Fall 2009
Input Requested for Iowa’s State Service Plan
Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame Nomination Materials Released
Summer Youth Corps and Green Corps Administrative Rules
Iowa Nonprofit Summit to Be Held November 16
Post Your Volunteer Opportunities Online!
Excellence in Mentoring Awards
Post Your Volunteer Opportunities Online!
Since more and more people are searching for volunteer opportunities online, the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service (ICVS) has instituted a statewide Volunteer Solutions (VS) system. VS, a premier Web-based volunteer management system, serves as the state’s volunteer portal on www.volunteeriowa.org. The system aids agencies in connecting with, and managing, individuals and groups of people who want to volunteer their time, talents and resources in Iowa.
ICVS is heavily promoting Volunteer Solutions as the preferred method for posting or finding volunteer opportunities in Iowa.
Benefits of Using the Online Volunteer Portal for Your Organization:
- Quick and easy posting of volunteer opportunities.
- Online exposure for your organization and volunteer opportunities, whether you have a website of your own or not.
- In most cases, the service is free to use!
- Built-in function for ongoing communications between volunteers and agencies.
- Tracking reports that recap postings, responses, volunteer hours, and much more!
- Gift Connections to list needed goods and services.
- Post news items or community spotlights.
- Disaster management tool to help plan for and coordinate volunteers in time of disaster.
- Volunteer Solutions automatically shares your volunteer opportunity postings with other online systems.
- Your organization can list projects (volunteer opportunities) for state-level Special Events such as MLK Day, 1st Lady’s Shelter Awareness Day and other national Days of Service.
- The system helps recruit volunteers more effectively and efficiently so you can focus on other priorities for your organization.
ICVS believes the system will work best by encouraging agencies to post their volunteer opportunities through their nearest volunteer coordination center — in some cases that might be a United Way, in others it could be a designated Volunteer Center.
By encouraging use of local Volunteer Solutions systems, the volunteer coordination center can maintain a relationship with the local agency. ICVS is happy to assist with that process so it is easy for everyone, and will not add an extra burden to anyone’s plate.
Find a local Volunteer Solutions volunteer portal near you and post your volunteer opportunities:
Cedar Valley United Way/ Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley
Waterloo
https://volunteer.united-e-way.org/volunteer-center-of-cedar-valley/volunteer/
www.vccv.org/default.asp
319.272.2087
United Way of North Central Iowa
Mason City
www.unitedwaynci.org/index.php?pr=Volunteer
641.423.1774
Fairfield Volunteer Center
Fairfield
http://fairfieldvolunteer.org
641.209.9045
United Way of Johnson County Inc./ Volunteer Center of Johnson County/ Iowa City Area Volunteer Center
Coralville
www.unitedwayjc.org/Volunteer.php
319.338.7823
United Way of East Central Iowa
Cedar Rapids
www.uweci.org
319.540.4810
United Way of Central Iowa
Des Moines
www.unitedwaydm.org/aspx/volunteer/volunteer.aspx
515.246.6550
United Way of the Midlands
Omaha
http://volunteer.united-e-way.org/omaha/volunteer
402.342.8232
United Way of the Quad Cities, Inc.
Davenport
www.unitedwayqc.org/html/volunteer.html
563.355.4310
United Way of Wapello County
Ottumwa
http://wapellocouw.org/index.php?pr=Volunteer
641.682.1264
United Way of Siouxland
Sioux City
www.unitedwaysiouxland.com/index.php?cdf=27
712.255.3551
The Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service is available for technical assistance, training, networking opportunities, and other tools and resources you may need to be best educated on the system.
E-mail: icvs@iowa.gov
Phone: 515.725.3095 (local Des Moines area)
1.800.308.5987 (toll-free)