The People's Money ballots are here! Voting opens May 6!
The Civic Engagement Commission is thrilled to share the final set of ideas that will appear on this cycle's The People's Money ballots!
Thousands of New Yorkers submitted ideas for community projects this past fall during Idea Generation, and randomly selected residents from each borough came together in Borough Assemblies to review, refine, and ultimately choose which proposals would advance to the citywide vote this spring.
Now, these projects are one step closer to becoming reality — the winning ideas will be funded through the New York City budget and implemented by community-based organizations across the city.
Voting opens May 6! Explore the proposals and read their descriptions here!
Civic Leader Spotlight: Peggy Shepard of WE ACT for Environmental Justice
In recognition of Earth Day, this month's Civic Leader Spotlight honors Peggy Shepard, co-founder and executive director of WE ACT for Environmental Justice.
For decades, Shepard has worked alongside Northern Manhattan residents to advance environmental justice through community organizing, advocacy, and participatory research. Her leadership has helped bring environmental health concerns directly into policy conversations at the city, state, and national levels, centering the voices of communities most impacted by environmental harms.
Shepard has played a key role in shaping environmental justice policy nationally, including serving as the first co-chair of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council and as the first woman to chair the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Environmental Justice Advisory Council. She currently serves as Chair of the New York City Environmental Justice Advisory Board, continuing to guide local efforts to address inequities across the five boroughs.
Her work has been widely recognized and celebrated, including honors like the Jane Jacobs Medal for Lifetime Achievement, the Heinz Award for the Environment, the Knight of the National Order of Merit from the French Republic, and more.
Through her long-standing leadership, Shepard continues to demonstrate the importance of community-driven solutions in shaping environmental policy. Her work reflects the power of engaging residents directly in decisions that affect their health and neighborhoods — an approach that continues to inform efforts to build more equitable, responsive, and participatory systems across New York City and beyond.
Come to our next public meeting!
Want to stay up to date on the Commission's work or share your thoughts? Join us on Thursday, April 30, for our upcoming public meeting with CEC staff and commissioners to learn about our programs and initiatives! The meeting will take place in Spector Hall (at 22 Reade St, New York, NY 10007) and will begin at 11:00 a.m.
The meeting will include consideration of a resolution on our Voter Language Assistance program and updates on our other current programs. Commissioners will also share their outreach efforts for The People's Money Vote phase and the upcoming primary election, followed by an opportunity for public comment.
We encourage New Yorkers to attend and participate! You must contact the Commission if you need reasonable accommodation for a disability or language assistance. To request a sign language interpreter or to request free interpretation for Spanish and other languages, please contact the Commission no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 27, 2026, by calling or texting 917-587-9103 or by e-mailing info@civicengagement.nyc.gov. Closed captioning is available.
Para solicitar interpretación gratuita en español y otros idiomas, comuníquese con la Comisión a más tardar a las 5 p. m. del lunes 16 de febrero de 2026, llamando o enviando un mensaje de texto al 917-587-9103 o escribiendo a info@civicengagement.nyc.gov.
You can watch our February public meeting on our Youtube channel!
The People's Money Project Spotlight: Housing Workshops for Older Adults
In March, Ocean Bay Community Development Corporation launched Housing Workshops for Older Adults, also known as H.O.P.E. (Housing our Purposeful Elders), in Rockaway and Broad Channel, Queens.
This People's Money-funded project is designed to support older adults in maintaining stable, secure housing. Through digital literacy training, participants learn how to navigate housing services online — an increasingly essential skill. The program also addresses critical risks facing seniors, including deed theft, credit scams, and predatory financial practices. Participants also receive free financial counseling and personalized strategies to improve credit, manage debt, and build long-term stability.
The H.O.P.E. program kicked off with a lively launch event featuring housing-themed bingo, food, and karaoke, bringing community members together to celebrate the start of this initiative!
Learn more on Ocean Bay's website, social media, or by stopping by their Older Adult Center!
- Website: www.oceanbaycdc.com
- Instagram: @oceanbaycdc1
- Facebook: @oceanbaycdc
- LinkedIn: @oceanbaycdc
Recapping the Whole Community Health Datathon
The CEC was thrilled to partner with Jennifer Griffiths of the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) to host a collaborative datathon on March 27, bringing together students ready to dig into real community data.
Participants worked with information collected during the Idea Generation phase of The People's Money, transforming raw community input into meaningful, actionable insights. Through policy briefs, digital data stories, and team presentations, students explored ways to elevate community priorities and make data more accessible and impactful. The room was filled with curiosity and collaboration, with each project reflecting not only the students' strong analytical skills but their clear commitment to using data for the public good.
The energy carried into the following day, when CEC team members had the honor of presenting the students' work at the School of Data conference. Seeing their projects showcased to a broader audience was a proud moment for our team and a testament to what community-centered data work can look like in practice.
We're deeply grateful to our partners at NYIT, every participating student, and everyone who made this event possible. We can't wait to see what this growing community of civic data practitioners does next!
"Fixing Our Democracies": A Conversation at Columbia University
On Monday, April 27, the CEC is excited to partner with Columbia World Projects and others to host "Fixing Our Democracies," a conversation on the growing role of citizens' assemblies and other deliberative processes in strengthening democracy.
Hear from Peter MacLeod, co-author of "Democracy's Second Act," and Hélène Landemore, author of "Politics Without Politicians," in conversation about how these models are being used around the world — and what it could look like to expand them in New York City and beyond.
The event will take place from 6:00–7:30 p.m. at The Forum at Columbia University. Food and refreshments will be provided, and complimentary copies of the speakers' books will be available on a first-come, first-served basis!
Learn more and register here!
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