[via the ParticipatoryBudgeting.org discussion list] Three important tidbits from the world of participatory budgeting (PB). First, there will be an international conference on participatory budgeting in Malaga, Spain, March 28-31. See the preliminary details at http://redfal.org/en/node/98.

Second, the discussion list announced one more online toolkit for learning how to do PB. Although the site is European, most of the materials are in English: www.kate-stuttgart.org/content/e827/index_ger.html.

Finally, Josh Lerner has written a paper about the recent (and growing) experience of communal councils in Venezuela. Similar to PB, the communal councils are local citizen-led political bodies that allow residents to decide how public funding is spent in their neighborhoods. Unlike PB, the councils are part of a new national system of participatory democracy, and they receive funding from the national government. You can see Josh’s article, called “Communal Councils in Venezuela: Can 200 families revolutionize democracy?” at www.linesofflight.net/work/communal_councils.pdf

Sandy Heierbacher

Sandy Heierbacher co-founded the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation (NCDD) with Andy Fluke in 2002, with the 60 volunteers and 50 organizations who worked together to plan NCDD’s first national conference. She served as NCDD's Executive Director between 2002 and 2018. Click here for a list of articles and resources authored by Sandy.

Tags: collaborative action, current issues, decision making, international, public participation, research, tools, upcoming events

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