From Saturday, April 11 through Sunday, April 19, New Yorkers ages 11 years old and up can vote online or in person at poll sites in 22 participating Council districts

NEW YORK, NY – Today, Speaker Julie Menin and the New York City Council kicked off Participatory Budgeting (PB) Vote Week, encouraging New Yorkers who are 11 years old and up to make their voices heard by voting for projects to improve their communities. From April 11 to April 19, New Yorkers can vote online or in-person at voting sites in the 22 participating City Council districts to decide how $22 million in capital funding will be spent in the city’s Fiscal Year 2027 city budget. New Yorkers will be able to choose projects focused on improving neighborhood schools, parks, libraries, and other public spaces.  

“Participatory Budgeting Vote Week is proof that the best ideas for our neighborhoods come from the people who live in them,” said Speaker Julie Menin. “When New Yorkers have a direct say in how public dollars are spent, we get a stronger, more responsive city. I encourage everyone in a participating district, including District 5, to cast their votes this week. To every New Yorker who has made participatory budgeting a priority, thank you for strengthening our civic democracy.”

This year, 22 districts across Queens, the Bronx, Manhattan, and Brooklyn are participating. The following list includes participating City Council Districts:

New Yorkers can call or contact their Council Member’s office or check their social media pages to confirm the exact hours, locations, and times of neighborhood Participatory Budgeting poll sites. Council Member’s District Offices will also be used as voting sites during the week.

The Participatory Budgeting proposals on this year’s ballots were created by New Yorkers who attended neighborhood assemblies and budget delegate meetings throughout the fall and winter. All projects are capital budget proposals, which are significant neighborhood infrastructure investments. They were crafted and refined in partnership with relevant city agencies and facilitated by participating Council Members’ offices.

2026 marks the 15th year that the New York City Council has hosted Participatory Budgeting since the initiative began in 2011. To read more about the Council’s Participatory Budgeting initiative and past results, visit council.nyc.gov/PB.

“Participatory Budgeting is one of the clearest ways we bring people into the decisions that shape their neighborhoods,” said Deputy Speaker Dr. Nantasha Williams. “It gives residents a direct role in identifying needs, putting forward ideas, and seeing those ideas move toward real investment.  It creates a level of transparency and engagement that people can actually experience. It makes government more accessible and ensures that the priorities we fund are informed by the communities we serve. That’s how we build a budget that reflects real needs and real input from New Yorkers.”

“Participatory Budgeting is one of the most direct ways for New Yorkers to play an active role in shaping the future of our neighborhoods,” said Majority Leader Shaun Abreu. “From improving our parks and community gardens to upgrading libraries and school buildings, we can set big priorities together. I encourage everyone in Upper Manhattan to make their voices heard.”

“At a time when many people feel disconnected from government, Participatory Budgeting creates pathways for residents, especially young people, to have a real role in decision making,” said Deputy Whip Elsie Encarnación. “I am proud to be part of this process because it is not just about voting, it is about building a stronger, more informed, and engaged community. This work is intentional and meaningful because it ensures taxpayers have a direct say in how public dollars are spent. At its core, PB is about making sure our communities are not just heard but are truly part of the decisions that impact their daily lives. Government works best when it is shaped by the people it serves, and I am committed to making sure your voice is part of that process.”

“Participatory Budgeting is one of the most impactful ways we advance equity and community-driven investment across our city,” said Council Member Kevin C. Riley. “By opening the process to residents as young as 11, we are creating real pathways for civic engagement and ensuring our budget reflects lived experiences. This is how we build trust, strengthen communities, and deliver investments that truly matter. I encourage all eligible New Yorkers to participate in Vote Week and help shape the future of their neighborhoods.”

“We’re honored to bring Participatory Budgeting back to District 25 for the fourth consecutive year, empowering residents to have a direct voice in public spending,” said Council Member Shekar Krishnan. “With the cost of living becoming unaffordable for families in Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, and Woodside, projects like the ones we are voting on this year ensure our communities’ resources are stronger than they’ve ever been. Last year, over 1,700 people in our district voted and decided to fund incredible classroom improvements— we are proud to participate in a program that ensures the people are heard in the budget process.”

“Participatory Budgeting is one of the most meaningful ways we can bring people directly into city government and give them a real voice in how public dollars are spent,” said Council Member Christopher Marte. “This year, our office will allocate $1 million in capital funding through this process, putting District 1 residents in a position to help decide which community projects should move forward. From the Lower East Side and Chinatown to Tribeca, SoHo, FiDi, and Battery Park City, our neighbors consistently show up with smart, practical ideas to improve the places they rely on every day. I’m proud to participate in this process again this year and encourage everyone eligible to cast a vote.”

