Participatory Budget - Medellín

Medellín's Participatory Budget is a tool through which funds are distributed to development projects proposed by citizens of the municipality. The Participatory Budget program finances urban development, environmental, education, health and social inclusion projects. Each year 5% of the municipality's free investment budget is invested in the program, and is distributed among the 16 sectors into which the municipality is divided. The program has financed projects related to Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), including urban gardens, public parks and environmental education programs.

Overview

Type of instrument:

Agreement-based or cooperative instrument›Public-community agreement

Challenges addressed

Green space management (e.g. accessibility)
Flood risk: pluvial and fluvial / soil permeability
Heat stress and heat island effect
Air quality
Social cohesion
Social equity
Nature appropriation / stewardship
Reconnection to the biosphere / environmental education

Consideration of nature-based solutions:

In 2021, Medellín's Participatory Budget program funded projects related to SBNs. 178 urban vegetable gardens have been established and are maintained around the city. Also, 75 Citizen Environmental Education Projects were developed in conjunction with the Secretariat of the Environment. Finally, a 228 square meter park was renovated and 150 plants of three species and 10 creepers were planted to beautify the park and increase biodiversity.

Targeted (peri-)urban areas:

Parks and (semi)natural urban green areas

Allotments, community gardens or agricultural areas

Good practice characteristics:

Sustainable in the long-term

Locally appropriate

Potential to be replicated / upscaled

Inclusivity

Multifunctional NBS support

Governance

Government body/bodies

Initiating body:

Municipal Government of Medellín

Instrument design:

Details about how the instrument was designed:

In each commune, the communities together with the Municipal Administration make agreements on the main problems and projections in each of the territories for a term of twelve years. All of this is set out in a document called the Local Development Plan (PDL), which becomes the navigation chart for planning in each of the City's sectors. The Local Development Plans are the result of a participatory process in which the Municipal Administration, in coordination with the Local Administrative Boards, the Communal and/or Corregimental Planning Councils, the social organizations and the community in general, identify the needs and priorities of their territory and according to this, they outline the work route in the short, medium and long term to influence the development of the communes and corregimientos according to the identified needs. The Local Development Plans are made up of a diagnosis, a long-term strategic component with a twelve-year time frame and a four-year medium-term execution program that articulates it with the Municipal Development Plan of Medellín. The 21 existing Local Development Plans in Medellín are associated with each commune and corregimiento and are in effect until the year 2027. The Participatory Budget is the tool through which the communities finance their LDPs, reflecting in these plans the aspirations and needs of the community, in order to achieve the strategic objectives of local development.

Instrument implementation:

Type of involvement:

All Medellín residents over the age of 14 can vote for projects to be funded by the Participatory Budget online or in person. The winning projects in each sector receive funds and are implemented by the municipal government. This research did not find information about the project nomination process.

Type of non-governmental actors involved:

Citizen councils or consultation for co-planning (e.g. workshops, surveys)

Citizen oversight (e.g. boards, advisory role)

Targeted actors:

Citizens or community groups (CBOs), NGOs, NGOs, etc.

Financing

Budget:

Above 10 000 000€

Details about instrument financing:

The Participatory Budget is made up of 5% of the free investment budget of the Municipality. Each sector has a different budget, depending on the number of inhabitants and the property tax. In 2021 the total budget for the whole city was 56,334,145 euros.

Monitoring, evaluation and impacts

Is a monitoring framework in place?:

Yes

The municipal government of Medellín sporadically provides information about projects being implemented on its website. The information is presented in short follow-up articles. The Public Policy Observatory of the Medellin Council has published reports on the Participatory Budgeting program, but does not specifically follow up on it.

Did an evaluation take place?:

Achieved outcomes and impacts:

In 2021, 178 urban vegetable gardens were established around the city, 75 environmental education projects were developed, and a 228 square meter park was renovated in which 150 plants were planted. This research did not find information about projects implemented in other years.

Success factors and lessons learned:

The Participatory Budgeting program allows the citizens of Medellín to play an active role in the urban development of their city and the allocation of public funds. Citizens have chosen to prioritize the sustainable development of the city and have allocated public funds to projects related to Nature-Based Solutions. However, there have been difficulties implementing the Participatory Budgeting program, particularly projects that are on the borders of different sectors. There are currently no tools to facilitate the co-financing of projects, which hinders inter-sectoral cooperation.

Sources and further information

References

List of references:

https://www.medellin.gov.co/es/secretaria-participacion-ciudadana/planeacion-local-y-presupuesto-participativo/ http://comunasdemedellin.com/inicia-la-ejecucion-de-proyectos-ambientales-con-recursos-de-presupuesto-participativo-en-siete-comunas-y-dos-corregimientos/ http://comunasdemedellin.com/con-recursos-de-presupuesto-participativo-medellin-tiene-un-nuevo-parque-canino-en-la-comuna-11-laureles-2/ https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi6us6qurz5AhU3VfEDHbEgDGgQFnoECAUQAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Foppcm.concejodemedellin.gov.co%2Fsites%2Foppcm%2Ffiles%2F2019-08%2Fpresupuesto-participativo-2018.pdf&usg=AOvVaw2OJbsY27qCuv3tEmkVTyxr