webinar: governance, participatory budgeting, and grantmaking
TRANSCRIPT
Governance,ParticipatoryBudgetingandGrantmaking Webinar
Speakers:JoshLerner,PhD|ExecutiveDirector,ParticipatoryBudgetingProject
TylerNickerson|DirectorofInvestmentsandStateStrategy,SolutionsProject
Moderator:NileK.Malloy,SeniorProgramManager,NeighborhoodFundersGroup
Outcome1:Arobustnationalnetworkoffundersandfieldleaderswithdeepknowledge,growingrelationshipsandsharedframingofdemocratizingdevelopmenttobringmuchhigherlevelsoffundingtotheissues.
Outcome2:MoreNFGmembersandfieldpartnersareengagedindemocratizingeffortsinspecificregionsandcitiesandareestablishingastrongnationalcommunityofpracticeacrossregions.
Outcome3:Nationalfundsupportingregionalfunderalliancesandanationalagendatoadvancetheinnovativeworkinregionstoadvancedemocratizedcommunitydevelopment.
Outcome4:OurmemberandNFGarebetterpositionedasthoughtleadersacrossthecountry.
Outcome5: MoreNFGmemberspracticingcommunity-centeredphilanthropy.
KeyThreeYearOutcomes
SpeakerIntroQuestion
Participatoryresourcesharingofpublicandphilanthropicresourcesisnotnew.Manyfundersonthecallarealreadysupportingparticipatorybudgetingstrategiesacross.Inourcurrentpoliticalmomentandoneofthemostchallengingnationalelectionseasonsinthehistoryofthiscountry,whyisparticipatoryandcommunityinvolvedresourcesharingimportanttoyouandyourwork?
PARTICIPATORY BUDGETINGReal Money, Real Power
www.participatorybudgeting.org
Josh Lerner | @joshalerner
Executive Director
“Weknewaboutgrantsbeforebutthiswasdifferent.Everyoneparticipatedandpitchedtheirideasforwhattheywantedtosee…Peoplesawhowpassionatewewereandfromthat,wewereabletoimplementourproject!”- ROSE, 19YOUTH LEADERBROTHERHOOD-SISTERSOL, NYC
“Just 19% [of Americans] say the government is run for the benefit of all.”–PEW RESEARCH CENTERNOVEMBER, 2015
@PBProject pa rt icipa torybudgeting .or g
Participatorybudgeting
isademocraticprocessinwhichcommunitymembersdirectlydecidehowtospendpartofapublicbudget.
Design the
Process Brainstorm
Ideas
Develop
ProposalsFund Winning
Projects Cast a Vote
How PB Works
REDESIGNING DEMOCRACY
THEPROBLEMSWITHPARTICIPATION
PAINFUL
THEPROBLEMSWITHPARTICIPATION
UNEQUAL
I participateYou participateHe participatesWe participateYou all participateThey decide
(French student poster)
THEPROBLEMSWITHPARTICIPATION
POWERLESS
REDESIGNINGDEMOCRACYFOREMPOWEREDPARTICIPATION
Expert-centered Participant-centeredvs
HOW PB WORKS
https://vimeo.com/162743651
Where is PB?
What Kind of Budgets?
• City, county, state budgets
• Discretionary funds of elected officials
• Housing authority or other public agency budgets
• School, school district, university budgets
• Federal funds (e.g. Community Development Block Grants)
• Community Benefit Agreements
• Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
• Non-governmental sources like foundation or non-profit
budgets
VALLEJO, CA
NEW YORK CITY
BOSTON, MA
PALO ALTO COMMUNITY COLLEGE, SAN ANTONIO
TORONTO
IMPACTS
BROAD & ACTIVECIVIC PARTICIPATION
Participants report increased skills in public
speaking, negotiating, building agreements, and
contacting officials.
VALLEJO: 20% of PB voters
were ineligible to vote in regular elections
NYC: Higher percentage of low-income
residents voted in PB (40%) compared to full population (34%) & local
elections (29%)
HEALTHYCOMMUNITIES
Participants report increased skills in public
speaking, negotiating, building agreements, and
contacting officials.
