are or may be planned.
Prompts included on this page are based on virtual listening sessions hosted in January and February with 2021 Participatory Budgeting steering committee members and delegates. Efforts were also made to connect with the 2021 Participatory Budgeting facilitator to gather feedback. A total of four (4) listening sessions with eighteen (18) participants occurred.
Summary of Feedback and Prompting Questions to Address Recommendations
Program Marketing and Communication
The majority of 2021 Participatory Budgeting participants – both steering committee members and delegates – learned of the program via outreach or recommendation from a personal connection, most often via recruitment by the Councilmember serving their area. This approach proved successful in generating buy in and commitment to participate during the 2021 cycle. However, more robust program marketing, communication, and outreach efforts in future cycles are recommended by participants to further drive engagement in the Participatory Budgeting process and ensure that those who choose to take a leadership role in Participatory Budgeting are aware of their responsibilities.
- How can Metro take a more significant role in proactively advertising Participatory Budgeting opportunities via communication mechanisms used by the communities engaging in Participatory Budgeting?
- How far in advance of kicking off the Participatory Budgeting cycle should Metro begin advertising this opportunity?
- What traditional (e.g., press release, councilmembers, etc.) and non-traditional mechanisms (e.g., local radio, CBO materials, etc.) can Metro leverage?
- How can Metro better communicate how participation in Participatory Budgeting is impactful for the community – both during recruitment and training?
- How can Metro better communicate the role of Participatory Budgeting relative to other Metro investments, planning processes, or projects also occurring in the community?
- Should Metro develop a comprehensive communications strategy to support Participatory Budgeting?
Participant Roles and Responsibilities and Engagement
As part of the 2021 Participatory Budgeting cycle program administrators engaged in 30-minute informational interviews with potential participants to outline the process, roles and responsibilities, and answer any questions. However, steering committee members and delegates participating in feedback sessions identified that more clearly defining roles and responsibilities of participants – both during recruitment and during training – is a significant opportunity for improving the program. While Participatory Budgeting participants noted that roles and responsibilities were discussed in educational materials offered during recruitment and training, better distinguishing responsibilities and highlighting connections between Metro departments, program administrators, facilitators, the steering committee and delegates would be helpful and could lead to better alignment between Participatory Budgeting volunteers and various Participatory Budgeting roles.
- How can Metro use the recruitment process to better distinguish roles and responsibilities and set expectations among potential participants?
- Can Metro identify an estimated time commitment for Participatory Budgeting participants?
- Who should be involved in reviewing and ultimately selecting potential Participatory Budgeting participants?
- Should Metro set a policy for maximum number of meetings that can be missed by Participatory Budgeting participants?
- How can Metro encourage increased engagement between Participatory Budgeting steering committee members and delegates?
- How can Metro and Participatory Budgeting facilitators balance empowering Participatory Budgeting steering committee members and delegates to make decisions and take ownership of their work while still providing guidance and structure to the Participatory Budgeting process?
Participatory Budgeting Process Outputs or Outcomes
Overall, Participatory Budgeting participants expressed that they did not have significant concerns about the Participatory Budgeting outputs or outcomes outside of a need for better understanding economic development and/or investment strategy in communities where Participatory Budgeting is occurring. This section discusses several specific suggestions that relate to outputs or outcomes of the Participatory Budgeting process.
- Now that Participatory Budgeting funded projects are entering the execution phase, how should Metro keep Participatory Budgeting participants and the community updated on project status and longer term benefits of the Participatory Budgeting process?
- How can Metro take a data-driven and thoughtful approach to messaging investment decisions within and across the community where Participatory Budgeting is occurring and further, communicate this approach to participants, Councilmembers, and the public?
- How can Metro ensure that proposed and selected projects are representative of the entire Participatory Budgeting focus area?
- How can Metro ensure that steering committee members, delegates, and polling locations are broadly representative of the entire Participatory Budgeting area?
- Which specific community locations are best suited for Participatory Budgeting polling?
- What strategies can Metro and Participatory Budgeting participants use to fully engage the public in the voting process?
- How can Metro ensure that its voting process is transparent and further, communicate this to the public?
Participant Training and Educational Materials
Both steering committee members and delegates found Participatory Budgeting informational materials and notebooks useful. However, their may be opportunity to better tailor these materials to participants and/or ensure they are being used or referenced as intended.
- In updating Participatory Budgeting training and educational materials, how can Metro ensure it is providing sufficient detail, while not overwhelming Participatory Budgeting participants with information? Similarly, how can Metro appropriately tailor educational materials for Councilmembers, project voters, and the public?
- Should Metro pursue in-person, virtual, or hybrid options for training and educational efforts associated with future Participatory Budgeting cycles? What are the pros and cons of each approach?
- How can Metro further use training and education to describe how the Participatory Budgeting process relates to budgeting, the CIB process, the CSP process, departmental operating budgets, and Metro governance and spending authority? Is required attendance for training covering these topics a meaningful approach?
Program Leadership
Steering committee members and delegates were generally pleased with individuals serving in program administration and facilitation roles, noting their commitment, enthusiasm, and responsiveness to the Participatory Budgeting process as real strengths. Several specific areas for improvement were offered by participants in feedback sessions.
- How can Metro better explain investments outside of the Participatory Budgeting process that have been or are being make in communities where Participatory Budgeting is occurring?
- How can Metro better communicate its planned course of action in response to questions, concerns, and recommendations shared by Participatory Budgeting participants? Are meeting minutes sufficient?
- How can Metro ensure it is selecting a qualified and trusted third-party facilitator to support leadership of Participatory Budgeting? What skills are important for this facilitator to have?
- How can Metro better incorporate departmental leaders into the Participatory Budgeting process? Are presentations from Metro departments to hear about the programs and services provided to the community during early trainings of benefit?
Project Identification
Participatory Budgeting participants in feedback sessions offered several recommendations for streamlining and improving the project identification and proposal process. Most individuals found forms helpful, and also identified opportunities for improvement that will benefit the consistency and quality of project submissions.
- Would offering examples of model and/or successfully funded project proposals be helpful to future Participatory Budgeting delegates as they identify projects for their community?
- How can Metro and its departments better support development of accurate cost estimates for projects? Would cost ranges for frequently proposed projects be helpful, or too challenging to do given inherent variation in site specifics?
- How can Metro make department representatives accessible to delegates during the project identification stage?
- How much lead time should be provided to Participatory Budgeting delegates to complete homework assignments?
- Would availability of “office hours” as a time for Participatory Budgeting delegates to seek assistance from Metro on project proposals be helpful?