Storefront Summer Volunteer Opportunities

A huge THANKS to those who completed the Storefront for Community Design Get to Know You Survey this spring. We will be using your feedback to develop new volunteer opportunities and will launch a new volunteer form later this summer — be on the lookout! Until then, we have a few exciting volunteer opportunities taking place this summer. These include:

  1. Studio Program Working Groups: Participate in discussions to enhance future programming.

  2. 10th Anniversary Event Design & Planning: Plan a celebration for Storefront’s 10th anniversary.

  3. Teen Workforce Design Workshop: Plan and participate in a workshop for teenagers that are designing a food forest.

  4. Participatory Budgeting Initiative: Participate in a new initiative that gives residents direct access to their tax dollars.

See below for more information. We are looking for volunteers with varying interests and expertise, so don’t be bashful to get involved! If you are interested in volunteering, be sure to complete the form specific to each opportunity by Wednesday, June 30. If you have any questions, please email hello@storefrontrichmond.org. We look forward to hearing from you!


Volunteer Opportunity #1: Studio Program Working Groups

Storefront staff are developing new projects and partnerships for our three studio programs and searching for community volunteers to join our working groups to share your thoughts and ideas. We are currently planning for each working group to meet up to three times this year and kick starting the conversation in mid-summer. If you are interested in joining a working group, please complete the form below.


Volunteer Opportunity #2: 10th Anniversary Event design & Planning

This year marks Storefront’s 10th Anniversary and we have begun planning for a celebration in the fall. We are looking for volunteers who are interested to share ideas, contribute planning skills, and develop/design materials. If you love planning events or want to join the group to brainstorm ideas and materials, please complete the form below.


Volunteer Opportunity #3: Teen Workforce Design Workshop

Storefront is partnering with Richmond's Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities’ (PRCF) Teen Workforce Program. Storefront staff and volunteers will plan and participate in a two-day workshop to teach teens about design and help them create a landscape plan for a food forest.

Storefront is looking for landscape designers, landscape architects, horticulturalists, and other subject-matter experts to help plan and participate in the workshop that will take place on August 2-3 from 8:00am-1:00pm. Commitment includes attendance at the kick off meeting in mid-July to plan the workshop and attendance at the two-day workshop. We encourage individuals or design firms to sign up!


Volunteer Opportunity #4: participatory budgeting initiative

Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a new paradigm providing an avenue for community members to engage in a democratic process that gives residents direct access to their tax dollars and allows them to guide where that money will go. In 2021, the initiative has picked up steam and Storefront for Community Design has joined a team of community collaborators to convene, develop, and implement the process in Richmond.

There’s two great opportunities to get involved in the city and Storefront’s initiative!

PB Opportunity #1: Take action and get involved with Storefront for Community Design’s PB Initiative. Follow the link below to sign up for the following opportunities:

  1. Participate on the Storefront for Community Design Volunteer Group that may include opportunities to assist the City PB Steering Commission in developing the PB rulebook and opportunities to volunteer in future community engagement workshops.

  2. Volunteer in future Participatory Budgeting Initiatives and workshops that take place in your community / Voter District.

PB Opportunity #2: Take action and become a member of the Participatory Budgeting Steering Commission. On February 8, 2021, City Council adopted Ord. No. 2020-256, which established the PB Steering Commission to formulate the standards and procedures. Follow the link below to review the application and apply by July 1, 2021.