VIP Partner Site Information

We think you could. And we can help.

A well-designed volunteer program can

make an agency stronger and more

sustainable, increase the quality and

quantity of services available to clients,

reduce staff stress, usher in greater

innovation, and increase capacity for

impact.

On the other hand—inefficient and

unplanned volunteer programs are a strain

on staff time and nerves, cause volunteers

to make costly mistakes or prematurely

leave their service, and distract from client

needs.

The Volunteer Infrastructure Project (VIP)

helps California service experts like you to

get more good work done by utilizing best

practices in volunteer management.

Locally, VIP mobilizes AmeriCorps

members to create new possibilities

in our Inland Empire communities

through nonprofits serving children

and families in IEUW’s service region.

If your organization is ready to take

the next steps towards a stronger

volunteer program, VIP can help. VIP

Partner Sites contribute a limited cash

match and staff time towards the

program. In return, our AmeriCorps

members bring passion and dedicated

attention to help you meet your goals

towards a more efficient and effective

volunteer program so that you’ll have

more time and resources to make a

greater impact in the community.

2,007 volunteers recruited

9,662 volunteer hours served ($281,065 value)

$100,916 raised for volunteer programs

VIP Partner Site Information

Each awarded Partner Site hosts a dedicated, full-time AmeriCorps VIP Fellow for 11 months. VIP Fellows commit to serve 1,700 hours over those 11 months.

Unlike a traditional employee, AmeriCorps members focus all of their service time on AmeriCorps program goals—in our case, that means they spend 100% of their

service time on building your volunteer program.

Each VIP Fellow has these 4 goals: (1) Build sustainable volunteer capacity for the assigned Partner Site; (2) Recruit one-time, long-term, and skills-based

volunteers based on your agencies needs; (3) Raise $2,000 to support your volunteer program; and (4) Grow in professional and service skills. To reach these

goals, every VIP Fellow participates in the following activities:

About 45% of time (765 hours)

Example Projects:

Develop and implement a volunteer

program, as well as build on the

existing volunteer program by

increasing its capacity.

Create policies, handbooks, orientation

trainings, position descriptions, and

recruitment materials.

Track volunteer program and

infrastructure development at the site

throughout the year.

Conduct a needs assessment to

determine program needs and create

volunteer roles to meet those needs.

Establish volunteer training and

recognition plans.

Generally, any in-office tasks to create,

develop, or implement systems and

processes.

About 35% of time (595 hours)

Example Projects:

Implement best practices to recruit,

screen, train, and retain volunteers.

Recruit volunteers to support children,

youth, and families.

Recruit both one-time, ongoing, and/or

skilled volunteers for specific events

and projects.

Create and distribute marketing

materials for recruitment.

Tabling at local community events or

recruitment fairs.

Form partnerships with civic and

community groups for volunteering.

Leading and training volunteers in their

assigned project.

Exactly 10% of time (170 hours)

Includes statewide, online webinar

regional, and monthly local trainings, as

well as participation in National Days of

Service, all staff meetings, supervisor

check-ins for guidance and task

assignment, and additional

opportunities with prior approval, such

as workshops.

Maximum 10% of time (<170 hours)

Making requests to businesses or

individuals for donations to the

volunteer program.

May include hosting volunteer supply

drives, accounting for inventory of

those drives, writing grant proposals, or

volunteer-donor relationship building.

VIP Partner Site Information

A lot goes on behind-the-scenes to facilitate your agency and VIP

Fellow success. Some of the support IEUW provides includes:

Recruit, hire, train, support, and manage benefits/payroll for

the VIP Fellow

3-day orientation and year-long professional development to

the VIP Fellow to promote skills/success

Orientation, technical assistance, and member management

assistance to your designated staff supervisor

Streamlined VIP reporting and timekeeping to save your

agency staff time

Liaison to the statewide CalSERVES AmeriCorps VIP

program to help meet your agency needs within the

AmeriCorps network

Supplements within IEUW the gap between the cash match

and what would be the actual full cost to host a VIP Fellow,

when factoring in staff time, federal/state requirements,

recruitment, training, and other expenses.

Your volunteer program is an investment in immediate and long-

term impact. Partner Sites:

Provide a limited cash match and staff time

Complete and work to improve on the Volunteer Capacity

Assessment, which is an evidence-based model to build

strong volunteer programs

Provide workspace (i.e., desk, computer, phone, mileage,

supplies) for the VIP Fellow

Designate a full-time staff member as a supervisor/mentor

to guide the VIP Fellow in building your volunteer program,

and to complete minimal reporting

AmeriCorps VIP is a partnership between your impact-driven agency, Inland Empire United Way’s evidence-based

program, and the statewide CalSERVES AmeriCorps VIP program. IEUW is proud to partner with CalSERVES for

AmeriCorps VIP, which is administered by CaliforniaVolunteers and sponsored by the Corporation for National

and Community Service.

By ensuring that each Partner Site and VIP Fellow has support, training, and resources, we help you maximize

volunteer impact to meet your clients’ needs and expand services for children and families.

VIP Partner Site Information

We are so blessed and honored to have VIP Fellows on our team. They have been

hard working, dedicated and truly a BIG help for us as we grow to serve 900+ youth. We

literally could not reach the number of kids and volunteers without AmeriCorps.

Jennifer O’Farrell, Executive Director

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Empire VIP Partner Site 2016-Present

You are a nonprofit or government agency with a new or unstructured volunteer program,

or you are looking to significantly expand an existing volunteer program

For example:

You need more hands on deck—leadership and staff have a hard time meeting the

volume of client needs.

Your agency doesn’t yet involve volunteers, but wants to start in order to better serve

the community.

There are volunteers, but current volunteer management processes are inconsistent,

incomplete, confusing, or leave volunteers feeling unsupported and unappreciated.

Program expansions will require the agency to scale up the size or scope of the

volunteer program.

Having an AmeriCorps VIP Fellow has helped us make great strides in building

our volunteer program and systems. When used properly, AmeriCorps can help leverage limited organizational dollars with valuable

volunteer resources, increasing programmatic impact. We’ve built needed volunteer policies,

recruited new volunteers, and developed several new on-going volunteer

opportunities to help us expand the difference we make in residents’ lives.

Gregory Bradbard, President

Hope Through Housing Foundation VIP Partner Site 2018-Present

Please contact Alisa Lemke at

ALemke@ieuw.org to learn

more about the VIP program

and Partner Site application

process.

The Ontario-Montclair Promise Scholars program has been built by AmeriCorps

members from the ground up. We now serve 20,000 students K-16 a year through over

300 volunteers and partners. AmeriCorps is part of the DNA of Promise Scholars.

Leslie O’Hare Sorensen, Director

Ontario-Montclair School District, Promise Scholars VIP Partner Site 2013-Present