Oulu’s Participatory Budgeting starts on January 26 – the budget is 500 000 €

You can send your ideas on the Osallistu Oulu website between January 26 – February 15, 2026. 

On Oulu’s year as the European Capital of Culture, Participatory Budgeting is larger than ever before. The city will implement citizens’ ideas with a budget of 500 000 €. 

Simultaneously, Participatory Budgeting turns shifts to a 2-year process. In 2026, citizens will get to send ideas and vote on them. And in 2027, the winning proposals will be implemented. 

After the ideation period, all ideas that meet the idea criteria and can be implemented will be developed into voting proposals by city specialists and different operators. In the fall of 2026, citizens of Oulu get to choose by vote which ideas will be implemented with half a million euros. 

The goal of Participatory Budgeting is to increase the participation and influencing opportunities of residents, as well as to increase dialogue between the city and its citizens.