Ballot  and Voter Guide 

People Powered 2023 Planning and Board of Directors Selection

Welcome to the voting stage of the People Powered 2023 Planning process! 

You will vote on the proposals that were prioritized and developed through calls and discussions on the online governance platform by members in the last two months. You will decide which proposals to fund and who to elect to the board of directors. You can vote from November 11th to 18th. This guide includes information about the vote, the ballots, staff testimonials, and the full project descriptions.

How to vote:

Complete the ballot in the governance platform where you will:

1. Select your top 4-5 proposals to be implemented in 2023,

2. Select new board of directors members, 

3. Answer a few short survey questions.  

When voting think about the following guiding questions: 

1. Impact: What will best support People Powered’s mission and strategic plan? What will help build the collective power of our member community? What will help improve and expand participatory democracy programs?

2. Feasibility: What can most realistically be implemented in 2023?

3. Relevance: What will be most relevant and applicable in multiple countries and regions? 

4. Equity: What will most support people in the Global South and marginalized communities?

           *You can review staff testimonials to learn more about how the proposals will impact our work on page 4!

How did we select the proposals in the ballot? 

The proposals in the ballot were selected based on the following criteria:

• The number of supports that they received through the governance platform and expression of interests through the video calls

• Ideas that we were not already implementing or in our commitments for 2023. 

• The merged proposals were suggested and/or approved by the authors of those proposals. 

• The Governance Committee oversaw and approved this process.  

If you have questions or comments about your idea or the process in general, you can contact us at info@peoplepowered.org

Ballot: 2023 Planning

1.Fundraising manager to mobilize funding and resources for member priorities - $80,000

Hire a staff member to support fundraising and resource mobilization, to raise essential funds for member projects and overall People Powered priorities.

2. Global survey of participatory budgeting participants - $100,000

Produce and implement a global survey of PB participants around the world, to generate systematic information on their experiences and provide a valuable new data set.

3. Guide to low-tech participation tools - $40,000

Expand the Digital Participation Platforms Resource Center by creating a guide to simple or single-use tech tools that can be used for engagement.

4. In-person member meeting - $100,000

Organize an in-person meeting of People Powered members to build relationships, plan our work together, and develop and test global tools and resources.

5. Interactive database and map of members and projects - $20,000

Create an interactive database and map of People Powered members and their projects, to enable members to find information, partners and collaboration opportunities.

6. Monitoring, evaluation and learning process for the work of People Powered  - $50,000

Hire a consultant to create a monitoring, evaluation and learning process for the work of People Powered, and to evaluate our initial programs.

7. More support for strengthening existing regional hubs - $50,000

Allocate additional funds to sustain and grow the initial two People Powered regional hubs.

8. New communication channels for members - $10,000

Create and manage Slack and/or WhatsApp groups for members, and actively support and moderate participation to encourage collaboration.

9. Regional hubs launch kit and launch of an additional hub - $40,000

Develop a regional hub launch toolkit to make it easier to start new hubs, and launch an additional hub in a new region.

10. Short videos and podcast content on participatory democracy - $30,000

Create short videos and audio recordings to introduce new audiences to participatory democracy, which can be used to support advocacy and communication efforts.

11. Small grants for research and projects - $60,000

Continue the small grants program and expand it to include grants for both research and the prototyping of innovative ideas that benefit the People Powered community.

12. Summer school or academy for participatory democracy practitioners and researchers - $80,000

Organize a week-long academy on participatory democracy, to bring together diverse practitioners and researchers to build relationships, tackle challenges and develop skills.

13. Training and support for effective communication with governments - $30,000

Provide training and resources to help organizations better understand government needs and motivations, and how to effectively communicate with and influence governments.

Full Proposal Text

1. Fundraising manager to mobilize funding and resources for member priorities

People Powered currently has no staff members dedicated to fundraising. Hire new staff member to support fundraising and resource mobilization. The fundraising manager would be dedicated to raising essential funds for collaborative projects between member organizations and for overall People Powered priorities. They will also help build the capacity of members to raise funds for their work.
It will be difficult to increase our funding and support for members without having fundraising staff. This is the only position that is anticipated to pay for itself and raise additional revenue to pay for other projects. 
Budget includes hiring a new full-time person, and staff time to hire and onboard the new person.

