What is the role of the third sector, universities and professionals in participatory budgeting?

Professional organisations, in particular third sector organisations, act in very different forms from one experience to the other: advocacy, advice, training, research or promotion can be some of their areas of work. In most cases, except for example in Buenos Aires, third sector organisations are totally removed from decision-making power (the Participatory Budget Council).  However, members of these organisations can be elected as delegates or councillors, in their capacity as citizens.

In municipalities where the government has not yet implemented the Participatory Budgeting process, these actors can contribute greatly to the creation, from the civil society perspective, of fora which encourage the discussion of the city budget and can organize a movement to pressure local governments to implement PB.