Designing economic democracy Boston Ujima Project's participatory allocation process

Abstract

This client-based thesis analyzes Participatory Budgeting processes in two cities to help guide the institutional design of Boston Ujima Project's participatory allocation process. Grassroots-led organization Boston Ujima Project is developing a democratically-governed Capital Fund by integrating community participation in deliberation and decision-making at various stages of the investment process. Broadly speaking, the three democratic dimensions of the Fund are those that ensure meaningful participation by low-income communities of color most impacted by the investments, safeguard accountability to those communities, and integrate relevant forms of expertise, including residents' expertise, throughout the decision-making process. Drawing from case studies of Participatory Budgeting in Porto Alegre and New York City, this paper provides conceptual frameworks and recommendations for the institutional design of Ujima's participatory allocation process.