Power to the people

Participatory budgeting

about the campaign

public-led investment in action

Participatory budgeting puts decision-making power directly in the hands of the people most impacted.

Instead of decisions being made behind closed doors, participatory budgeting invites community members to decide how public dollars are spent—ensuring investments reflect real needs, lived experiences, and local priorities.

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What is participatory budgeting?

It’s a democratic process where residents propose, develop, and vote on how to allocate public funds in their communities.

In partnership with Supervisor Holly Mitchell’s office, we helped lead a participatory budgeting pilot that engaged local communities in deciding how to invest millions of public dollars—bringing residents directly into the budget process.

  • More than $1 million was placed directly in the hands of community members to decide how public funds should be spent.

  • Residents identified local priorities, developed project ideas, and voted on investments that reflected community needs and values.

  • The pilot demonstrated that communities are best positioned to shape solutions for safer, healthier neighborhoods through democratic decision-making.

This work lays the foundation for a more transparent, inclusive, and accountable system—one where communities don’t just advocate for resources, they help decide where they go.

  • By shifting decision-making power closer to the people most impacted by public policies, participatory budgeting creates new pathways for civic engagement and community leadership.

  • The pilot demonstrated that residents are eager to shape the future of their neighborhoods when given meaningful opportunities to participate. As we continue advancing Care First solutions, this model offers a blueprint for building government that is more responsive, equitable, and rooted in community voice.

WHY IT MATTERS

Too often, budget decisions are made without the voices of the communities most impacted.

Participatory budgeting shifts that dynamic by creating real pathways for residents to shape decisions, build power, and influence how public dollars are used.

Community knows best

Residents understand their needs better than anyone and should have a direct role in deciding how resources are allocated.

Transparency builds trust

Opening up the budget process creates accountability and ensures decisions are made in the public interest.

Our Solution

Put Decision-Making In Community Hands

We are working to expand participatory budgeting across L.A. County.

By building on successful pilots, we are advocating for participatory budgeting to become a standard part of how the County allocates resources—ensuring ongoing community leadership in funding decisions.

The results

The impact

Participatory budgeting is already shifting how decisions are made.

Real participation

Community-led decision-making

Residents directly shaped how millions of dollars were invested in their communities through the pilot process.

Partnership

Collaboration with District leadership

The pilot with Supervisor Holly Mitchell’s office demonstrated what’s possible when elected officials share power with the communities they serve.

Access

Expanding civic engagement

Participatory budgeting created new entry points for residents—especially those often excluded—to engage in the budget process.

Momentum

Building toward expansion

The success of the pilot is driving efforts to scale participatory budgeting across the County.

Stay involved

Why engagement matters

Participatory budgeting only works when communities stay involved.

To expand this work, we need continued participation, advocacy, and pressure to ensure the County commits to making community-led budgeting permanent and accessible to all.

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Resources

Explore tools and materials to understand and engage in participatory budgeting.

Dive into guides, updates, and opportunities to get involved—so you can help shape how public dollars are spent in your community.

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We didn’t come this far to only come this far

Measure J was successful because of the outpouring of support from advocates, community members, and the public who believed deeply that we address racial injustice by investing in health, housing, and jobs.