Between 11 March and 31 May, Riga’s citizens will be able to submit projects for improving and developing their neighbourhoods as part of the participatory budgeting project competition. The municipal government will implement the projects that receive the most votes of local residents and that will generate long-term improvements in the corresponding urban environments. The total municipal funding earmarked for participation budgeting in 2024 is 700,000 euros. The municipality will grant up to 100,000 euros for the implementation of each project.
The purpose of the competition is make it possible for local residents to make their own decisions about how to spend their share of the city budget and improve the public environment in their neighbourhood, while providing the municipal government with feedback about the urban improvements that people need.
Applications for participation in the Riga Participatory Budgeting Ideas Competition can be submitted by residents of Riga aged 16 and over and by non-governmental organisations registered in Riga. A single person or non-governmental organisation can submit one idea. The participants are asked to submit projects that will improve the urban environment around them, that can be done on municipal land, and that are not commercial or religious in nature.
In order to help citizens prepare high-quality project applications, the municipal government will organise four participatory budgeting project workshops. During the workshops, local residents will be able to discuss the feasibility of their projects with the municipality’s experts, learn all they need about filling in the project application, including the preparation of a cost estimate, and meet like-minded people with which to come up with the best project idea for their neighbourhood.
- Participatory budgeting project workshop in Teika, at NGO nams, 27 March, 17:30–20:30. To apply, visit: https://ej.uz/x6re
- Participatory budgeting project workshop in Imanta, at Anniņmuižas bulvāris 29, ‘Imanta’ Riga Culture and Recreation Centre, 3 April, 17:30–20:30. To apply, visit: https://ej.uz/x6re
- Participatory budgeting project workshop in Āgenskalns, at E. Smiļģa iela 46, Riga Neighbourhood Residents Centre, 17 April, 17:30–20:30. To apply, visit: https://ej.uz/x6re
- Participatory budgeting project workshop in Sarkandaugava, at Sarkandaugavas iela 24, Riga Neighbourhood Residents Centre, 24 April, 17:30–20:30. To apply, visit: https://ej.uz/x6re
Participants can write to konkurss.apkaimes@riga.lv before submitting their project application, to obtain more information about the plot of land selected for the project, and to ask any other questions to get additional details.
Submission of applications
Applications will be accepted electronically until 31 May at 12:00, as the filled-in project application form submitted at riga.lv or sent via e-mail to konkurss.apkaimes@riga.lv.Applications can also be submitted in person before 12:00 on 31 May at the offices of the Riga Neighbourhood Residents Centre (RAIC), located at Eduarda Smiļģa iela 46, Daugavpils iela 31, Gobas iela 6A, Ieriķu iela 43A, and Brīvības iela 49/53.
Once the deadline for the submission of applications expires, the assessment commission will review the feasibility of the projects based on the opinions of competent authorities. Projects that can potentially be carried out will be put to a vote by local residents in October. The projects that receive the most votes on the website balso.riga.lv will be implemented.
Last year, 48 project applications were received for the competition, and 30 projects were put to the public vote. Between 1 and 31 October, local residents cast 33371 votes, ultimately supporting 10 projects.
Riga City Council has been holding the participatory budget project competition since 2019, supporting a total of 46 projects submitted by local residents over the five years of the competition.In 2019, Riga became the first municipality in Latvia to introduce a participatory budget. The new Local Government Law makes participatory budgeting a requirement that becomes mandatory for all local governments in 2025.
For more details about the project competition and the projects approved and implemented in the previous years, visit www.riga.lv and www.balso.riga.lv; you can also receive this information by phone 67037647.
Information prepared by: Ineta Miglāne, project coordinator, Riga City Council External Communications Department, e-mail: ineta.miglane@riga.lv.