Participatory Budgeting
CIANA is proud to be part of the second-ever cycle of The People's Money - Citywide Participatory Budgeting, an initiative of the NYC Civic Engagement Commission (CEC).
About Participatory Budgeting
What is the Participatory Budgeting process?
Citywide Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a multi-step process wherein residents of New York City come together in the autumn to propose projects that they would like to see implemented in their community. Borough Action Committees (BACs) convene in the winter to narrow down these project ideas into a final list, which is voted on by the community residents in the spring. The projects that receive the most votes are implemented in the following year, and community organizations are then chosen to implement the winning projects through a competitive proposal process.
​
How is CIANA involved?
The final list of projects compiled by the BACs from the previous year’s cycle in 2022 was voted on by community members in the spring of 2023. The projects on the ballot that won the most votes were shared publicly in the autumn. Organizations were invited to propose to implement them, and in November 2023, CIANA submitted a proposal to implement one of the winning projects. CIANA was selected in December 2023 to implement Digital Safety Workshops for Families in Corona, Queens.
​
How can I get involved?
In the Autumn of 2023, CIANA hosted three idea generation sessions where clients and volunteers were invited to discuss community concerns in Astoria, and to brainstorm ideas to help address them. The three projects were submitted as part of other generated ideas citywide. The BACS will narrow down all the proposed ideas into one final ballot to be voted on from May 1 through June 12, 2024. Anyone aged 11 and up who lives in NYC can vote, regardless of immigration status. Winning projects will be implemented in 2025.
Voting in Participatory Budgeting continues through June 12. Enter your zip code and our partner code, CIANA. Vote online here.
Digital Safety for Families in Corona
In the Fall of 2022, residents of Corona, Queens, proposed workshops for families regarding digital safety to help parents and children learn how to stay safe when using the internet, social media, apps, and video games. In the Spring of 2023, NYC residents voted for this idea to receive funding in the City budget. In December 2023, CIANA was selected to implement the project at schools in Corona.
​
From mid-March through late May, CIANA held informational sessions at schools in Corona, in Astoria, and online for parents on how they and their children can stay safe when using the internet.
Thank you to everyone who attended our workshops! Read more about Digital Safety, view resources, and watch videos from our workshops on our new Digital Safety Resources Page!
Digital Safety Workshops for Families in Corona are supported with public funds through the NYC Civic Engagement Commission’s The People’s Money participatory budgeting program.
Contact Us & Learn More
If you have any questions about Participatory Budgeting, voting, or digital safety, don't hesitate to reach out! You can contact CIANA a number of ways:
​
-
Call (718) 545-4040
-
Email info@cianainc.org
-
Message us on our website
Follow us on X (Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram @cianainc where we'll be posting updates about our Participatory Budgeting project.
Learn more about the NYC Civic Engagement Commission, which runs Participatory Budgeting, on their website.