In Fall 2026-Winter 2027, The City of Providence will host a participatory budgeting process for Ward 11 community members to weigh in on how to spend $6.6 million in Capital Improvement Program (CIP) funds in their neighborhoods. This project was initiated by City Councilor Mary Kay Harris and is a collaborative effort between the Providence Department of Planning and Development, Providence City Council, and a steering committee of neighborhood leaders. CIVIC, Inc has been hired to help facilitate the process. The timeline for the participatory budgeting process is expedited to ensure funding is allocated to projects within fiscal deadlines.
Steering Committee members include Kai Cameron, Will Casey, Debra Harris, John Prince, Yaimani Rivera, Deborah Schimberg, and Asata Tigrai.
Participatory budgeting allows community members to vote directly on how to spend City funding on the projects that matter to them most. It has been employed in communities across the country, including New York City; Cambridge, Massachusetts; and in Central Providence through the Nine Neighborhood Fund. It is one of the most direct and impactful ways members of the public can be involved in improving their communities.
The Ward 11 participatory budgeting process will occur in Fall 2026-Winter 2027, with construction for selected projects expected to begin in 2027. The process will be divided into three phases—ideas and priorities, project development, and voting—and each phase will involve multiple ways for residents to weigh in, including in-person and online options.
The Planning Department’s first meeting will take place on Monday November 9, from 6:30pm to 7:00pm, at Davey Lopes Recreation Center, and will be focused on defining priorities and brainstorming project ideas. An online survey will be posted on this web page for those who cannot attend the meeting.
Projects eligible for proposal in the participatory budgeting process are new infrastructure projects or improvements to existing infrastructure in the area bounded by the I-95 service road and high schools to the north, Prairie Avenue to the east, Chester Avenue to the south, and Broad Street to the west (see map below).
Capital Improvement Program funds can be spent on one-time projects on public property such as new infrastructure or improvements to existing infrastructure. Examples of CIP-eligible projects could include, but are not limited to, sidewalk and street repairs, street lights, benches, street trees, and public art.
Updates
Sign up here to receive updates on the participatory budgeting process, including information about public events and ways to weigh in.
Project Overview (English)