Cambridge’s annual participatory budgeting process is kicking off again, giving residents another chance to decide how the city spends public money, though this year they’ll have only half as much to work with.
The city opened idea submissions for its 13th participatory budgeting cycle in August, inviting community members to propose projects they want to see funded across Cambridge through Oct. 11. The city has set aside $500,000 for winning projects, down from $1 million last year.
Already, more than 100 ideas have rolled in, ranging from additional community gardens and floating bus stops to proposals for more variety in Cambridge Public Schools lunches, according to Participatory Budgeting and Engagement Coordinator Melissa Liu. The city typically receives more than 1,000 submissions before volunteers narrow them to roughly 20 proposals for residents to vote on in March.
“I think it’s also just such a great community-building process,” Liu said. “It opens wonderful conversations for folks to learn about other people’s perspectives in the city and come together collaboratively,” Liu said.
The smaller budget is part of a broader effort to control spending as Cambridge faces growing financial pressures, Budget Director Taha Jennings said.
“It is kind of a reflection of broader economic and budgeting concerns that we’re seeing really across the city,” Jennings said. “The reduction is consistent with strategies we’re taking citywide to find savings and efficiencies and really limit budget growth.”
Cambridge remains in a relatively strong financial position, Jennings said, but declining commercial property values, slower development and reduced revenue from sources such as building permits are beginning to erode the city’s financial cushion. Falling commercial values could also leave homeowners shouldering a greater share of the city’s property taxes, prompting officials to look for savings across departments and programs, including participatory budgeting.
This year’s $500,000 budget is the smallest since Cambridge launched participatory budgeting with the same amount in 2014. The amount grew over subsequent cycles, eventually reaching $1 million, before the city temporarily doubled it to a record $2 million for the program’s 10th cycle. It returned to $1 million for each of the past two cycles before dropping to the current level.
Jennings said the city plans to gradually restore participatory budgeting to $1 million over the next few years, though future allocations will depend on the city’s finances.
“The real benefit of PB is not so much the dollar amount of funding,” Jennings said. “It’s really about expanding and creating opportunities for civic engagement.”
The rules differ depending on how someone participates. Anyone who considers themselves part of the Cambridge community can submit an idea, regardless of whether they live in the city, their age or citizenship status.
Proposed projects must benefit the Cambridge community, fit within the $500,000 budget, generally be carried out on city-owned property and comply with existing city policies. Proposals can fund physical improvements, such as a garden or stop sign, or programs that operate for up to three years.
Once idea collection closes, Cambridge residents can volunteer as “PB delegates” to review the typically more than 1,000 submissions. Over about three months, the volunteers work with city staff and evaluate ideas based on their need, potential impact and feasibility, including determining their estimated costs, before narrowing the field to about 20 proposals for the ballot. There is no strict age requirement for volunteers, though the city generally encourages participation beginning around high school age because of the work involved. The deadline to sign up as a volunteer is Oct. 7.
The final vote will take place in March 2027 and is open to Cambridge residents age 12 and older, or those in sixth grade or above, regardless of citizenship or voter registration status. The highest-vote-getting projects are funded in order until the $500,000 is exhausted.
Last year, more than 10,000 residents voted to fund nine projects, led by $100,000 to repair sidewalks around trees, $200,000 for street safety improvements and $50,000 for transportation assistance for low-income and unhoused residents. Other winners included funding for rat control, protected bike lanes, basketball court upgrades, school supplies and cold-weather kits for unhoused residents.
Liu, who grew up in Cambridge, said she first encountered participatory budgeting as a Cambridge Public Schools student and that the experience helped spark her interest in local government.
“It’s really great to see when other community members can walk away from a PB voting site and say that they voted when they might not have been able to do otherwise,” Liu said.
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