Merged ideas:

• Hire a fundraising manager
• Building capacity of members in resource mobilization for Participatory Budgeting

Cost: $80,000

2. Global survey of participatory budgeting participants

Produce and carry out a global survey of PB participants around the world, to generate systematic information on their experiences and provide a valuable new data set. PB research in many countries focuses on institutional designs and overall impacts. Systematic information on participants' experiences is not often available. 
The questions of the survey will evaluate: the motivations to participate, the trajectory of the participants, the intensity of the participation (frequency and type of actions carried out), the level of fulfillment of expectations in the process, the learnings, and the level of inclusiveness, equity and recognition felt by participants. 
The survey could be carried out in PB processes developed by governments around the world, trying to be representative of different continents and socioeconomic contexts. The survey could become a regular People Powered product, free to use and designed for wide communication to non-specialist global audiences.
Budget includes contracts for members and staff time for developing the survey, setting up the infrastructure for data collection, promoting the survey and soliciting responses, compiling and analyzing data, and making data publicly accessible. Additional expenses include software costs and prizes for survey completion.

Original idea: 

• Surveys to Participatory Budgeting Participants

Cost: $100,000

3. Guide to low tech participation tools

Expand the Digital Participation Platforms Resource Center by creating a guide for simpler or single-use tech tools that can be used for engagement. Alongside complex digital participation platforms, many governments have creatively adopted lower tech solutions- such as radio and SMS - and apps - such as WhatsApp and Zoom to engage in participatory programs. 
These tools can be especially useful for people who don’t have as much access to technology and/or internet connectivity. The guide to low tech for civic engagement will help advocates and policymakers around the world to select and use these civic tech tools to engage residents, including an overview of these tools, key functions, best practices, and resources for further learning. The guide could be used later to develop accompanying ratings to introduce people to the most useful tools and how to select them.

Original idea: 

• Guide to low tech tools for people's participation

Cost: $40,000

4. In-person member meeting

Organize an in-person meeting of People Powered members, to build relationships and plan our work together. We are already planning a convening in Mexico City in May 2023 for 13 member organizations as part of the Building Inclusive Democracy program (funded by NED). Use funding from People Powered budget to bring additional members to the convening and expand its scope. The meeting would include spaces for: 

• Strategic planning, since we need to refresh the People Powered strategic plan in 2023.
• Exchange of experiences and lessons. 
• Further development and testing of global tools and resources, such as the Participation Playbook and online courses. 
• Prototyping of innovations to address common challenges.
• Learning from local experiences with participatory democracy.
• Contribution to local advocacy efforts.

Merged ideas:

• Peer learning exchange program for PB members Innovation
• "Hacking" Lab: Practitioners Prototype New / Improved PD Tools 
• Further develop co-created initiatives for the global south (DemoReset)

Cost: $100,000

5. Interactive database and map of members and projects

Create an interactive database and map of People Powered members and their projects, to enable members to find information, partners and collaboration opportunities. 
Compile data on members from existing sources and a survey through which member organizations share their experiences, resources, practices, needs and impacts. This would leverage the strength and diversity of the network to help answer important research questions and support learning.
Budget includes technology, web design support and staff time for creating and maintaining the resources.

Merged ideas:

• Create a map of current members and ongoing projects 
• Survey (Research) of all members and member organizations

Cost: $20,000

6. Monitoring, evaluation and learning process for the work of People Powered

Hire a consultant to create a monitoring, evaluation and learning process for the work of People Powered, and to evaluate our initial programs. This project would help us understand lessons learned and make improvements. After almost three years since People Powered launched, it is a good moment to create and implement a monitoring, evaluation and learning process. This will help us understand the impacts of programs like the Participation Playbook and Rising Stars mentorships, and plan strategically based on the evidence about the most effective projects.
Budget includes a consultant contract and the staff time to hire and work with the identified resource.

