Apply to Serve as a Community Liaison

Call for Community Liaisons! Apply to help us reach more Arlingtonians.  

Arlington County’s Department of Community Planning, Housing & Development needs help reaching and engaging with Arlingtonians. As a continuum of the Arlington County Board-led Arlington 2050 initiative, the Planning Division is developing a new introductory chapter for Arlington's Comprehensive Plan and wants to ensure that all community voices, especially those from historically underrepresented or marginalized communities, are included in the planning process. This is a paid volunteer opportunity (please see compensation details below). The Planning Division would like to recruit up to six community liaisons who are bilingual or fluent in one or more of the top six languages spoken in Arlington (Spanish, Amharic, Mandarin Chinese, Mongolian, Arabic, or American Sign Language).  

What is a Comprehensive Plan?

A comprehensive plan is a long-range plan for livability and what the community wants to look like in the future. It is a tool to help communities achieve excellent quality of life as the community grows. The Code of Virginia requires local planning commissions to prepare and recommend a comprehensive plan and to review that plan every five years to consider whether it should be amended to reflect current needs. A comprehensive planning effort aims to meet the needs of current and future generations by coordinating and integrating the systems on which they depend (e.g., land use, transportation, housing, public spaces, facilities, and services).

What will community liaisons be expected to do and what is the time commitment?

Community liaisons will be expected to attend a community liaison orientation meeting, distribute Arlington County materials about the Comprehensive Plan Update project, and participate in the following community engagement activities: 

  • One or more focus group meetings in spring 2025 (3 hours/meeting) - weekdays and/or weeknights 
  • Two in-person community meetings in fall 2025 (2 hours/meeting) - weeknights and/or Saturdays 
  • Street canvassing and distribution of Arlington County materials at one or more locations identified by the County in fall 2025 (2 hours/location) - weekdays and/or Saturdays 
  • Individualized outreach to residents and households to inform them about the Comprehensive Plan Update and motivate them to participate in any of the public meetings planned spring-fall 2025 (20 hours minimum per community liaison) – weekdays, weeknights, and/or weekends, at the community liaison’s discretion.   

Community liaisons will also be expected to encourage community members to participate in focus group meetings, community meetings, and in any online feedback forms related to the Arlington 2050 Comprehensive Plan Update project.  

Using the Activity Log below, community liaisons will be expected to keep a record of the engagement activities they participate in, including hours worked, materials distributed, and the number of residents they encouraged to participate in the engagement activities. 

How will Community Liaisons be selected?

County staff will review applications on a rolling basis and select liaisons based on the strength of their responses to the questions below. Final selections will be made following video call screenings to ensure the best fit for this role.

How will community liaisons be compensated?

Upon review and approval of the Activity Log, community liaisons will be provided a stipend through an Arlington County community partner organization, based on the hourly rate of $25 for a maximum of 38 hours per liaison. The Planning Division anticipates dispersing the funds in two intervals: (1) at the conclusion of the spring 2025 focus group meetings, and (2) at the conclusion of the fall 2025 engagement opportunities.

What languages would be most helpful?

The Planning Division is looking for community liaisons who are bilingual or fluent in one or more of the top six languages spoken in Arlington (Spanish, Amharic, Mandarin Chinese, Mongolian, Arabic, and American Sign Language).

What communities do we need help reaching?

The Planning Division needs help reaching Arlington’s most vulnerable populations, including historically underrepresented or marginalized communities. In Arlington, these individuals may be lower-income renters, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, East Asian, Middle Eastern, the elderly or disabled, or teenagers.

   

Apply

Application Process and Timeline 
Learn More or Contact Us 

For additional information, please visit: www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Projects/Plans-Studies/Comprehensive-Plan/Update 

For questions, please contact CPHD-CompPlanUpdate@arlingtonva.us or call the Project Manager Rana Abu Ghazaleh at 703- 228-0583.  

Community Liaison Activity Log
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