EFFECTIVE & FAIRGOVERNMENT
“PB brings new people into a leadership relationship with government…they teach government to operate better.”-CARLOSMENCHACA, NYC COUNCIL MEMBER
@PBProject pa rt icipa torybudgeting .or g
Supporting Broader Democracy Efforts
PB FOR ORGANIZATIONS
PB2
Who We Are
MIS S ION To empower people to decide together how to spend public money.
HIS TORY
WHERE WE WORK
Across the US and Canada, with staff in New York City, Oakland, Chicago, and Greensboro.
Founded in 2009, we have led, supported, or inspired almost every PB process in North America.
What We Do
PARTIC IPATION LAB
We research and develop new tools and practices to make participatory budgeting and democracy work better.
TEC HNIC AL AS S IS TANC E
NETWORK-BU ILD ING
We bring together practitioners and organizers to help participatory budgeting grow.
We help governments, institutions, and organizations to implement PB processes and campaigns.
@PBProject
@PBProject
Josh Lerner
T: @PBProject | @joshalernerF: /ParticipatoryBudgetingProject
www.participatorybudgeting.org
NFGFunderWebinar:Governance,ParticipatoryBudgetingandGrantmaking
October26,2017
• Formallylaunchedin2015• Mission:100%cleanenergyfor100%ofthepeople• 100%campaign• Grantmaker inclimatejusticeandcleanenergy
• Partofecosystem-wideapproachtomovementbuilding
• Foundationoftrustingrelationships
TheSolutionsProjectOverview
• Supportingpowerbuilding,communityowneddemonstrationproject,andjusttransitionstrategies• RapidResponse– FighterFund• GeneralOperatingSupport– LeadershipFund• MovementInfrastructure– EcosystemFund• U.S.,Canada,andMexicowithafocusinNewYork,California,Iowa,andtheAmericanSouth• Utilize”crossclass”giving>greaterdemocraticinfluence
Grantmaking
Governance
TSPBoard
LeadershipFundCommitteeInvestors
ExecutiveDirector
Staff
FighterFundReferralNetwork
GranteePartners
InServiceto:
• GranteeCommitteememberstrong,butworkingtonot“other”• Transaction>Transformation• Staffhasalotofinfluence• Nimbleness• Limitedperspective&targeting
• Investmentsintobalanceofpowerandinformationsharing
EarlyLessonsLearned
Goal:Smartinvestmentdecisionsaremade,transparencyisdemonstrated,andresourcesgrow.
MovingTowardsDeeperDemocracy
Body Year1Goal Year1Benchmarks
Board -Expandeducationonfunds andgrants-BetterconnectInvestor<>Board
-BoardtovoteChairofLFCommittee-Oneboardmeetinghasspaceforgrantmakingstrategydeepdive-Twoboardmembersmeetwithinvestors
LeadershipFundCommittee
-Committeemembers arebetterinformedandengagedonevaluation,grantreporting,andboardactivity-SupporttodiversifyLFgrantrecommendationpipeline
-30%ofannualdocketcomesfromLFcommitteerecommendations-OneMemberengagedinevaluationdesign-Twomembersattendasitevisit/individualmeetings-Membersattendgranteeconvening
FighterFundNetwork -Engagedandopenstreamsofcommunication-Referralsbeginandaredeemedviable
-7membersaddedand3communicationsperyear-10%ofgrantscomefromreferrals
Investors -Betterinformedonimpact-DeeperengagementwithBoard
-Reviewevaluationbenchmarks-Twiceayearsendgranteelistandoverviewofstatestrategy-MeetingwithBoardmembers
Grantees -LeadershipFund committeeengagement-Seedrecommendationsforgrantmaking
-EngageintwoLFCommitteemeetings-50%ofreferralsreceivedanddeemedviable
DRAFT&UNAPPROVED
ContactInformation
• JoshLerner,PhD|ExecutiveDirector,ParticipatoryBudgetingProject:[email protected]|www.participatorybudgeting.org
• TylerNickerson|DirectorofInvestmentsandStateStrategy,TheSolutionsProject:[email protected] |www.thesolutionsproject.org
• Additional,questionandcomments:pleasecontactNileMalloy,SeniorProgramManager,NFGDemocratizingDevelopmentProgram,[email protected]
Thankyouforyourparticipation!