Participatory Budgeting (PB) Greensboro is a democratic process that allows residents to decide how to spend $500,000 worth of City funds -- $100,000 per City Council district.

Each PB cycle lasts two years. During that time, residents submit ideas. PB volunteers vet those submissions and turn them into project proposals. Residents will then vote on which projects to fund.

PB Greensboro is organized by the City Department of Budget and Evaluation, with various City departments working to implement voter-approved projects. 

History

In October 2014, the Greensboro City Council approved a resolution authorizing support of Participatory Budgeting for FY 2015-16. Each of the five City Council districts was allocated $100,000 for capital projects. Funding for the administration and launch of the PB process was split between the City and the community, with $100,000 in funds from the City and match grants from Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, and Fund for Democratic Communities, as well as in-kind services and grants through the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

The City received professional assistance through a contract with the Participatory Budgeting Project (PBP), which hired two local on-site outreach coordinators to facilitate the process in our community.

A Steering Committee was appointed by City Council from all five council districts to help develop a handbook and process for Greensboro's Participatory Budgeting.

In 2019, the Council created a new PB Commission to make recommendations on the program.