Participatory Budgeting

Logo for West End Revitalization in Rock Island, Illinois, featuring stylized letters R and W with a location marker and circular design.

Giving people real power over real money.

Text image with the question 'What is Participatory Budgeting?' in bold, colorful letters on a white background.

Participatory budgeting (PB) is a democratic process that lets community members decide how to spend part of a public budget. Instead of decisions being made solely by officials or behind closed doors, PB puts that power in the hands of the people who live, work, and invest in the community.

Through PB, neighbors come together to share ideas, propose projects, and vote on how funding should be used. Whether it’s improving parks, supporting youth programs, or adding neighborhood lighting, the goal is to make sure public dollars reflect what matters most to the community.

It’s real people deciding how to spend real money. The process helps build trust, encourages transparency, and gives residents a stronger sense of ownership in the future of their neighborhood.

For more information, visit mlkcenter.org/westend or call
West End Coordinator:

Sign up to receive email updates at mlkcenter.org/westend

See also facebook.com/MLKCenterRockIsland

Learn how you can get involved.

The West End Revitalization has secured $40,000 for West End residents, business owners, and workers
to invest in the community in 2025.

Based on community feedback submitted through the Participatory Budgeting Idea Form (accepted through July 11,2025), the Steering Committee has reviewed every idea submitted and narrowed them down to 8 ideas. These ideas are now being turned into draft proposals for real, concrete projects.

The ballot will be finalized in mid-August. Voting will run from August 30 to September 12.

We expect that this will become an annual process, with larger amounts in future years.

A flowchart explaining a community project process from idea to winning proposal. It includes dates and steps: community submission ideas in June and July 2025, steering committee turns ideas into proposals in July and August 2025, develop proposals, vote from August 30 to September 12, 2025, and celebrate the winning proposal on September 16, 2025. The process begins with brainstorming ideas and designing the process, followed by proposing, voting, funding projects, and celebrating the winner.

Watch a video about PB

Real Money, Real Power: Participatory Budgeting

Logo with a stylized letter 'R' shaped like a location pin, featuring purple, light blue, teal, and lime green colors.

Students Take the Lead with Participatory Budgeting

At Rock Island High School and Thurgood Marshall Learning Center, students are doing something powerful: deciding how to spend real money to make their schools better.

It’s part of a process called Participatory Budgeting (PB), and it’s helping young people in the West End learn how to lead, speak up, and shape their community.

Through PB, students:

  • Come up with ideas to improve their school or community

  • Talk with their peers to gather input

  • Research costs and feasibility

  • Present their proposals

  • Vote on the best ideas to fund

Along the way, they build valuable skills like:

  • Public speaking

  • Teamwork and collaboration

  • Budgeting and financial literacy

  • Research, surveying, and interviewing

  • Problem-solving and critical thinking

PB also helps:

  • Strengthen relationships between students, families, teachers, and school staff

  • Encourage more investment and pride in the school community

  • Support smarter, more transparent spending

  • Give students confidence in their ability to create real change

This is more than a school project. It’s a hands-on way for West End students to lead and build the future they want to see.

Group of seven diverse young people and one older woman standing in front of colorful balloon decorations, smiling at the camera, holding papers and water bottles.
Group of young women sitting at a conference table with water bottles, snacks, notebooks, and pens.
Four young men sitting at a conference table, some with pizza and water bottles in front of them, appearing focused during a meeting or discussion.
Group of people in a conference room participating in a presentation or meeting. Some are standing near the wall, others seated around the table. A large screen displays a slide titled 'Phone Math You Can: The Challenge,' with text and icons. The table has laptops, coffee cups, bottles, and documents.
Two women standing at a table, one holding a microphone, giving a presentation or speech, with bottles of water and papers on the table, audience member visible in foreground.

Participatory Budgeting Steering Committee 2025

  • A woman with ringlet hair is smiling for a selfie indoors. The image is in black and white.

    Pat Allison

  • A man wearing a sweater stands against a wall, showcasing a portrait with visible facial features including a forehead, chin, and cheek.

    Quincy Davis

  • Person with short straight hair sitting indoors, wearing a light pink jacket over a black top and smiling at the camera.

    Linda Dothard

  • A man stands in a room, smiling. He is wearing a dress shirt. The background features a whiteboard against a wall.

    Kakozi Olivier Elangi

  • Person smiling, wearing a black top.

    Steve Gottcent

  • Ramsey Vesey Jr

  • Person with curly blonde hair and a beige top, smiling.

    Isabel Watts

We extend our sincere gratitude to all who have supported the Participatory Budgeting process.

Assessment and Planning Phases:

  • City of Rock Island

  • John Deere

  • Doris & Victor Day Foundation

Implementation Phase:

  • QC Community Foundation

  • Better Health Foundation

  • Jeff & Reggie Goldstein

  • Moline Regional Community Foundation

  • Inclusive Environmental Movement Fund

  • Ascentra Credit Union

  • Group O

  • Quad City Arts

  • Rock Island Community Foundation

  • Anonymous