Dr. Matthew Slaats is an American organizer, researcher, and educator with a demonstrated history of working in civic & community engagement with a focus on grassroots community development.

At present Matthew is the Senior Civic Innovation Manager for the Richmond City Council. In this role he focuses on ways to engage and educate residents in the budgeting and legislative efforts of the city to strengthen trust. Beyond this he is an active leader in state, national, and global initiatives to build a more resilient and democratic world. This includes involvement in the Community Economies Research Network, the US Solidarity Economy Network, and the VA Solidarity Economy Network. He is a consultant for participatory budgeting and supporting worker cooperative development in the American South and possesses a wealth knowledge in the fields of creative placemaking, participatory budgeting, and development of solidarity economy. His teaching explores the intersection of social movements and urban spaces. He holds a PhD in the Constructed Environment from the University of Virginia’s School of Architecture, where he studied public housing advocacy.