May 2025 UPDATE: We have reactivated this page to begin working on meeting and coordination during the City of Reno 90 day pause on public meetings including: 

• Access Advisory Committee
• Arts and Culture Commission
• Community Development Block Grant Subcommittee
• Historical Resources Commission (unless considering a project involving historic buildings)
• Human Rights Commission
• Neighborhood Advisory Boards (Wards 1–6)
• Public Art Committee of the Reno Arts and Culture Commission
• Recreation and Parks Commission
• Reno Urban Forestry Commission
• Senior Citizen Advisory Committee
• Special Events Sponsorship Committee
• Youth City Council

• The Neighborhood Council Application: (Standby for new 2025 application)

Neighborhood Volunteers Living Charter

Living Charter for Neighborhood Volunteers

Mission: To empower Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County citizens with supplementary resources and tools.

Objectives

• Find like-minded people in your neighborhood
• Make data easier to use in your neighborhood plans
• Build support for your neighborhood projects
• Communicate with government and business interests
• Participate in the decision making process for our neighborhoods
• Create useful maps together
• Increase professionalism for good plans
• Give exposure to solutions
• Identify barriers
• Encourage people and businesses to hire artists to do cool things
• Knock on doors and know our neighbors
• Increase neighborhood watch programs
• Build confidence in community members
• Increase documentation of problems
• Increase the influence of people who live here
• Hospitality, skill, and encouragement flow to go-getters
• Work in tribes to improve neighborhoods and vocations
• Give proactive support to neighborhood leaders

Structure

• This living charter applies to these neighborhood regions:

Downtown Reno	Central	Southeast
South Reno	Southwest Reno	Northwest Reno
North Valleys	Downtown Sparks	Sparks Vistas
Spanish Springs	Tahoe Incline

• Reno Sparks Neighborhoods does not appoint volunteers. Anyone who applies will be added.
• Applicants may choose a title as they add expert website content, physical print, social media posts, and project documents.
• Titles:
• Applicant – Keeps up with some of the projects, advocates for good, and meditates on ideas
• Contact – Responds to people who reach out to the neighborhood councils
• Contributor – Writes about culture, places, and experiences
• Artist – Local artist with services to increase neighborhood identity
• Researcher – Gathers and formats materials for the neighborhood councils and community to use
• Other – Applicants may make up a title to explain their work
• Neighborhood research will be used for projects and public education
• The website will be RenoSparks.org:

• Hosted by Jay Kolbet-Clausell

• Decentralization concepts integrated
• Point people leaders
• Teach people how to put together resources to create neighborhood connection
• Help groups raise funds, supplies, and volunteers

Norms

• Contributors use a multitude of media to communicate with each other. These communications should be done in public whenever possible whether in a public setting or publicly posted online.
• Our ‘compete clause’ is that volunteers should leverage the relationships they develop and offer to work directly with people who they meet.
• Just be nice to each other. This project is a connector not a middleman.

Potential Barriers

• Failure to establish a positive and professional relationship.To overcome this barrier each contributor commits to maintaining a professional and polite conduct when working with existing or potential co-volunteers.
• Poor communication. If a conflict comes up, everyone will express their concern with the person who upset them and find a beautiful solution.

Schedule

• In person meetings will be jointly held with other groups whenever possible to foster cross group understanding and strategy.
• Reno Sparks meetings are fun and uplifting. Come to at least a few so you can connect.
• Check your email or social media channel regularly to know how the project is moving.
• Communicate with conference calls, social media, email, and in person.
• If you set a timetable, stick to it.
• Participate however you can to build and maintain trust.
• If your work affects other contributors, let them know in advance.
• Announce vacations or any emergencies that prevent participation.
• Follow-up with the projects you begin even if it’s to say “that idea was a bust!”.

Conflict Management

Most conflict will be resolved through following the above values. Communication is going to be the key to avoiding damaging conflict. If any problem arises it should be communicated immediately to prevent misunderstanding. We are here for a whole bunch of reasons and this venue values your independence. If you have a crazy idea, pitch it - not for permission - but for help. Write a little about your idea so we can post your plans and promote your work.

Conclusion

This is a work in process. Feel free to contribute any ideas that will make this charter sustainable and communicate the role these definitions and norms play in the process. If you care about the fine print, know that we are working on it and invite feedback.

• This is a living document