Denver PB: Proposal Development

Proposal Development

The City has set aside $2 million for residents to decide how to spend on neighborhood improvement projects. The money will be split in the following ways:

  • A citywide ballot for all other areas in the city with a budget of $1M for residents who live or go to school in all other areas of the city
  • A far northeast Denver ballot with a maximum budget of $400K for residents living in Montbello or Green Valley Ranch/Gateway
  • An east Denver ballot with a budget of $300K for residents who live or go to school in East Colfax, Montclair, Hale, or South Park Hill
  • An east central Denver ballot with a budget of $300K for residents who live or go to school in City Park, City Park West, Congress Park, Cheesman Park, Capitol Hill, or North Capitol Hill

During the Proposal Development phase of Denver's Participatory Budgeting (PB) process, volunteers (known as Budget Delegates) serve a critical role in the PB process: Budget Delegates build the ballots that community members will use to make an informed decision on which projects to fund using the $2 million.

Community members serving as Budget Delegates will meet on a weekly basis from July through mid-September, working together in facilitated committees to develop concrete proposals for the ballot.

Budget Delegates will receive a small stipend for their work.

Map of where the $2 million dollars for Denver PB can be spent

WHO CAN Serve as a Budget Delegate?

Denver residents must meet the following eligibility guidelines to serve as a Budget Delegate:

  • To serve as a Budget Delegate for one of the pilot focus neighborhoods, you should be 10 years of age or older and live or go to school in that particular focus area.
    • Far Northeast (Montbello, Gateway-Green Valley Ranch, DIA)
    • East (South Park Hill, Hale, Montclair, East Colfax)
    • East Central (North Capitol Hill, Capitol Hill, City Park West, Cheesman Park, City Park, Congress Park)
  • To serve as a Budget Delegate in any other Denver neighborhood, you should be 10 years of age or older and live or go to school in Denver.


WHAT HAPPENS DURING PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT?

After an initial feasibility review by the City to determine which project ideas can feasibly be implemented by the City, Budget Delegates then prioritize ideas collected during the Idea Collection phase by scoring and ranking project ideas based on the need they are addressing, their anticipated impact, their impact on equity, and other criteria to determine which will end up on the ballot. Finally, Budget Delegates (with support from city experts) develop those selected projects into full project proposals complete with detailed descriptions, cost-estimates, timelines, and impact assessments for the ballot(s).


How will Budget Delegate Meetings Work?

Budget Delegate meetings will take place from August through mid-to-late-September on a weekly basis for 1.5 hours to 3 hours per week. Meetings may be held virtually (online), some meetings may be in-person (e.g., site visits), and some meetings may have hybrid (in-person and virtual) options offered. Meetings will be facilitated by city staff and the City's implementation partner, the Participatory Budgeting Project.


Check out the Proposal Development FAQs for more details about the Proposal Development phase and being a Budget Delegate.


Were you trying to submit a project idea? Head back to the Idea Collection page for the link to submit your idea.

Proposal Development

The City has set aside $2 million for residents to decide how to spend on neighborhood improvement projects. The money will be split in the following ways:

  • A citywide ballot for all other areas in the city with a budget of $1M for residents who live or go to school in all other areas of the city
  • A far northeast Denver ballot with a maximum budget of $400K for residents living in Montbello or Green Valley Ranch/Gateway
  • An east Denver ballot with a budget of $300K for residents who live or go to school in East Colfax, Montclair, Hale, or South Park Hill
  • An east central Denver ballot with a budget of $300K for residents who live or go to school in City Park, City Park West, Congress Park, Cheesman Park, Capitol Hill, or North Capitol Hill

During the Proposal Development phase of Denver's Participatory Budgeting (PB) process, volunteers (known as Budget Delegates) serve a critical role in the PB process: Budget Delegates build the ballots that community members will use to make an informed decision on which projects to fund using the $2 million.

Community members serving as Budget Delegates will meet on a weekly basis from July through mid-September, working together in facilitated committees to develop concrete proposals for the ballot.

Budget Delegates will receive a small stipend for their work.

Map of where the $2 million dollars for Denver PB can be spent

WHO CAN Serve as a Budget Delegate?

Denver residents must meet the following eligibility guidelines to serve as a Budget Delegate:

  • To serve as a Budget Delegate for one of the pilot focus neighborhoods, you should be 10 years of age or older and live or go to school in that particular focus area.
    • Far Northeast (Montbello, Gateway-Green Valley Ranch, DIA)
    • East (South Park Hill, Hale, Montclair, East Colfax)
    • East Central (North Capitol Hill, Capitol Hill, City Park West, Cheesman Park, City Park, Congress Park)
  • To serve as a Budget Delegate in any other Denver neighborhood, you should be 10 years of age or older and live or go to school in Denver.


WHAT HAPPENS DURING PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT?

After an initial feasibility review by the City to determine which project ideas can feasibly be implemented by the City, Budget Delegates then prioritize ideas collected during the Idea Collection phase by scoring and ranking project ideas based on the need they are addressing, their anticipated impact, their impact on equity, and other criteria to determine which will end up on the ballot. Finally, Budget Delegates (with support from city experts) develop those selected projects into full project proposals complete with detailed descriptions, cost-estimates, timelines, and impact assessments for the ballot(s).


How will Budget Delegate Meetings Work?

Budget Delegate meetings will take place from August through mid-to-late-September on a weekly basis for 1.5 hours to 3 hours per week. Meetings may be held virtually (online), some meetings may be in-person (e.g., site visits), and some meetings may have hybrid (in-person and virtual) options offered. Meetings will be facilitated by city staff and the City's implementation partner, the Participatory Budgeting Project.


Check out the Proposal Development FAQs for more details about the Proposal Development phase and being a Budget Delegate.


Were you trying to submit a project idea? Head back to the Idea Collection page for the link to submit your idea.

Page last updated: 21 Oct 2022, 12:47 PM