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.

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Participatory budgeting (PB) was a democratic process that let community members decide how to spend part of a public budget. Instead of decisions being made solely by officials or behind closed doors, PB put that power in the hands of the people who lived, worked, and invested in the community.

Through PB, neighbors came together to share ideas, proposed projects, and voted on how funding was used. Whether it meant improving parks, supporting youth programs, or adding neighborhood lighting, the goal was to make sure public dollars reflected what mattered most to the community.

It was real people deciding how to spend real money. The process helped build trust, encouraged transparency, and gave residents a stronger sense of ownership in the future of their neighborhood.

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

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

See also facebook.com/MLKCenterRockIsland

See also
youtube.com/%40WER-RockIsland

Learn how the community got involved.

The West End Revitalization secured $40,000 for West End residents, business owners, and workers to invest in the community in 2026.

Based on community feedback submitted through the Participatory Budgeting Idea Form (accepted through July 11, 2025), the Steering Committee reviewed every idea and narrowed them down to eight. These ideas were developed into draft proposals for real, concrete projects. The ballot was finalized in mid-August, and voting took place from August 30 to September 12.

The community chose to invest in Neighbors Helping Neighbors Landscaping Services — a youth employment and training program providing lawn care and snow removal for seniors and residents with disabilities while creating paid jobs for youth ages 16–25. Implementation partners were being identified to carry out the winning project.

Learn more about the winning proposal here: mlkcenter.org/pb-proposals

Watch a video about PB

Real Money, Real Power: Participatory Budgeting

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Students Took the Lead with Participatory Budgeting

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

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

Through PB, students:

  • Came up with ideas to improve their school or community

  • Talked with their peers to gather input

  • Researched costs and feasibility

  • Presented their proposals

  • Voted on the best ideas to fund

  • Along the way, they built valuable skills like:

  • Public speaking

  • Teamwork and collaboration

  • Budgeting and financial literacy

  • Research, surveying, and interviewing

  • Problem-solving and critical thinking

  • 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 was more than a school project. It was a hands-on way for West End students to lead and build the future they wanted 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.
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.
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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