Groundwork Richmond VA Outdoor Recreation Partnership

About This Grant

A. To continue development of GW RVA s Urban Trails Program to create safe pedestrian pathways that connect residents from underserved neighborhoods to parks, recreation and conserved natural resources, by accomplishing the following tasks: 1. Participate in public venues to promote developing trails in underserved neighborhoods and making connections to city wide trail systems for those neighborhoods. 2. Work with partners to educate neighborhood residents on the benefits of trails and to solicit their input on development of trails and trail connections in their neighborhoods. 3. Identify and research strategies to engage residents and other partners in the on-going stewardship and maintenance of local trails, such as Adopt-A-Trail Programs or Trail Friends Groups. Compile best practices and develop recommendations on how to proceed in consultation with residents, public and private sector partners and other stakeholders. 4. Develop plans for implementing the trails maintenance strategy. Identify and select a trail project to implement the strategy as a trail stewardship demonstration project. 5. Implement the selected trail stewardship project with the involvement of the community and other stakeholders. 6. Assess the outcome of the trail steward demonstration project strategy and develop recommendations for expanding the trail stewardship strategy to other trails, if appropriate. 7. Document the programs activities and prepare a report highlighting accomplishments, assessing outcomes and recommending any changes. B. To assess opportunities for GW Richmond to support conservation and restoration of urban tributaries to the James River, by accomplishing the following tasks: 1. Convene meetings with the city and community partners to identify and assess opportunities for GW Richmond to support the restoration and conservation of urban tributaries to the James River as an opportunity for environmental education, green job training and community stewardship; 2. Identify and research river conservation projects in other urban communities, such as the river conservation and restoration projects of Groundwork Lawrence and Groundwork Cincinnati, to inform city and community partners on best practices. Compile recommendations for developing similar projects in Richmond; 3. Identify a site to plan and develop a restoration project in partnership with the city and the community. 4. Develop a plan for the selected restoration project and identify the first phase to implement as a demonstration project. Plan and organize volunteer opportunities to assist with the restoration project. Undertake the first phase of the restoration project. 5. Assess the outcome of the demonstration restoration project and develop recommendations for undertaking future river restoration projects. 6. Document the programs activities and prepare a report highlighting accomplishments, assessing outcomes and recommending any changes. C. To implement a GW Richmond Volunteer Management System to engage and support residents, partners and other stakeholders as volunteers for GW Richmond projects, programs and other support activities, by accomplishing the following tasks: 1. Identify and research volunteer management systems at other organizations and how they have been developed and implemented. Compile recommendations for planning, implementing, managing and maintaining a volunteer management system with existing volunteers of GW Richmond. 2. Identify and select an appropriate project or program to implement the volunteer management system with. 3. Develop a plan for implementing the system on the selected project or program. Explore opportunities for engaging volunteers in developing and implementing the system. Implement a first phase of the Volunteer management system. 4. Assess the outcome of the first phase of the volunteer management system and develop recommendations for expanding the system to other volunteer projects and programs. 5. Document the programs activities and prepare a report highlighting accomplishments, assessing outcomes and recommending any changes. D. To share its experience and technical assistance with other communities that are undertaking similar projects and programs to improve access to parks, recreation and conserved natural resources in partnership with the National Park Service, by accomplishing the following tasks: 1. Work with NPS to identify community led projects to improve access to parks, recreation and conserved natural resources that would benefit from the expertise of Groundwork Richmond; 2. Develop work plans with the selected community led projects in consultation with NPS, outlining the type assistance Groundwork Richmond will provide and what will be accomplished. Work plans will include a statement of work, project goals, roles and responsibilities, time line, and expected outcomes to be achieved with the help of Groundwork Richmond; 3. Work with the selected community projects in partnership with NPS to achieve the project outcomes described in the work plans. E. Document all funding, in-kind services, volunteer hours, materials and equipment leveraged by GW RVA for its projects, programs and operations. F. Maintain a photographic record and list of accomplishments for all projects undertaken by GW RVA. G. Submit quarterly narrative reports to the NPS documenting the work completed on the tasks outlined above.