NYC Youth: How Would YOU Spend $100K?

EDITOR’S NOTE (2/22/21): The voting period for the “It’s Our Money” participatory budgeting process has been extended to Friday, February 26, 2021. The information below has been updated to reflect this new deadline.

It’s time for New York City’s young people to make themselves heard!

The NYC Civic Engagement Commission is asking all New Yorkers, ages 9–24, to be a part of It’s Our Money, the City’s first-ever, youth-led participatory budgeting process that gives young City residents the chance to help decide how the City should spend $100K on projects that benefit their communities.

Through It’s Our Money, YOU can choose your favorite ideas from a list of 50 projects to vote from, including projects that:

• Help youth deal with anxiety and stress;
• Provide homework help and other educational programs;
• Grant career opportunities;
• Allow you to do more of the things you love, like making art, playing music, participating in sports, etc; and
• Give you ways to advocate for even more change in NYC

To participate in the It’s Our Money process, you need to:

• Register for an NYC ID Account

  • • You will need an NYC ID Account to participate in It’s Our Money. If you do not already have an NYC ID account, you may create one. Just note that youth between the ages of 9–12 will need to have a parent or guardian create an NYC ID Account for them and assist them with voting, given privacy concerns and protections.

• Click on the voting page

  • • Visit participate.nyc.gov and click on the blue “Vote Now” button to view the list of projects available—you must choose at least two proposals to cast your vote, and you may select up to five proposals. If you haven’t already logged into your NYC ID Account, you will be prompted to do so after clicking on any proposal.

• Check out the projects

  • • You can sort the list of projects by borough or by category.

• Select your favorite projects, and VOTE

  • • The top five projects with the most votes will receive funding!

Questions? Visit the It’s Our Money webpage to learn more about this participatory budgeting process, and make sure you get your submit your vote by Friday, February 26, 2021!

Don’t leave $100,000 to someone else—make your voice heard.

Banner photo by cottonbro. Used under Creative Commons license. Original can be found on Pexels.