How it Works

Over the course of the next few months, residents will have the opportunity to submit project ideas, develop project idea into proposals, and vote for those capital projects. All Columbus community members over the age of 14 are invited to submit ideas, and anyone over the age of 16 is invited to participate in the final vote. The $9 million in capital funds will be distributed equally among the City's nine Council Districts. 

What Is a Capital Project? 

The City Capital Budget funds long-term capital projects that the City can build, improve, or buy. Think about:

• Infrastructure: Better roads, safer sidewalks, and improved water drainage.

• Environment: More trees, cleaner parks, and sustainable green spaces.

• Safety: Better lighting and upgraded facilities for first responders.

• Community: Improvements to community spaces and public buildings

The Steering Committee 

The Our Voice, Our Choice Budget Steering Committee for 2025-2026 is made up of 18 community members representing the 9 Columbus Districts. They came together in a series of eleven workshops to make key decisions about the implementation of Our Voice, Our Choice Budget for this pilot cycle, including the values, principles and goals guiding the pilot, eligibility criteria for participation in idea collection, and voting, as well as the system we use for voting. 

Community Partners 

The City has contracted with nine Community Organizations Partners to lead outreach and engagement, encouraging residents to participate in the Idea Collection and Voting phases of Columbus Participatory Budgeting (PB). You can connect with the following organizations to learn more about the process in your district:

• District 9: Columbus Literacy Council

  • Tatiana Bogdanova - tbogdanova@columbusliteracy.org

  • Joy D. Reyes - jreyes@columbusliteracy.org​

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Interested in Volunteering as a Budget Delegate? 

Budget Delegates are community volunteers who take rough project ideas and transform them into actionable projects. They work in coordination with city staff to evaluate project ideas for cost, feasibility, practicality, and need, and they assemble refined proposals for community consideration. Any resident over the age of 14 can volunteer, please email us at or complete the survey indicating interest after you submit your idea.