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Grand Rapids is asking for your help to decide how to spend American Rescue plan funds

Grand Rapids residents in each ward will soon be able to decide how the city spends millions in federal funding.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — People in Grand Rapids are about to get a say in how federal funding will be used in the city.

Grand Rapids received $2 million from the American Rescue Plan Act.

The participatory budgeting initiative allows each of the city's three wards to decide how to spend their share of the money. More than 600 ideas were proposed citywide.

Budget delegates then refined those ideas based on feasibility, need and whether they met the requirements laid out by the rescue plan. Now, it's almost time to vote.

"What I love most, whether it's Grand Rapids, or any part of the country or world is having those people that haven't had their voice, heard, [be] enthusiastic about things like this, like civic engagement," said Kenny Medrano, a participatory budget leader in Grand Rapids. 

"At the minimum, [it's] providing an opportunity to say, 'hey, we're trying different ways for you to be involved.'"

Any city resident 13 and older can do so from Friday through next Wednesday.

You can follow this link to view the ideas up for consideration and to find where to vote in your ward.

    

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