We coordinate and support global research on participatory democracy and its impacts.

As an initial foundation for this work, we convened a Global PB Research Board and worked with it to create a shared global research agenda for participatory budgeting. We are now working with partners to compile and share research data for other types of participatory democracy.

Impact Data
National PB laws
PB Theory of Change
Global PB Research Agenda

Impact Data

We are compiling key findings about the impacts of participatory democracy around the world, and making them accessible through seminars, research briefs, and short articles. To start, we compiled data on the impacts of participatory budgeting.

Featured
Impacts of participatory budgeting: what we know
Impacts of participatory budgeting: what we know

This research brief offers a global picture of the current state of research on the short- and long-term impacts of participatory budgeting (PB) on people, communities, and governments.

Read More →
Featured
A Global Theory of Change for Participatory Budgeting
A Global Theory of Change for Participatory Budgeting

In this People Powered University seminar, you’ll learn about the Participatory Budgeting (PB) Theory of Change, the current state of research on the impacts of PB, and priorities for further research on impacts identified by the Global PB Research Board.

Impacts of Participatory Budgeting on Education & Learning
Impacts of Participatory Budgeting on Education & Learning

How can participatory budgeting promote civic education and learning? Find out what the research shows and how you can put it into practice in the next People Powered University seminar.

Impacts of Participatory Budgeting on Civil Society & Political Participation
Impacts of Participatory Budgeting on Civil Society & Political Participation

Learn about research on the impacts of participatory budgeting on civil society & political participation, and how to use these findings in your work.

Impacts of Participatory Budgeting on Governance & Well-Being
Impacts of Participatory Budgeting on Governance & Well-Being

Learn about key research on the impacts of participatory budgeting on governance and well-being, and how to use these findings in your work.

National PB laws

Written by members of the Global PB Research Board, Participatory Budgeting via National Law: What Works and What Doesn’t describes the efforts of 11 countries to create a national legal framework for PB, along with key lessons from these experiences. The report includes case studies, assessments of their strengths and areas for improvement, common challenges, and recommendations for advocates and practitioners considering this approach.

The report is available in English, French, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish.

PB Theory of Change

Featured
Participatory Budgeting Theory of Change
Participatory Budgeting Theory of Change

The Participatory Budgeting Theory of Change is a tool that can help you understand how PB can lead to desired changes for people, communities and governments.

The Theory of Change maps four stages of change: inputs, activities, outcomes, and impacts. While these stages may overlap in practice, the tool aims to make the complexity of everyday practice more intelligible and help us think critically about the bigger picture.

This resource was developed by members of the global PB research and practitioner boards. It advances the Global PB Research Agenda, bringing together researchers’ and practitioners’ experiences, findings, and hypotheses.

The PB Theory of Change is available in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese and German.

Learn more:

Global PB Research Agenda

Download the Global PB Research Agenda

The Global PB Research Board created a research agenda to prioritize the most important research needed to advance participatory budgeting.