Today the White House nodded toward the burgeoning participatory budgeting (PB) movement in the U.S. as it celebrated two leaders for their work in implementing PB locally. Joe Moore, Chicago Alderman (49th Ward), and Brad Lander, New York City Council Member (Brooklyn’s 39th District), were named open government “Champions of Change” today because of their strong commitment to using PB as way to engage community members in the decisionmaking process. Through PB, citizens are given the power to decide what projects to support with their budgeted tax dollars. Joe Moore was the first to bring PB to the United States, and it has since been adopted by four other Chicago aldermen along with city council members in New York City, San Francisco, and Vallejo, California.

Thirteen other leaders from around the country were named “Champions of Change” today for their work in open government and civic hacking.

The White House’s Champions of Change program recognizes Americans who are accomplishing extraordinary things in their communities. The program invites honorees to the White House every week to share their stories of achievement and their ideas for impacting community change.

Below is a copy of the official press release from the White House Office of Communications for the July 23rd event.

White House Highlights Open Government and Civic Hacking “Champions of Change”

WASHINGTON, DC – On Tuesday, July 23rd, the White House will honor 15 leaders and organizations as open government and civic hacking “Champions of Change.” As entrepreneurs, innovators, organizers, and community leaders, these “Champions of Change” have made a tremendous positive impact by building high-tech tools to help health workers and disaster-response crews better serve communities; piloting innovative programs to involve traditionally disengaged communities in local governance; using new technologies to enhance government transparency and collaboration; and more.

When presenting his new management agenda earlier this month, President Obama said, “… We the people recognize that this government belongs to us, and it’s up to each of us and every one of us to make it work better…We all have a stake in government success -- because the government is us.”

The White House Champions of Change program was created as part of President Obama’s Winning the Future Initiative. Through this program, the White House highlights individuals, businesses, and organizations whose extraordinary stories and accomplishments positively impact our communities.

To watch this event live, visit www.whitehouse.gov/live at 10:00 am ET on July 23rd. To learn more about the White House Champions of Change program and nominate a Champion, visit www.whitehouse.gov/champions.