“Our budget reflects our values, and participatory budgeting is a democratic process that gives everyone a real say in how we spend public dollars,” said Council Member Harvey Epstein. “We are allocating program funding to support nonprofits providing arts, culture, accessibility, and ecology-focused programming across the district. Participatory budgeting is an opportunity to invest in community-driven initiatives that serve residents across all socioeconomic backgrounds and reflect the true diversity of our neighborhoods. This year, my office is proud to pilot a new approach: funding nonprofit-led programs that are designed by and for our community.”

“Participatory budgeting is one of the most powerful tools we have to democratize local government—giving everyday New Yorkers a direct say in how public dollars are spent, while helping our communities better understand how government works,” said Council Member Pierina Sanchez. “For the fifth year in a row, residents of the Northwest Bronx will decide how to invest $1 million in our neighborhood. Each year, we are seeing more neighbors step up as leaders, bring forward ideas, and participate in the voting process. That growth is what real civic engagement looks like. I’m excited for the votes to be cast and grateful to Speaker Julie Menin for continuing to expand this work and bring more New Yorkers into decision-making.”

“Participatory Budgeting Vote Week is more than a process; it’s our community’s power in action,” said Council Member Althea Stevens. “Every vote is a voice, and every voice helps decide the future of our neighborhoods. I urge every resident to step up, speak through your vote, and invest in the projects that will shape our community for years to come.”

“As the Council Member who represents a historically overlooked and systemically underinvested region of the Bronx, it is paramount that we not only continue to offer critical services, programming and resources year ’round but also give the people a choice in what they want to allocate their tax dollars to. This is the fifth consecutive budget cycle that I have opted in to ensure that our youth, seniors, immigrants and working families in District 18 continue to be empowered through this participatory budgeting process,” said Council Member Amanda Farías. “The projects on the ballot this year have the potential to bring much needed improvements to schools, community gardens, transportation hubs and public parks throughout our neighborhood; and I am so excited to see what my fellow Bronxites vote to have funded this year.”

“Participatory budgeting is the most democratic of processes. Over $1 million, to be decided and distributed directly by the people,” said Council Member Tiffany Cabán. “At a time when the federal government is weakening our democracy and taking away vital funding from our communities, we can strengthen it locally through tools like participatory budgeting. I look forward to seeing how the community will continue to come together during vote week to decide which of these projects ultimately get funded.”

“We’re bringing Participatory Budgeting back for Cycle 15! Our ballot this year includes ten capital projects that focus on fire safety, community gardens, and school improvements for our students,” said Council Member Julie Won. “During vote week, anyone 11 years or older—regardless of immigration status—can vote in this process and decide how our community should spend $1 million. My team will be at voting sites throughout the district and we’re excited to help you cast your votes!”

“Participatory Budgeting gives residents a real voice in shaping the future of their neighborhoods,” said Council Member Lynn Schulman. “From improving our parks and schools to investing in street safety and community spaces, this process puts decision-making power directly in the hands of the people. I encourage everyone in District 29 to take part in Vote Week from April 11 through April 19 and help decide how our public dollars are spent — because the strongest communities are the ones where every voice is heard.”

“Participatory Budgeting has been a powerful tool for civic engagement in our community since the very beginning, and District 34 has consistently led the way,” said Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez. “Year after year, our residents bring forward thoughtful ideas, show up in record numbers, and make their voices heard, and we’ve seen some of the highest engagement and vote counts across the city. In my district, PB isn’t just a program, it’s part of our fabric. Our community knows how to show up and show out, and that’s what makes this process so meaningful. I’m encouraged by the continued energy and leadership from our residents, and I look forward to seeing how the community shapes this year’s winning projects.”

“Participatory Budgeting (PB) gives our communities real power to decide how $1 million in public dollars are spent,” said Council Member Crystal Hudson. “PB is a critical tool for making our government more responsive, transparent, and rooted in community priorities. I’m proud to support this work each year and encourage every district resident age 11 and older to take part in vote week to help shape the future of our shared communities.”

“Participatory budgeting shows people that their government works for them, but also that they can directly effect change in their communities,” said Council Member Sandy Nurse. “From our eldest seniors to youth across our schools, participatory budgeting activates our neighbors to help us decide how to spend $1 million. Now as I begin my second term as District 37’s Council Member, I’m proud to say that we’re launching our fourth cycle this year, with nine projects across educational and environmental justice on the ballot, and I can’t wait to see what our community decides.”

“Participatory budgeting in District 39 is a powerful example of local democracy in action, with neighbors coming together to directly decide how public funds are spent,” said Council Member Shahana Hanif. “This process helps ensure that investments reflect the real needs and priorities of our communities, while building transparency, trust, and civic engagement at the hyper-local level. As one of the first districts to pilot PB, we helped demonstrate what it looks like when everyday New Yorkers are trusted with real decision-making power.”

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