Posted October 30, 2024

90 percent of the 228 recommendations made in 2017 were implemented, partially implemented, or an alternative solution was found

Richmond, VA – Today, Mayor Levar Stoney announced the release of an updated city government performance review during his last 100 days in office. Jim Burke and Linda Pierce, who conducted the 2017 performance review, were hired again earlier this year to comprehensively assess the City of Richmond’s progress on the 228 recommendations provided in the 2017 report. Jim and Linda are consultants from Teo Consulting.

According to their analysis, 90 percent of the 228 total recommendations were either implemented, partially implemented, or an alternative solution was found, showing significant progress on city government operations since 2017. 

“After the release of the 2017 report, my commitment was to be about the fix – to break down silos and unnecessary bureaucracy and create a strong cross-functional team that delivers for Richmonders,” said Mayor Levar Stoney. “As this report undeniably shows, we have made significant progress to improve core city agencies and make this city stronger than it was a decade ago.”

In 2017, during Mayor Stoney’s first 100 days in office, he commissioned a comprehensive performance review of city government. That review was released on May 25, 2017, and revealed “a need for improved financial controls and reporting (Finance), better hiring processes and career development (Human Resources), streamlined procurement practices (Procurement) and upgraded and integrated technology (Information Technology).”

These four departments have been the main focus of the core improvements made since 2017 given that they touch almost every other city department and can impact service delivery.

“Despite unprecedented hurdles like a global pandemic, civil unrest, and leadership turnover, the City of Richmond remained steadfast in its commitment to continuous improvement,” said Lincoln Saunders, Chief Administrative Officer. “We made some big moves over the past eight years, such as the overhaul of Human Resources, the implementation of the purchasing card program, and thorough engagement of our workforce, that have significantly improved the efficiency of how we operate and the overall culture of City Hall. I am proud of the progress we’ve made.”

The following are highlights of the progress made to date based on the consultant’s comprehensive qualitative assessment of all city departments: 

• In 2017, we noted that Human Resources, Procurement, Finance, and Information Technology were negatively impacting the functioning of all the other areas within City Hall in various ways. The current heads of each of these departments have taken action to improve the effectiveness of their areas, thereby positively impacting City Hall. 
• Several heads of other departments and offices noted that they have seen significant improvement in the response time of Human Resources and Procurement. HR underwent a significant reorganization in 2023. The P-card system has had a positive impact on all departments.
• We heard that Finance and IT are working closely together to make much-needed improvements.
• Finance has increased their staffing levels and is raising the bar on the qualifications for new staff.
• Unlike in 2017, we heard of increased collaboration across all areas. This needs to continue and expand, but collaboration is moving in the right direction. This is an important cultural shift.
• Similarly, staff (especially those who have been part of this administration for most or all the time) highlighted the improvement in the culture and morale within City Hall since 2017. The City has implemented a number of programs to retain skilled employees and to recruit highly qualified people to City Hall. 

Detailed information about each recommendation can be found in pages 18-130 of the attached report. On pages 1-17, you will find information reflections from the consultants on major themes and trends, as well as information about the report’s methodology.

• Download the consultant's presentation
• Download the full report

Posted October 28, 2024

Richmond, VA – On Thursday, October 10, the City of Richmond in partnership with Sail250® Virginia and Virginia Museum of History and Culture announced Tall Ships RVA as an affiliate harbor of Sail Virginia℠ 2026. With this announcement, Richmond becomes one of five Affiliate Harbors to host the tall ships.

Sail250® Virginia Host City Norfolk and it’s 10 Sail Virginia℠ 2026 Affiliate Harbors will welcome more than 60 tall ships, military, and character ships from around the world over two weekends, June 12 – 15, 2026 and June 18 – 23, 2026.

The year 2026 marks the 250th Anniversary of the nation’s founding in 1776, the United States of America’s Semiquincentennial.  For this milestone occasion, a fleet of the world’s most magnificent international tall ships, historic character vessels, and modern military ships, will again sail into the harbors of Virginia as part of the national Sail250® tour.

During June 2026, ships from 20 countries are expected to fill the harbors of Richmond, Norfolk, Hampton Roads, and Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay Region to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding. “This is an incredible opportunity to recognize and celebrate the importance of our military maritime services and highlight the strong partnership between Virginia and the world,” said Mayor Levar Stoney.

The City of Richmond has partnered with the Virginia Museum of History and Culture to plan and implement this historical event.

“As we look ahead to 2026, Richmond is not just anticipating an event, we’re preparing for a transformative experience that will unite people from all walks of life along the beautiful shores of this great city. Tall Ships RVA is more than a festival; it’s a journey into our shared maritime history, a celebration of sailing, and a commitment to our community and environment,” said 7th District Councilwoman Dr. Cynthia Newbille.

