The Participatory Budgeting Project, Inc. (PBP), a non-profit organization based in New York City, is seeking additional members for its Board of Directors.
Our mission is to empower community members to make informed, democratic, and fair decisions about public spending and revenue, by opening up public budgets to meaningful democratic participation. We work with elected officials, government agencies, and community groups in the US and Canada to set up participatory budgeting processes that let ordinary people directly decide how to spend public money. This work involves three main activities: public education, technical assistance, and research & evaluation.
As a Board Member, you will help lead a growing movement to build real democracy. Participatory budgeting (PB) is practiced in over 1,500 cities around the world, but it is relatively new to North America. As the primary organization supporting PB in the US and Canada, PBP has served as a lead partner for the first three PB processes in US cities (Chicago, New York, and Vallejo, CA), and we are working to launch additional processes in over a dozen other cities. Our board and staff include PB experts, practitioners, and participants based in over five cities.
Because we are young organization, incorporated in 2011, we expect Board Members to play an active role in developing the organization. New Board Members may be based anywhere in the US or Canada. We seek individuals who will:
- Serve at least a two-year term, starting at the next Board meeting (the evening of May 5th, in Chicago)
- Attend four board meetings per year, via phone or in person,
- Contribute additional work outside of meetings, by serving on at least one board committee,
- Assist with fundraising, and
- Serve as an ambassador for the organization by representing and promoting our work in the wider community.
We are especially interested in candidates who have a background in non-profit law, management, marketing, or fundraising, and who have experience as participants or organizers of PB processes. We strongly encourage applications from people of color, women, and LGBTQ individuals.
