The goal is to collect a wide range of ideas on how to spend $2 million from the American Rescue Plan Act. | Mars/Unsplash
The goal is to collect a wide range of ideas on how to spend $2 million from the American Rescue Plan Act. | Mars/Unsplash
The Participatory Budgeting Grand Rapids (PBGR) Steering Committee has joined up with the Grand Rapids Public Schools’ (GRPS) Superintendent's Scholar Advisory Council on how to utilize $2 million in funds received from the American Rescue Plan Act.
A portion of the GRPS strategic plan involves feedback from the city’s 10 high schools, consisting of two juniors or seniors who meet monthly to campaign for the needs of students, according to the City of Grand Rapids' website.
"We know that active youth engagement leads to improved outcomes," Bo Torres, PBGR steering committee member, said. "That’s why we sought a meaningful partnership with the Scholar Advisory Council. These scholars will use their influence with their peers to encourage teens to become involved in the participatory budgeting process. Our young people's ideas, skills, and strengths will enhance the PBGR initiative. We are looking forward to seeing their unique perspective on ways to improve our community through the ideas that they submit.”
The city reported that residents age 13 or older can enter their community project ideas through PBGR.org by May 31. The organization will accept numerous submissions.
Luca Chisholm, a Grand Rapids Board of Education scholar representative, member of the Superintendent’s Scholar Advisory Council, and senior at City High Middle School, said the city is encouraging students to engage in the process.
“The Superintendent’s Scholar Advisory Council is leading engagement efforts so scholars from every corner of our city have a voice not only in district affairs but also in our city’s budget process,” Chisholm said, according to the website. “Empowering youth voice in the allocation of our public dollars not only helps to establish a standard of sustainable connection between our city’s youth and our elected officials, but also works to recognize the crucial connection between community investment and student success.”
The city’s "participatory budgeting process follows best practice for municipal budgeting," the website said. This means that cities should spend $1 million per 100,000 residents, which is more than Oakland, Calif. ($185,000 per 100,000), Durham, N.C. ($889,000 per 100,000), and Sacramento, Calif. ($200,000 per 100,000), according to the website.
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