What's Happening with Participatory Budgeting in Tacoma?
Participatory Budgeting is a democratic process in which a community decides how to spend a portion of their government's budget. The City of Tacoma set aside $1,000,000 for Districts 4 and 2.
District 4's Implementation Phase and Update
The City of Tacoma has invested $800,000 to expand youth and cultural programming in District 4, as directed by the more than 12,000 District 4 residents who had voted last year to direct Participatory Budgeting funds in support of enriching experiences for youth beyond the school day, while celebrating Tacoma’s diverse cultural heritage.
The District 4 Request for Proposals (RFP) process for youth and cultural programming funding is LIVE! You can apply for funding, access information and a timeline (with details to the virtual information session and RFP submission guidelines) of the process here.
The City of Tacoma has partnered with the Foundation for Tacoma Students to put out a Request for Proposals (RFP) supporting programming that helps realize District 4’s overarching vision. The Foundation for Tacoma Students will serve as the City’s technical and administrative partner, ensuring an accessible and efficient grant process. Community groups active in youth activities and cultural celebrations in District 4 will lead on proposal selection, ensuring funding decisions that reflect the community's needs and values. The $800,000 will be distributed in two categories:
- Cultural Programming: $400,000 total, helping five to eight organizations sustain three years of cultural events.
- Youth Programming: $400,000 total, funding five to eight organizations that will each provide one year of out-of-school programming.
Priority will be given to youth programming serving youth ages 4-18, particularly middle and high school students, and organizations with strong ties to – and services in – District 4.
District 2 $1 Million Project Announcement
Over 2,000 ideas were submitted by you and your neighbors in Tacoma's Council District 2 (Downtown, Dome District, Stadium District, Northeast Tacoma, and North Tacoma).
Over 6,000 Participatory Budgeting votes were tallied from community members in District 2. The community-proposed project that has been selected will design and build a covered skate park featuring public art in Downtown Tacoma, in a location under I-705. The proposed project is an exciting community initiative aimed at creating a vibrant space for both skateboarding and public art. Implementation is projected to begin in 2025 with Parks Tacoma leading that phase.
Other community-proposed projects in District 2 had included:
- Upgrade accommodations at the City of Tacoma’s emergency shelter stability site on Puyallup Avenue with two shower/bathroom units, added access to electricity, ADA accessibility, and more.
- Fund youth programming for the new dedicated teen area, the community hub, and the Makerspace at Tacoma Public Library’s Main location.
The Participatory Budgeting process will be delayed to a future date, meaning that no new Council District processes will start in the fall of 2024.
Closing the General Fund’s gap in the 2025-2026 Proposed Budget means difficult tradeoffs and reductions. The proposed budget begins to address the structural gap through pausing the remaining three Participatory Budgeting projects so that funding can be used to help balance the budget. As future budget processes come forward, the City will assess the appropriate time to restart Participatory Budgeting processes.