Boston just gave residents $2.2 million to spend — here’s what they chose

Boston will provide grant funding for immigrants' legal defense as part of its second-ever round of participatory budgeting projects.

The Office of Participatory Budgeting , which allows residents to vote on how to spend $2.2 million in this year's budget, announced the grant Friday as one of eight winning proposals chosen for this year's funding cycle.

Other winning proposals include improving access to healthy food in neighborhoods with high rates of food insecurity, helping residents who are homeless or in unstable housing situations secure or maintain a home, and English as a second language classes and job training for immigrants.

"Participatory budgeting continues to demonstrate what is possible when residents have a direct voice in shaping Boston's future," Mayor Michelle Wu said in a statement. "The projects selected this year reflect our communities' focus on housing stability, immigration support, workforce opportunity, youth empowerment, small business growth and climate resilience."

All proposals were submitted by residents ages 11 and up; citizenship status was not a requirement to participate. According to the city, 4,841 people voted on which proposals to select.

The winning projects will receive funding starting this spring and will be overseen by a relevant city department. Each will receive a one-time grant from this year's operating budget.

The program was established after the approval of a 2021 ballot measure and the establishment of the Office of Participatory Budgeting in 2023.

The first funding cycle ran from 2024 to 2025 and included projects such as installing benches at high-traffic MBTA bus stops, rodent prevention, rental assistance for people aged 16 to 24 and more.

"Through collaboration with community partners, guidance from the Office's External Oversight Board, and partnerships with City departments, we worked to build on the success of the inaugural cycle and strengthen accessibility and equity in this second round," Renato Castelo, director of the Office of Participatory Budgeting, said. "We look forward to advancing implementation to ensure these investments are delivered effectively and translate into measurable progress across the city."

The winning proposals are:

• Immigrant Legal Defense Fund ($400,000): This grant will fund legal services for immigrants facing detention and deportation, including consultations, assistance with applicantions and representation.

• Neighborhood Fresh Food Access Initiative ($500,000): This grant will support food pantries, pop-up markets, farmers markets, food vouchers and refrigerated food distribution in neighborhoods with high rates of food insecurity .

• Bridging the Gap: Assistance for Housing Stability ($200,000): This grant will establish a flexible funding pool to help people secure or maintain stable housing. Recipients may receive one-time assistance to pay for housing-related costs such as storage fees, housing-related debt, moving costs, basic furniture and more.

• Immigrant Career Pathways: Bridging Language and Employment ($300,000): This program will provide career training and certifications and English classes for immigrants living in Boston, with the goal of both helping immigrants and addressing labor shortages.

• Green My Block ($100,000): This initiative will allow communities to introduce native plantings in city-owned spaces alongside roads and sidewalks.

• Workforce Training Programs Focused on Trades ($300,000): Like the Immigrant Career Pathways proposal, this program will provide career training for low-income residents to help secure higher-paying jobs and address labor shortages.

• Youth Financial Literacy and Empowerment Workshops ($250,000): This program will provide financial literacy programming for youth ages 12 to 24.

• Small Business Development Resource Program ($150,000): Small business owners will receive technical assistance to grow their businesses. According to the Office of Participatory Budgeting, this program will target businesses that have not received city support in the past.

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