Participatory Budgeting for Social Equity: A Comparative Analysis

ABSTRACT Embracing participatory budgeting in meaningful ways gives the citizenry an increased voice in allocating local government funds. Using an integrated social equity framework, we compare ten communities in the U.S. that have implemented participatory budgeting. Qualitative interviews of public managers involved in participatory budgeting revealed that, when designed with equity in mind, PB can promote access, fairness, and quality, leading to meaningful outcomes for marginalized groups, such as support for homeownership, increased civic participation, and additional funding for education. Our sample largely favored the practice because of its ability to facilitate inclusion, provide citizens with a greater level of engagement, and the ability for individual and organizational learning. Despite challenges, our findings demonstrate the potential of participatory budgeting to enhance social fairness in local governments. Future research should concentrate on overcoming obstacles and the factors that lead communities to prioritize certain projects over others.