Volunteer Iowa accepts and promotes the involvement of volunteers at all levels of the agency to build capacity, fuel growth, and inspire our work. It is our goal to have volunteers and staff work in true partnership with shared responsibility and accountability in the delivery and support of our mission and programs.
Our engaged volunteers have a tremendous impact on helping achieve the Volunteer Iowa mission and complement the work of our staff by:
- contributing more than $335,000 worth of service each year
- multiplying the reach and effects of the services, initiatives, and programs we offer
- allowing the commission to utilize taxpayer investments in a much more effective and impactful way by decreasing program and administrative costs
- assisting in developing and increasing innovative ways to engage volunteers and improve the volunteer management infrastructure across Iowa
- bringing new insights and energies to the work of the commission
Find your volunteer opportunity
Volunteer Iowa's online volunteer matching system. Look for volunteer opportunities, events, or your favorite agencies. Our online volunteer matching system gives you instant access to opportunities across the state. Sign up for a free account to track your hours, receive announcements when your favorite organization sends out a call for volunteers, or register to help in times of disaster.
You can also connect with your local Volunteer Connector Organization. These centers, located in several communities throughout Iowa, are experts in volunteer management and are well-versed in community organizations, upcoming projects and skill-based volunteering. One of their primary goals is to help get individuals matched with a local volunteer opportunity they will enjoy.
Types of volunteer opportunities
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One-time events like Days of Service or community festivals or charitable events. These opportunities allow volunteers to participate in short-term service activities for a greater cause without making a long-term commitment. Consider volunteering as a family. Think about looking for a volunteer opportunity suitable for parents and children to do together, or for a husband and wife to take on as a team. Do some volunteering as you travel on vacation. Get more great ideas from the Huffington Post.
- Skills-based volunteering (SBV) is an innovative approach that is rapidly gaining recognition as a powerful driver of both social impact and business value. Skills-based volunteerism utilizes the skills, experience, talents and education of volunteers and matches them with the needs of nonprofits. By leveraging all types of knowledge and expertise, SBV helps build and sustain nonprofits’ capacity to achieve their missions successfully. Individual skilled volunteers may offer their particular expertise to a nonprofit agency, while corporate SBV involves employee volunteers working on projects for a nonprofit organization through a structured program developed and managed by their employer. SBV is a strategic type of volunteerism that exponentially expands the impact of nonprofits by incorporating a whole range of skills that strengthen the operations and services of nonprofit organizations.
- Ongoing activities such as tutoring, mentoring, or delivering Meals on Wheels. Prefer to have a regular schedule? Sign up for an ongoing activity that happens every week or month at the same time.
- You can volunteer for full-time service through programs such as AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps Seniors, or the Peace Corps. Make a significant contribution to your community or the world. Change your life as much as you change the lives of those you serve.
- Projects you can do from anywhere. Many agencies offer in-home or virtual opportunities, from providing accounting services to stuffing envelopes. Don’t be afraid to contact an organization that you’d like to help just because you cannot travel to their site. Virtual volunteering? Yes, there is such a thing! If you have computer access and the necessary skills, some organizations now offer the opportunity to do volunteer work online. Other activities you can do from home: make quilts or clothing, knit or crochet, and offer your skills as a graphic artist, website designer, marketing expert, or grant writer.
- Design your own project. Haven’t found the right volunteer opportunity in your area? Why not lead your own project? Browse through the do-it-yourself toolkits at Create the Good and HandsOnNetwork for ideas and step-by-step instructions.
- Help out in times of disaster. Register as a volunteer with an "affiliated" organization such as the American Red Cross or Salvation Army. Volunteer Iowa is the lead agency for unaffiliated volunteer management during a disaster and coordinates activities with the State Emergency Operations Center. Create a volunteer profile and indicate an interest in volunteer opportunities related to natural or accidental disasters. By registering your experience and skills, emergency management officials will be able to quickly contact you when your assistance is needed.