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

  • Devon Reid

    Chair, 8th ward councilmember

  • Bobby Burns

    5th ward councilmember

  • Jon Nieuwsma

    4th ward councilmember

  • Daniel Biss

    Mayor

Staff & Technical Assistants

  • Matt Ouren

    PB Manager

  • Ndona Muboyayi

    PB Field Manager

  • Celia Carlino

    PB Coordinator

  • Dave Stoneback

    Deputy Manager

  • Sarah Flax

    Community Dev. Manager

  • Matt Easterday

    Technical Assistant

  • Kristine Lu

    Technical Assistant

  • Gus Umbelino

    Technical Assistant

  • Morgan Wu

    Technical Assistant

Partners

Meet the 2022-2023 Leadership Committee

  • Adam Goldsmith

  • Andrew Ginsberg

  • Ann Stoner

  • Arleigh Truesdale

  • Belva Hill

    Chair

  • Elizabeth Hayford

  • Miah Ebels-Duggan

  • Evangeline Su

  • Jackson Paller

  • Jeffrey Korman

  • Jerri Garl

  • John Cleave

  • Jonathan Gewurz

  • Kathy Hayes

  • Leonard Lamkin

  • Melissa Raman Molitor

  • Paula Danoff

  • Paula Scholl

  • Ruth Curry

  • 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.