Podcast episode: Small but mighty cities

Center for Civic Design’s 2025 Civic Design Fellow Devon Reid led a project exploring how participatory budgeting empowers communities in small and mid-sized cities.

In this podcast episode, Devon shares stories from Evanston, Illinois, and Cambridge, Massachusetts, two cities using participatory budgeting (PB) to give residents a direct voice in how public funds are spent.

The project is featured in a podcast episode, which highlights how PB works in each city — from idea collection and proposal development to community voting — and what makes these models effective. It also explores the impact on civic trust, equity, and engagement when residents are included in real decision-making.

Listen to Small but Mighty Cities, where Devon explores how participatory budgeting is reshaping local democracy.

You’ll hear:

• Stories from Evanston, Illinois and Cambridge, Massachusetts
• How communities turn ideas into funded projects
• What PB reveals about trust, equity, and civic engagement
• Why small cities can lead the way in democratic innovation

This podcast was produced by Devon Reid, with additional production support by Emily Duncan. It features music by Tom Fox.