Richmond People’s Budget: Phase 2 Evaluation Now Available – We Want to Hear From You!

The Richmond People’s Budget is more than just a pilot program — it’s a bold step toward deeper civic engagement and community-led investment. With $3 million, this initiative empowers Richmond residents to directly decide how a portion of the city’s budget is spent on projects that matter most to them.

From planting trees and enhancing pedestrian safety to upgrading recreation spaces and improving bus shelters, the ideas submitted by residents reflect a shared vision for a more livable, equitable, and climate-resilient Richmond.

What’s New: Phase 2 Evaluation Released

We’ve completed Phase 2 of the People’s Budget process — the idea collection phase (11/30/2024 was the idea submission deadline) — and we’re excited to share the official evaluation report with you. This evaluation provides a transparent look at what worked, what challenges we encountered, and how we can improve future rounds of participatory budgeting.

The report includes:

• A breakdown of community participation across districts  
• Insights into outreach strategies and their effectiveness  
• Feedback from residents and community partners  
• Recommendations for strengthening engagement moving forward  

📄 See below to read the full Phase 2 Evaluation Report

Your Voice Matters

This process is built on the belief that community voices should shape community investments. That’s why we’re inviting you — residents, organizers, students, neighbors — to review the evaluation and share your thoughts.

• Did the engagement strategies reach you and your community?
• Were there barriers to submitting ideas?
• What would make the process more inclusive and accessible?

Your feedback will help us refine the People’s Budget and ensure it continues to reflect the needs and priorities of Richmond’s diverse communities.

🗣️ We want to hear from you!
Please leave your thoughts, suggestions, or questions in the comment section below. Every voice counts.

Together, we’re building a more participatory, responsive, and resilient Richmond — one idea at a time.

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Important Note⚠️

A few areas that the RVAPB Staff has acknowledged as areas for improvement and are CURRENTLY working on for the next cycle!

• A new website is on the way!
  Our new website platform is Decidim, we are currently working with specialist to develop an easy-to-navigate space that supports our transparency/accountability efforts. In addition, as we coordinate with relevant departments, we are logging these interactions to offer community a CLEAR vision of where each project is! We really appreciate you all’s patience, it goes without saying this process is a first for ALL of us.

• Expanding our reach for Cycle 2
  As we gear up for the next cycle, our goal is to make PB more visible and accessible to everyone. We’ll be hosting more workshops across the city, collecting ideas at community events, and showing up in as many spaces as possible—hopefully so often that you’ll be tired of seeing us (in the best way!).

• Continued trust and support
  We’re grateful to have earned the trust of Richmond residents to carry this work forward. We’re also grateful for the continued support from City Council and City Administration. With this strong foundation, we’re excited about the future of Cycle 2—and already looking ahead to Cycle 3.

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