Webinar: Governance, Participatory Budgeting, and Grantmaking

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

josh@participatorybudgeting.org

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:josh@participatorybudgeting.org|www.participatorybudgeting.org

• TylerNickerson|DirectorofInvestmentsandStateStrategy,TheSolutionsProject:tyler@thesolutionsproject.org |www.thesolutionsproject.org

• Additional,questionandcomments:pleasecontactNileMalloy,SeniorProgramManager,NFGDemocratizingDevelopmentProgram,nile@nfg.org

Thankyouforyourparticipation!