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The Real Value of Volunteers by Rachel Mouton, iFunds & GiveSmartOKC Manager

Are humans hardwired for generosity? We give blood, directions, money and assets. Sometimes we even give unsolicited advice. In 2018, humans gave more than $380 million online on Giving Tuesday. That’s up 38% from 2017 . So yes, human nature does lean toward generosity. But are we just generous with our money, or are we also generous with our time and investing our talents and expertise into organizations in our community?

Time is money, and it is both our charitable donations and our volunteer hours that help shape our community. Each hour given saves money for the organization, your organization. In 2018, the Independent Sector reported that one hour volunteering saved an Oklahoma organization $22.95, which is up 3.5% from 2017.

An effortless way to recruit volunteers is through your Give Smart OKC profile! The “Other ways to donate, support or volunteer” section under the General tab provides a space for your organization to list the volunteer opportunities you have available.

How do you find volunteers to further your mission? Answering these questions can help guide your search:

What project do you want to tackle? Define the project for which you need volunteers, including the specific roles your volunteers will take on.

How many volunteers do you need? Defining how many volunteers you will need is much easier for a one-time event versus an ongoing program that needs rotating volunteers and perhaps even substitutes. Go ahead and tally up how many volunteers you will need for the entire project and define their roles at a later time.

When do you need volunteers? Do you have a firm time with a make-it-or-break-it availability policy, or are the hours flexible?

Are there any requirements to volunteer with your organization? Create a board-approved volunteer policy that defines volunteer eligibility requirements (age, volunteer training, required time commitment, court-mandated community service and background checks). This policy will provide a way for your organization to politely refuse a volunteer if necessary.

Now that you have a road map, your search begins! Below are a few suggested areas where you can look for volunteers:

General volunteers: United Way’s Volunteer Center OKC Volunteer Facebook groups Colleges or universities: Offer internships to students pursuing a degree in a related field Search for students who need community service hours for their resume Get involved with Big Event (e.g. OU, UCO, NSU etc.) Service groups such as church groups, civic groups, etc. Current donors

Skilled volunteers: Americorps Volunteer Match

Knowing the value of volunteers should translate into an essential need for your organization to recruit, cultivate and steward volunteers. Don’t delay, start today! If you have questions or need my help, contact me at 405/606-2918.

Upcoming Grant Deadlines

Kirpatrick Family Fund Grants

Carolyn Watson Rural Oklahoma Community Foundation Classroom Enhancement Grants

Upcoming Events

Seeds of Planned Giving Join us at 11:30 a.m. to hear about planned giving case studies and success stories. Register here .

GiveSmartOKC Join us at 11:30 a.m. to learn more about the annual updates that need to be made to your GiveSmartOKC profile. Register her e and let us know if you're staying for the extended session. Extended session:  Is your profile expiring? Bring your laptop and join us from 1-2:30 p.m. for a hands-on workshop to update your profile.

Focus on Endowment Join us at 11:30 a.m. to learn how you can establish a growth program for your endowment. Register here .

View 2019 Charitable Organization Training Calendar

At the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, we are fortunate to witness the people, places, activities, events and organizations that work together to make our city a great place every day, but we want others to see it, too. Wherever you see the good in our community, share it by using  #OKC4Good  and join the movement! Learn more at OCCF.org/OKC4Good.

Nonprofit Resources

DonorCentral

View the balance of your endowment fund and gifts from donors.

The Toolkit

Tools to help you promote your endowment.

IRS.gov for Nonprofits

Guidance, compliance and requirements to help you in your nonprofit journey.

Contacts:

‌	Jennifer Meckling Charitable Organization Endowment Program Director 405/606-2951

‌	Rachel Mouton Manager, iFunds & Give Smart OKC 405/606-2918

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