announcing the 2026 Pbo budget intensive

october 24-25, 2026

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Budget 101 West Philly, Spring 2025. Photo: Arekusn
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Join the People’s Budget Office this fall for a two-day, in-person budget intensive. Dig into how our city’s budget gets made, the history of changes to Philadelphia’s budget process, and learn how other cities and organizers are rallying for true budget justice. This intensive is designed to connect you with other engaged residents across the city, support existing advocacy efforts, and imagine and manifest new pathways for community ownership in the municipal budget process.

Upon completion, participants will be invited to join PBO’s Working Group, a collective that is strategizing to make Philadelphia’s budget process more just, transparent, and democratic.

This opportunity is for you if:

Priority Deadline September 18
Application closes 11:59pm September 25

Free to attend - limited stipends available

Solicita en español

  • You are already involved in local organizing or activism and you want to deepen your knowledge around Philadelphia’s budget policy

  • You see changes or improvements you want to make in your neighborhood, but don’t know where to start or how to get involved

  • You work in or around the city government and want to get a more global understanding of how the budget gets made and how it directly impacts residents

  • You’re an artist, activist, neighbor, advocate, or legislative actor excited to learn from experts in the field, dig into global participatory budgeting lessons, and dream up new ways of allocating our tax dollars that help our communities thrive.

Sample Agenda (subject to change)

Saturday, October 24, 11am-5pm

Philly’s budget process, how it has changed, and what advocacy wins we have seen

Budget 101 Refresher

11am - 1pm

BREAK for lunch (provided)

1 - 2pm

Deep dive into Philly's Budget Process

2 - 3:30pm

Budget wins & challenges

3:30 - 5pm

Sunday, October 25, 11am-5pm

Introduction to Budget Justice

11am - 1pm

BREAK for lunch (provided)

1 - 2pm

Applying Budget Justice practices to Philadelphia

2 - 3:30pm

Organizing toward a new budget process

3:30 - 5pm