Merged ideas:

• Learning agenda and monitor, evaluation and learning for People Powered's projects
• Hire monitoring and evaluation staff
• Training session on kobotoolbox

Cost: $50,000

7. More support for strengthening existing regional hubs

Allocate additional funds to sustain and grow the initial two People Powered regional hubs, to ensure sustainability and solidify their presence. In 2022, People Powered launched regional hubs in Francophone Africa and in Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans, allocating one year of funding to this member priority. 
The additional resources could be used for in-person convenings in each region for exchanging best practices, hiring regional advocates to promote the hub and its members, engaging in locally relevant governance spaces and/or customizing materials to fit regional contexts. Additional funding for activities would allow the hubs to widen their reach and increase the presence of People Powered in those respective regions. It will also allow the regional hubs to sustain their activities beyond May 2023 and to invest resources in fundraising to ensure sufficient funding for later.
Budget includes $10,000 contracts to a coordinating organization for each hub, $10,000 for additional expenses for each hub, and $10,000 in People Powered staff support and administration.

Merged ideas: 

• Regional hubs for expanding participatory and direct democracy
• Regional advocates for PB 
• Speed up translation of knowledge and material into desired result by strengthening national, subnational presence and support to local partners.

Cost: $50,000

8. New communication channels for members

Create and manage Slack and/or WhatsApp groups for members, and actively support and moderate participation to encourage collaboration. Not everyone uses email actively. Use these other apps to enable members to communicate and collaborate more easily, and to reach more people than through email communication alone.
Budget includes mostly staff time for management and moderation of communication channels, as well as some potential software costs.

Original idea: 

• Slack and/or WhatsApp groups for members

Cost: $10,000

9. Regional hubs launch kit and launch an additional hub

Develop a regional hub launch toolkit to make it easier to start new hubs, and launch an additional hub in a new region. 
After launching two initial regional hubs in 2022, this experience can be used to create a more universal methodology for setting up new regional hubs. The toolkit would include a common guide, documentation, and other necessary resources that would help standardize and simplify the process of establishing new hubs and allow People Powered to have a common baseline for effective monitoring and evaluation of the hubs. Creating a launch toolkit can provide guidance for new hubs and decrease the cost of establishing a hub. 
After developing the toolkit, use and test it by launching a new regional hub in an additional region, to complement the first two regional hubs. 
Budget includes a $10,000 contract to develop the regional hub launch toolkit, $10,000 for a coordinating organization for the new hub, $10,000 for additional expenses for the new hub, and $10,000 in People Powered staff support and administration.

Merged ideas: 

• Regional Hub Launch Kit 
• Regional advocates for PB 
• Speed up translation of knowledge and material into desired result by strengthening national, subnational presence and support to local partners.

Cost: $40,000

10. Short videos and podcast content on participatory democracy

Create short videos and audio recordings to introduce policymakers and advocates to participatory democracy, which can be used to support advocacy and communications efforts. The videos could be shared on People Powered and member websites, and the audio recordings could be used by members to create podcasts or support media coverage in existing podcasts. 
They would explain how different models of participatory democracy work, using examples, stories and research to generate interest. Having content in this format will be simpler and easier to consume.
Budget includes contracts for videographers, translators and staff support. 

Merged ideas:

• Podcast projects on participatory democracy 
• Podcast of participation experiences 
• People Powered Documentary

Cost: $30,000

11. Small grants for research and projects

Continue the small research grants program started in 2022 and expand it to include grants for both research and  prototyping of innovative ideas that benefit the People Powered community. In 2022, People Powered awarded four research grants to members. Through this new project, we would provide five to eight grants of up to $10,000 USD in 2023 to members for conducting research, creating small projects, prototyping innovative ideas and testing methodologies that address common needs and benefit the People Powered community. 

Merged ideas:

• Continue the research grants programme 
• Small Grants Program 
• Microgrants for community

Cost: $60,000

12. Summer school or academy for participatory democracy practitioners and researchers

Organize a week-long summer school or academy on participatory democracy, to bring together diverse new practitioners and researchers to build relationships and develop core skills and knowledge. Use the academy to build a talent and leadership pipeline, providing support for new voices and building a shared understanding of key issues. 
Include a mix of activities, from team-building to group projects to training. To plan the academy, bring together several leading research centers and university departments to develop curriculum and plans, and then to rotate hosting the academy. 
Budget includes staff time for planning, honoraria for academy organizers and faculty, and travel costs. This assumes that a local research institution will cover partial costs for the academy.

