February 2020
Exciting Lineup of
Workshops Announced for
2020 Volunteerism Conference!
The Virginia Volunteerism and Service Conference is thrilled to announce an outstanding lineup of workshops for 2020! Highly interactive sessions will be offered in the categories of Capacity Buildin g, Volunteer Management, and Personal & Professional Development. Some of our exciting workshops include:

  • How to Create a Killer Major Donor Program
  • It Pays to Be Picky! How to Develop a Strong and Effective Board
  • Top 10 Tips to Writing a Winning Grant Proposal
  • Cross Pollination: Turning Volunteers into Donors, and Donors into Volunteers
  • Is the Clutter Monster Taking Control of Your Time and Your Ability to Get Your Job Done?
  • And many more!

Nearly 30 workshops will be offered this year!  We're adding more and more workshops every day so check back often.  Click here  to see the list of workshops we have lined up so far! 
Nominations Open for Regional Volunteerism Awards
Do you know someone who is making a difference in your community? Several regions across the Commonwealth are seeking nominations for regional volunteerism awards.

Hanover County
Spirit of Volunteerism Awards

Nominations are now open to honor outstanding Hanover County volunteers. Submissions are accepted for deserving volunteers who are supporting local government, school, nonprofit or faith-based community programs. Youth, Adults, Youth Groups, Older Adults, Adult Groups, Families, Long-serving volunteers and community minded business partners are all eligible for nomination within one 8 award categories. In honor of Hanover’s 300th Birthday Celebration, our award sponsors will be making a financial contribution of up to $300 to the community service program for which the volunteer serves! Deadline for nominations is March 16th.  Nominate someone today!

New River Valley Leading Lights Awards

In Christiansburg, NRV Leading Lights is actively seeking Volunteer Award nominations from across the New River Valley. The deadline to submit nominations is March 2nd. Nominate an outstanding volunteer today!   
AmeriCorps NCCC Teams
Are Serving in Virginia!
AmeriCorps NCCC teams have recently been deployed to several locations around Virginia this year. NCCC engages teams of members in short-term (6-8 weeks) projects in communities across the U.S. tackling tasks like rehabilitation of low-income housing, responding to natural disasters, cleaning up streams, and much more.

In Manassas, six NCCC members are making much-needed repairs to Manassas National Battlefield Park's headquarters building. The structure, which had a problem with frequent flooding, is being improved with new flooring, new drywall, and a number of other repairs.The job at the battlefield will take about six weeks. The team has already served in Puerto Rico, Florida, Louisiana and Massachusetts.

On the Eastern Shore, members are serving at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge working alongside the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The members are helping place approximately 17 miles of fence to prevent overgrazing by the 150 feral ponies that roam the island. The team will be serving here until February 14th.

Welcome NCCC teams!
Volunteers Make MLK Day
a Day of Service
As a nationally-sanction day of service, Martin Luther King Jr., Day is an opportunity for individuals to make a difference in their communities. Service projects took place all across Virginia -- from food drives to park clean-ups. In Richmond, hundreds of volunteers converged on Evergreen Cemetery, an historic African American burial ground, to clear overgrown gravesites. In addition to teaching students about the significance of the work of Dr. King, members with Carroll County Public Schools Lift Up AmeriCorps program fanned out across Southwest Virginia, serving at a disaster relief warehouse OR serving at disaster relieve warehouses in Danville and hosting an afternoon of fun and fellowship at a senior center in Hillsville.

How can your organization make an impact on a National Day pf Service? Apply for Day of Service Grant funding through the Corporation for National and Community Service by March 25, 2020.
Celebrate AmeriCorps Week
March 8-14, 2020
AmeriCorps Week is a time to salute members and alums for their service, thank community partners, and communicate national service impact on communities and on the lives of those who serve. Some of the way AmeriCorps programs can participate this year include:

  • Post stories about AmeriCorps members on social media using #MadeinAmeriCorps
  • Invite community leaders or elected officials to take the AmeriCorps Pledge; give them some AmeriCorps gear, and have them set out on a day of service. 
  • Ask your mayor or county official to thank your members/alumni by issuing a proclamation. Share a link to the proclamation on social media.
Nonprofit Toolbox
Each month we're happy to share some of our favorite resources and funding opportunities.  Let us know your favorites  so we can pass them along.   





  • Civil Society for the 21st Century is a collection of essays from the country's biggest thinkers and brightest innovators to consider how we got here and where we need to go next.






  • Youth Preparedness Council Applications are being accepted by FEMA from students in grades 8-11. The council gives kids the chance to meet peers from across the country to work together on exciting projects. Deadline: March 8


Upcoming Opportunities
Training & Events
Volunteers Needed!
Virginia Office on Volunteerism & Community Services