City of Cambridge Participatory Budgeting

Participatory Budgeting is back!

Cambridge's fourth PB process is about to begin. This time, we will collect ideas in June and July about how YOU would spend $800,000 on one-time capital projects to improve the community. Winning projects from past PB cycles include kinetic energy tiles, solar panels for the Main Library roof, bike repair stations, a freezer van for prepared food rescue, water bottle fill stations, and many others. 

Winning Project Updates

You can follow the progress of winning PB projects on our website. All 100 trees from the first cycle were planted last fall, 7 of the 8 bike repair stations have been installed, and Public Works has identified a preferred location for the Central Square public toilet and is working to mitigate underground conflicts.

PB bike repair station in front of the Central Square post office

Projects from the second cycle are moving along as well: green bike lanes have been painted in Inman Square, Human Services is moving forward with the freezer van purchase, and the School Department is purchasing new chairs, desks, and other furniture for the Amigos School and CRLS.

As for the winning projects from the third cycle, the $706,000 for these projects will become available on July 1, 2017. We'll post updates as work on these projects begins.