The People's Purse: The Life of an Engaged Richmonder
TB Smith Grand Opening
The team joined Councilwoman Reva Trammell and city leadership to celebrate the grand opening of the T.B. Smith Community Center in the vibrant Davee Gardens neighborhood of Southside Richmond. This 30,000-square-foot facility features everything from basketball courts to computer labs, offering spaces that engage, empower, and activate the community. Imagine having a space like this or redesigning your neighborhood community center. How could the Richmond People’s Budget help to make it happen?
RVAPB Trackers
Project trackers are alive! We have created, posted, and are keeping detailed updates of all projects in the PB Staff office. An online version is in the works and should be finished soon. If you would like to see an example of the platform we’ll be utilizing check out this great buildout for NYC’s Participatory Budgeting!
RVAPB In Lithuania
While the Richmond People’s Budget is focused on the needs and visions of Richmond residents, similar efforts are taking place all around the world. In June, Matthew was invited to share the important work of the Richmond People’s Budget as a part of the Transparency School in Vilnius, Lithuania. The school trains future leaders about efforts to improve democracy and root out corruption. As a part of the trip, Matthew met with others from the Czech Republic that have been supporting participatory budgeting programs over the last 5-6 years. He spoke at the British and Czech Embassies about how RVAPB is using civic participation to create a thriving Richmond. He also had the chance to sit down with local officials leading PB processes in the City of Vilnius, leaders in the surrounding county, and school leaders that have seen 40% of local schools use PB to train students on financial literacy and civic engagement.
It was also exciting to learn that they are starting a program this fall with kindergarten classes. Yeah, you heard that right. 4- and 5-year-olds are deciding how public funds are spent in their schools. Could we do the same thing in Richmond? I think we can. Overall, the trip was an opportunity to build international collaborations, think about our work differently, and dream about the future of the Richmond People’s Budget.
Focus Group Opportunities!
The conversation about how you want to see your tax dollars spent is coming to your area! We're teaming up with VCU's Wilder School to host our next two listening sessions with Southside residents, and with Gilpin community residents.
Southside Focus Group – August 28, 2025, 6–7:30 PM
📍 4100 Hull Street Rd N, Richmond, VA 23224
We’ll discuss feedback from the first PB process, the overall engagement of Richmond City Government, and ways we can support our New American community engagement efforts.
Gilpin Focus Group – September 10, 2025, 6–7:30 PM
📍 Location TBD
We’ll focus on public housing, feedback from the first PB process, and how we can expand resources to better support and connect with the Gilpin community.
SIGN UP by emailing Brittany Keegan - keeganbs@vcu.edu
Inspiration Station
The Miami Civic Challenge was a program hosted by the Miami Dade College aimed to promote meaningful civic engagement for youth and young professionals living in Dade County. It gave participants an opportunity to engage in civic activities using a scorecard method so students can complete for bronze, silver, and gold challenge medals following the completion of their services to the community.
Okay so why is this program relevant to Richmond? Richmond, like much of the country, has seen a lack of civic participation from Gen-Z and late-stage millennials. This generational hodgepodge makes up nearly 40% of our city’s population.
Here’s the thing: you cannot necessarily exercise your civic muscle at the gym. That’s true anywhere in world, civic engagement requires more than a few sets and reps. BUT you CAN flex that muscle, in more ways than advertised. The Miami Civic Challenge offered more than 75 different ways to get involved in your community; ranging from preparing to speak at a local council meeting, to donating plasma, to volunteering in your neighborhood garden. It’s a reminder that civic engagement isn’t one-size-fits-all; it’s a flexible, living practice that can take many forms.
Consider checking out the Civic Challenge it’s like CrossFit for your community, but you won’t have to flip any tractor tires (unless you really want to).