Richmond’s events will take place the weekend of June 12-15, 2026.

Updates will be provided as planning moves ahead on rva.gov.

Mayor Levar M. Stoney today announced the recipients of Child Care and Preschool Stabilization and Expansion grants awarded by the City of Richmond.

The more than $619,000 in grants awarded yesterday follow previously announced grants of $500,000 to Smart Beginnings of Greater Richmond for child care and preschool expansion, and $200,000 to Family Lifeline to expand home visiting services to eligible families.

The mayor also announced a $50,000 grant to the Children’s Museum of Richmond to expand access for low-income families.  A $50,000 grant was also awarded to the Children’s Funding Project to study costs and financing strategies for universal preschool in the city. Additionally, the Mayor announced the hiring of early childhood specialist Daphne Bolotas in the city’s Office of Children and Families to support the coordination of efforts to provide universal preschool.

“High-quality, affordable and accessible child care and preschool continue to be vital to the overall health of our community and our economy,” said the mayor, who called on the Virginia General Assembly to increase investments in these areas.

“I am honored to stand alongside these heroes who have committed their professional – and often personal – lives to supporting the youngest Richmonders and their families,” the mayor said, surrounded by childcare advocates at the Children’s Museum of Richmond. “Together, we will accomplish so much for so many families across our city as we lay work together to ensure that all children across our city have the opportunity to thrive.”

The following organizations received grants:

• FRIENDS Association for Children has been serving children in Richmond for over 150 years. Following the Civil War, FRIENDS began as an orphanage in Jackson Ward dedicated to caring for formerly enslaved Black children who had been abandoned by their former slavers. FRIENDS will receive $100,000, which they will use to increase their capacity by 50 percent – effectively returning to their pre-pandemic level of service – across their two sites in Gilpin Court and Church Hill.

• Fulton Montessori is a grassroots organization that began serving children out of the Neighborhood Resource Center in 2018, after the NRC closed its preschool program, in order to meet the urgent need for affordable early education in the East End. Their $64,500 grant will allow them to immediately open an additional classroom as well as invest in capital improvements so that they can ultimately grow to serve 75 children total.

• SCAN is a longtime partner of the city in its effort to support survivors of child abuse and neglect. SCAN’s Circle Preschool Program provides intensive, year-round, trauma-focused mental health treatment both for young children who have experienced trauma and their caregivers through a preschool setting at its location in Blackwell. The $20,000 grant will allow them to serve two additional students and maximize their capacity, while ensuring that every child and their family benefits from a suite of intensive wraparound services.

• St. James’s Children’s Center has been serving Richmond families for over 30 years. For decades, they have remained committed to ensuring that all children, regardless of their families’ ability to pay, deserve access to the very best early childhood education experiences. The $50,000 grant will allow them to return to their pre-pandemic enrollment level of 75 students.

• Woodville Day Nursery has operated in the East End for over 60 years as part of the mission of Woodville Church of the Nazarene. Woodville provides low-cost child care and camps for community members who rely on them for safe, affordable care. They have been a Head Start and Early Head Start partner for going on six years. The $10,000 grant will provide retention bonuses to 10 staff members, and they will also receive technical assistance to support their operational success.

• The YMCA of Greater Richmond has served our region for 167 years, constantly adapting to meet community needs. The Y has been a particularly vital partner to the city over the past few years, in the effort to universalize access to elementary afterschool programs and to stand up emergency child care centers when the pandemic closed down schools. The $75,000 grant will support the YMCA to open two new preschools on the Southside, serving 100 3- and 4-year olds.

• YWCA Richmond has been leading efforts to empower women and children in Richmond for the last 134 years. Its child care journey dates back to 1891 when they opened a nursery to care for children while their mothers worked in local factories. In 1989, the YWCA opened the first and only preschool program in the city to care for homeless children.

Today, the YWCA operates the Sprout School, which provides a mixed income, full-year, all-day early education program in two locations: their Bainbridge Street school in Blackwell and two classrooms within the Children’s Museum. The organization is receiving $300,000 both to maximize the capacity of its existing program in Blackwell and to open a brand-new school in 2^nd Presbyterian Church, which was forced to close its long-running early childhood program during the pandemic. All told, YWCA will grow its capacity by almost 100 children with this grant.

To view video of today’s announcement please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5pVNpBr628

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Have you been boosted yet?

The City of Richmond will be hosting a COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic in partnership with the Richmond City Health District for city employees and members of the public at Main Street Station from 9 a.m. -12 p.m. this upcoming Friday!

Walk-ups are welcome, but in order to reserve your vaccine, we recommend that you register below! 

