Empower Eau Claire is a democratic process in which residents provide project ideas and vote on the best projects that serve the community.

Residents are able to directly decide on how to spend the City's budget under this participatory budgeting program, the first of its kind in Wisconsin.

Program goals are to increase civic empowerment, equity, diversity, inclusion, sustainability, and transparency. Check out the infographic flyer to learn more.

Empower Eau Claire is a new program that seeks to empower the residents of the city to directly make an impact on the community. Here are the main features of the program.

Design the Process

• City Council authorizes program cycle funding each year and staffing. There is $300,000 in the Capital Improvement Plan budget for cycle #1.
• A diverse volunteer Steering Committee designs and oversees the process.

Brainstorm Ideas

• Program Info sessions are held and volunteer recruitment begins. (October 2021)
• Volunteers are trained to serve as budget delegates, facilitators, poll-workers, and outreach specialists.
• Residents meet at Idea Collection events to brainstorm and submit project ideas.
• Ideas can be submitted also online and using hard copies. 
• Ideas must be physical projects (no programs or services) that serve the public. This may include equipment, infrastructure, park, land, or building improvements, vehicles, and more.
• Anyone of any age who lives in the city (permanent or temporary resident) can submit a project idea.
• The idea collection period officially closed at the end of December 2021.

Develop Proposals

• City staff, facilitators, and project advocates/budget delegates assist to develop the peoples' project ideas into concrete proposals. (January - March 2022)
• The Steering Committee determines the final voting ballot comprised of projects that will best serve the community and meet program goals. (Early April)

Vote

• Voting events and outreach are planned for the voting period of April 26th -May 13th.
• Residents (ages 6th grade and up) vote and the winning projects are submitted to the City Council for funding.
• Poll-workers assist at voting events.
• Multiple projects will receive funding in order of highest vote.

Fund Winning Projects

• Projects are implemented via work orders or contracts.
• Website updates are provided to track project completion.

Design the Process

• The Steering Committee evaluates and monitors the process throughout to improve the program for the next cycle.

Around 100 projects ideas were submitted by residents of Eau Claire at in-person Idea Collection events, online, and by phone and email.  Those ideas were then vetted and refined to ensure they met the goals and requirements of the project, ultimately resulting in 14 powerful projects that made up the Empower Eau Claire ballot.  Voters selected and ranked their top five projects.

The five winning projects, ranked in order, that will be funded with $300,000:

• Pour and Play Playground Foundation and Wheel Chair Accessible Equipment
• Feed My People: Hunger Action-Emergency Response Center Equipment
• LED Lighting at Phoenix Park and Farmer's Market Pavilion
• Sojourner House Solar Array
• Invasive Species Management

Fast Facts

Number of Idea Collection Events: 6
Number of Ideas Submitted: 95
Number of newspaper articles/radio interviews: 9
Number of Social Media posts and reach: 70 posts / 42,815 people reached
Number of flyers printed and distributed:  Thousands!
Organizations contacted: 162
In Person Voting Events: 18
Number of languages communicated in: 3
Number of votes cast:   1,810

Voter Events

Voter events fliers: English, Español, Hmong

Empower Eau Claire needs community members like you to help make it successful. Volunteer as a facilitator, project advocate, poll worker, or outreach specialist and be a part of our democratic process.

Please use this sign up form to receive updates and/or how you want to volunteer for other roles like getting the word out. 

The Empower Eau Claire Rulebook shows in fine detail how the program works including the goals, how projects become eligible, and voting requirements. The Rulebook was designed and approved by the volunteer lead Steering Committee and considers the many factors that are important to make a successful participatory budgeting program. The rulebook is transmitted to the public in more concise and convenient ways by reviewing other materials on this website. It is provided here to provide greater transparency.

The Steering Committee is a diverse group of community members who represent many different points of view. This volunteer committee oversees the program.

2021-2022 Members

• Cheryl Contant
• Kenny Tubwell
• Karen Petersin
• Richard Spindler
• Pakou Thao
• Jacksen Wolff, co-chair
• Susan Wolfgram
• Mai Xiong, co-chair

Meeting Notes

7-1-21, 7-26-21, 8-11-21, 9-2-21, 10-13-21, 11-3-21, 11-17-21, 12-15-21, 1-26-22, 2-23-22, 4-6-22