Local allocation of funds for neighbourhood development based on grass-roots decisions; testing „civic decision-making“; turning „passively“ involved persons into persons „taking action“.

With just under 20,000 people, the Wilhelminian style area Boxhagener Platz counts among the most populated neighbourhoods in Berlin. In the framework of socially oriented neighbourhood development, a neighbourhood fund administered by a civil jury has been established in 2001. It enables local actors to decide on the funding of neighbourhood projects independently from administration and politics. Thus, the neighbourhood population was able to influence the improvement of their living conditions directly. The direct civil sovereignty over funds has been successfully tested according to local democracy.

A jury of local actors decides on applications according to defined criteria. Neither exist application guidelines nor restrictions regarding the persons entitled for application. All applications are consistently processed by a local office in order to avoid inconsistencies when presenting them to the jury.

With the neighbourhood funds the direct civic funding authority in terms of local democracy has been successfully tested. The economical and targeted allocation of funds shows the responsible handling of public funds and the effective use of funds at the local level.

public funds; honorary civic commitment; professional advice and coordination

Quartiersmanagements Boxhagener Platz
Phone: +49 (030) 29492501
qm@boxhagenerplatz.de
http://www.boxhagenerplatz.de/

01/03/2003

case

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Community development

Citizens' participation