Pfizer 12+

Moderna

J&J

Mayor announces community safety coordinator and partnership to distribute $1M in community grants

Richmond, VA — – Mayor Levar M. Stoney today announced several important steps to protect city residents by addressing and preventing gun violence.

““Nothing is more important than the public health and public safety of our residents,” the mayor said. “Gun violence is a decades old issue that has afflicted cities across the country and has only been made worse by the pandemic. We’re taking these steps because our hearts break each time we hear about the loss of life and the trauma caused by gun violence, and NO mother should have to bury her child because we haven’t done enough.”

The city has hired its first Community Safety Coordinator, Samuel Brown.  The Community Safety Coordinator (CSC), a recommendation of the Task Force to Reimagine Public Safety and supported by the Gun Violence Prevention Working Group and, will be the primary point person within the city administration for issues involving gun violence. 

This Community Safety Coordinator will focus on the fundamentals of the city’s Gun Violence Prevention Framework, including engagement, prevention, intervention, training, and supportive services for victims as well as perpetrators of gun violence. The CSC will also host community conversations and focus groups that involve community members in steps toward halting violence in our communities.   

Reggie Gordon, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Human Services, hailed the hiring of Mr. Brown, who grew up in Richmond and holds degrees from Virginia Union and Virginia State University. 

“Samuel has made a personal and professional commitment to find solutions so that Richmond, Richmond’s children, Richmond’s families can exhale, breathe free and have a restored sense of calm and security,” Gordon said of Brown , who previously worked at the Peter Paul Development Center before joining the City of Richmond in the Human Services Portfolio.

“Samuel has been a teacher and a coach, and is ready to build upon the work that has been done and bring myriad stakeholders together to grow solutions that make our city safer.” 

Mayor Stoney also announced the City will partner with the nonprofit community organization NextUp to distribute $1 million in funding for community led programs for children and families.  Based on CDC guidance, prevention efforts will focus on after-school programming, parenting support, mental health support for kids, tutoring and mentorships.

NextUp will not be the sole recipient of these funds. Rather, it will serve as the fiscal agent to make grants to grassroots and community organizations and provide quality programming and training so that those closest to impacted communities can have resources to disrupt the cycle of violence.

“Communities benefit when children and their families have access to quality programs right in their neighborhoods,” said Barbara Sipe, President and CEO of NextUp. “Richmond has so many amazing providers and programs doing exceptional work, and NextUp looks forward to increasing access to important programs that build community strength and socio-emotional wellness for our youth.”

Richmond Police Department Chief Gerald Smith also discussed the role of RPD’s civilian “Violence Interrupters” in helping to deescalate conflict and be credible, trusted community voices to help residents connect to support systems instead of violence.

“This evidence-based intervention leverages multiple sectors of our community to provide a holistic approach for those who are most at risk of perpetrating or being victimized by violence,” said Chief Smith. “The violence interrupters draw upon lived experiences to help deescalate and mediate conflicts, diffuse tensions and act as peer counselors. They are of the community and for the community.”

The $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPS) funding targeted specifically for gun violence prevention is only one component of the city’s investment in keeping communities safer. Other investments include:

• $2M in ARPA for childcare and parental support
• $1.5M in ARPA for initiatives out of the Office of Community Wealth Building   
• $ 500,000 to the Richmond City Health District for the establishment of a trauma response network
• $300,000 from the Gang Violence Assessment grant from DCJS
• $500,000 from DCJS for ”We Matter RVA” program

“These steps signify progress in implementation of our framework, and while no one program or strategy is a panacea that will cure this decades-old issue overnight, it’s our firm belief that the solution that’s right for Richmond relies on a holistic, community-based approach,” the Mayor said. “One that takes into account the roles housing, transit, jobs and social supports play in healthier families and safer streets. One that builds trust from the ground up through collaboration and cooperation.”

The mayor also thanked the many community members and organizations that have played a role in working to prevent gun violence in the city, including Sheryl Garland, Torey Edmonds and Dr. Michel Aboutanos of the VCU Health System, and the staff of the Richmond City Health District, as well as the hundreds of city first responders who show up when the call for help goes out.

And the mayor made a special mention of the unsung heroes who go out of their way to protect their communities and work to resolve conflict and prevent violence, calling it a “team effort” that needs everyone to be involved.

“Somewhere in Richmond, right now, someone, some young man or woman, is alive due to a mentor, a coach, a pastor, a neighbor a big brother or big sister who intervened just at the right moment to help that young person divert from situations that would have placed their life in jeopardy,” the mayor said. 

“To you unsung, unknown, angels, guardians, parents, teachers who have saved the life of a youth that you know, I say, ‘Thank you.’ We all thank you.”

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