College Park Participatory Budgeting

You decide. We deliver.

Mayor Bianca Motley Broom invites you to help shape College Park’s future through the City’s first-ever Participatory Budgeting (PB) process. For the first time, residents will have direct power to decide how $225,000 in community enhancement funds are invested in neighborhoods across College Park.

This community-driven initiative reflects Mayor Bianca Motley Broom’s commitment to equitable, transparent, and resident-centered governance by ensuring City investments are guided by the priorities, voices, and lived experiences of the people who call College Park home.

What Is Participatory Budgeting?

Participatory Budgeting is a democratic process that allows residents to directly decide how designated public funds are used. It puts you in the driver’s seat by empowering you to propose ideas, discuss priorities with your neighbors, and vote on the projects that matter most to you. Instead of decisions being made solely by City officials, the community helps shape how resources are invested.

Participatory Budgeting:

  • Builds trust between residents and City government

  • Increases civic engagement across neighborhoods

  • Centers community voice in spending decisions

  • Aligns with the Mayor’s priority for responsive, equitable leadership

  • Allows meaningful investment before the fiscal year ends on June 30, 2026

This inaugural PB cycle is designed as a pilot, laying the foundation for future years.

How Much Funding Is Available?

Mayor Bianca Motley Broom is allocating $225,000 to Participatory Budgeting. This represents 25% of the Mayor’s Community Enhancement Budget for this pilot year. This approach allows multiple community-selected projects to be funded while maintaining flexibility for other investments.

Funding Breakdown

  • $150,000 for Capital Projects
    (infrastructure, physical improvements, equipment)

  • $75,000 for Non-Capital Projects
    (programs, services, pilot initiatives)

Who Can Participate?

Participatory Budgeting is open to:

  • Residents of College Park (including, renters and homeowners across all four wards; youth and seniors)

  • City of College Park Staff

No prior experience with City government is required; your lived experience matters.

What Types of Ideas Can Be Submitted?

Ideas must:

  • Serve a public benefit

  • Be located within College Park

  • Be feasible within the available budget

  • Align with City laws, codes, and policies

  • Be sustainable for the City to maintain

Examples may include:

  • Neighborhood improvements

  • Parks and public space upgrades

  • Youth or senior programs

  • Community safety or wellness initiatives

  • Accessibility or beautification projects

Transparency & Accountability

Mayor Bianca Motley Broom is committed to keeping residents informed every step of the way. If a project becomes infeasible, the Mayor will join city staff in clearly communicating next steps and how funds will be reallocated under PB rules. This page will serve as the official source of  information for:

  • Program rules and updates

  • Submitted project ideas

  • Voting results

  • Implementation timelines

  • Progress reports and final outcomes

How the Process Works

December 2025 | Initiate Participatory Budgeting

  • Public announcement at a City Town Hall

  • Release of rules, categories, and funding amounts

January 2026 | Collect Community Ideas

Submit your proposals online or in person. What does College Park need? What would make your neighborhood better?

  • January 5: Submission window opens for residents to submit ideas online and in person

  • Targeted outreach across all neighborhoods

February 2026 | Collect Community Ideas

  • City staff review ideas for cost, feasibility, and compliance

  • A final list of eligible projects is developed

March 2026 | Vote on Community Priorities

All College Park residents will vote on the final proposals. The projects with the most votes get funded.

  • Residents vote online and in person

  • Projects with the most votes receive funding

April 2026 | Announce Selected Projects

Winning projects will be announced in April, and implementation begins immediately. All funds must be spent by June 30, 2026.

  • Winning projects are publicly announced

  • Implementation planning begins

May–June 2026 | Implement Funded Projects

  • City departments execute funded projects

  • Regular public progress updates are shared

  • All PB funds are spent by June 30, 2026

Stay Engaged

Participatory Budgeting is about more than funding; it’s about shared ownership of College Park’s future. This is more than a budget exercise.It's about building trust, strengthening our community, and ensuring that every voice is heard. Participatory Budgeting makes government more transparent, more responsive, and more connected to the people it serves.
Questions? Contact kelli.ramsey@collegeparkga.gov

Want updates? Stay close to this update page and subscribe to the Mayor’s email updates.

Together, we’re building a city where our collective voices lead the way. We are building the community we deserve.