Merged ideas: 

• 1st summer school on Participatory Budgeting
• Create spaces for exchange on participatory democracy in universities and research centers

Cost: $80,000

13. Training and support for effective communication with governments

Provide training and resources to help organizations better understand government needs and motivations, and how to effectively communicate with and influence governments. Many organizations and advocates struggle to earn political support and persuade governments to use participatory democracy. This training and support will help members promote participation. Contract with a government communications expert or experts to help develop and deliver the training. Convert the training into a course on the People Powered learning management system, for long-term use. 
Budget includes contracts for external experts and staff time to coordinate and develop the online course.

Merged ideas:

• Conduct a comparative research on motivations and incentives for participation 
• Training for organizations in integral communication strategies and articulation with governments
• Toolkit on how to identify governments main problems and create communication strategies

Cost: $ 30,000

Board of Directors Ballot

Please vote in the People Powered governance platform between November 11th and 18th. We will share the voting link and more details on November 11th.

For board of directors selection, vote "Yes," "No" or "Abstain" for each candidate. There are 5 spots available for the 5 candidates. Candidates must receive support from a simple majority of voters (>50%) to be eligible for election.

Candidates

Staff testimonials 

People Powered staff share their perspectives on the projects that they support the most:

• Amanda Luz, Learning Design Coordinator: Create a monitoring, evaluation and learning process: This is a proposal that can support our future strategy planning as we approach the end of the cycle of the Strategic Plan 2021-2023. By taking in consideration the impact we were able to do in our initial years, this consultant can lay the groundwork for the years to come and propose new metrics and goals to work toward to.

• Clara Bois, Program Manager: Guide to low-tech participation tools: This proposal advances our work by providing solutions for digital engagement in places where digital participation platforms might not be the best solution because of digital illiteracy and/or low internet connectivity.

• Elizabeth Williams, Learning Design Fellow: Create a monitoring, evaluation and learning process for the work of People Powered: This is critical to the work that we do in People Powered as it would enable us monitor and track what works, document learnings and effectively reflect the impact of our work. This would ensure that future programs are driven by past learnings and SMART metrics.

• Josh Lerner, Executive Director: Hiring a fundraising manager is the one proposal that will directly increase the pot of money available for all of these projects. We have no dedicated fundraising staff now and if we don’t hire someone it will be difficult to raise additional funds for member priorities.

• Luiza Jardim, Community Building Fellow: Monitoring, evaluation and learning process for the work of People Powered. One of the questions that researchers and practitioners keep asking themselves is: how does participatory democracy impact societies? As a participatory democracy hub, it is essential that we also measure our impact, so we can redirect our strategies and instigate a culture of monitoring, evaluating and learning process for our members.

• Mariana Gonzalez, Community Building Coordinator: More support for strengthening existing regional hubs. This proposal will allow us to continue to support region-specific challenges and opportunities through the first two regional hubs (Central Eastern Europe and the Balkans and Francophone Africa) which the coordinating organizations started to set up earlier this year. The funding of this project selected in 2021 covers just one year. 

• Melissa Zisengwe: Guide to low-tech participation tools: This project will complement the comprehensive ratings and balance out our resources on comprehensive/high tech and low tech platforms, this would really benefit our community who are interested in digital participation but the comprehensive platforms are out of their reach. 

• Nikhil Kumar, Resource Coordinator: Small grants for research and projects. In the first year of our small grants program, we’ve allocated funding for four research projects led by members on inclusive participatory practices, digital participation, legislative theater and citizens’ assemblies and juries. Continuing and expanding the program will allow us to support more innovative research and practice led by our members, while advancing People Powered’s overall strategic plan.

• Nagham Sabah, Finance and Operations Director: Hiring a fundraising manager. This is a strategic investment for us as it will have a huge return in terms of increasing the revenue stream.

• Pam Bailey, Communications Director:  Global survey of participatory budgeting participants. We need the People Powered name in the news to attract new types of funders, partners and members. One of the “easiest” ways to attract media attention is to generate survey data that quantifies the spread of participatory democracy. And PB is one of the most recognized forms.

• Pamela Nwakanma, Research Coordinator: Hiring a fundraising manager seems to make the most sense to me as this would ensure sustainability and would also positively impact the other proposals