diff --git a/neuromaps/nulls/vol_nulls.py b/neuromaps/nulls/vol_nulls.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fad8c46a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/neuromaps/nulls/vol_nulls.py
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+"""Functionality for running spatial null models."""
+
+def _prep_data(data, atlas, density, parcellation, distmat):
+    # if vol, return xyz only
+    # if surf, return distance
+    # if parcellated, return distance
+    # also return type
+    pass
+
+def burt2018(data, method="", atlas='fsaverage', density='10k', parcellation=None, # noqa: D103
+             n_perm=1000, seed=None, distmat=None, n_proc=1, **kwargs):
+    pass
+
+def burt2020(data, method="", atlas='fsaverage', density='10k', parcellation=None, # noqa: D103
+             n_perm=1000, seed=None, distmat=None, n_proc=1, **kwargs):
+    # options: original sampled, original base, optimized sampled, optimized base
+    pass
+
+def moran(data, method="", atlas='fsaverage', density='10k', parcellation=None, # noqa: D103
+          n_perm=1000, seed=None, distmat=None, n_proc=1, **kwargs):
+    pass
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