| Frequently asked Questions and Answers |
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| “Only a life lived for others is worth living." -Albert Einstein |
Q: Why should I volunteer?
A: There are many benefits to volunteering. Volunteering provides you with a feeling of satisfaction, accomplishment and pride in making a difference in your community. Studies have also shown health benefits for individuals who volunteer. |
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Q: Is there a tax break for volunteering?
A: Although there are some qualifying tax deductions, tax benefits to volunteers may vary by state. It is important to know your state’s specific qualifications related to volunteering expenses. |
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Q: What is a virtual volunteer opportunity?
A: Virtual volunteering means volunteer tasks are completed, in whole or in part, via the Internet and a home or work computer. It's also known as online volunteering, cyber service, online mentoring, teletutoring and various other names. Virtual volunteering allows agencies to expand the benefits of their volunteer programs by allowing for more volunteers to participate and by utilizing volunteers in new areas. |
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Q: What is skill-based or pro bono volunteering?
A: There has been a shift from yesterday’s volunteers, who might have been young, unemployed, and well-versed in anything but corporate parlance. More typically, today’s volunteer has a very specific set of business skills to share and thus represents the alternative capital, or resources, a company can offer to a nonprofit: expertise in business strategy, operations, technology, marketing, human resources, and finance. |
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Q: How do I get started volunteering?
A: Nevada Volunteers provides a link to an online volunteer matching system where many volunteer opportunities can be located. It is simple, quick and easy! Volunteer now! |
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Q: What volunteer opportunity is right for me?
A: Finding the volunteer opportunity that is right for you is mostly influenced by personal interests. Advice is available on how to choose an opportunity that is right for you and how to make the experience as rewarding as possible. |
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Benefits of Volunteerism
| “Service to a just cause rewards the worker with more real happiness and satisfaction than any other venture of life.”-Carrie Chapman Catt |
Corporation for National & Community Service
This research has established a strong relationship between volunteering and health: those who volunteer have lower mortality rates, greater functional ability, and lower rates of depression later in life than those who do not volunteer. This website explains how some expenses of volunteering can be used as a tax deduction. It also provides a link to the government tax site for specific questions regarding the tax breaks of volunteering. |
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The Canadian Center for Philanthropy
This site shows how volunteer activities improved skills related to jobs. Volunteers explain how volunteer activities helped them with their interpersonal skills, such as understanding people better, motivating others, and dealing with difficult situations. |
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Age Venture--An On-line Magazine
Just how much voluntary service to your fellow man is necessary in order to personally benefit your mental and physical health? This site has a short read which reveals the magic number and relates these benefits to volunteers 65+. |
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Do Something
Top 11 reasons to volunteer and sign up to get opportunities texted to your cell, 2x a month! |
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The Motley Fool: To Educate, Amuse & Enrich
Volunteering 101: What to Expect To help other novice volunteers and help promote the spirit of Foolanthropy, this page talks about some of the common misconceptions volunteers often have. |
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R+: Renaissance50plus.ca
Renaissance 50plus aims to bridge the gap between the needs of the skilled “50+” volunteer and the needs of the community. |
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Volunteering in America
This Volunteering in America website will give you Information on volunteering and civic engagement such as:
- Information about who is do what in volunteerism
- Suggestins for nonprofits to improve their practices
- Find ways to get envolved
- Revcent volunteer research
Find out where Nevada ranks with other states in the Nation!
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There are many reasons to volunteer and each person will have their own. What we know, however, is that volunteering has many benefits, physical, emotional, and spiritual. We have provided a variety of resources. Please let us know if we can provide additional information for you by contacting us
Virtual Volunteering
| "It is our collective and individual responsibility to protect and nurture the global family, to support its weaker members and to preserve and tend to the environment in which we all live." -The Dalai Lama |
AARP: The magazine
There’s no reason to let time constraints, physical limitations, or home-based obligations get in the way of getting involved. Meet five people who’ve been able to make a positive impact, thanks to the burgeoning world of virtual volunteering |
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gaurdian.co.uk
Virtual volunteers, real results: Today's volunteers are finding that a helpful email can make just as much difference as a helping hand, with charities such as YouthNet pioneering online advice services. |
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Coyote Communications
This site discusses myths about online volunteering (Virtual Volunteering) - Online volunteering means an unpaid service that is given via the Internet. It's a method of volunteering the author has been using, studying, documenting or promoting since 1995, first independently, then with the Virtual Volunteering Project, and then with the UN's Online Volunteering Service. |
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CNN.com
This link has a video that talks about one of the many things virtual volunteering can accomplish. |
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Corporation for National & Community Service
Virtual volunteering means volunteer tasks completed, in whole or in part, via the Internet and a home or work computer. Virtual volunteering allows agencies to expand the benefits of their volunteer programs, by allowing for more volunteers to participate, and by utilizing volunteers in new areas. |
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sowhatcanido: Blog Spot
Today it's easier than ever to volunteer with an organization whose cause you believe in. All you need is your computer! This page lists two sites to get you started. |
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CSV: make a difference
What is virtual volunteering?-Virtual Volunteering is an exciting new approach to involving people in volunteer activity. It seeks to utilize the recent developments in information communications technology (in particular, the widespread use of the Internet and e-mail) to develop new volunteer relationships. |
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serviceleader.org
The information in this section of ServiceLeader.org will benefit volunteers as well as volunteer managers and service leaders who are interested in utilizing technology to benefit their organizations. The Virtual Volunteering Guidebook, published in 2000, is a color PDF document offering detailed information on the basics of setting up and managing a successful virtual volunteering program. This book captures the contributions of many, many collaborating organizations and online volunteers who worked with the Virtual Volunteering Project from 1996 - 1998. |
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Skill-based/Pro bono Volunteering
| “Volunteers are seldom paid; not because they are worthless, but because they are PRICELESS!” -author unknown |
Many people have developed competence through their jobs that are valuable skills to offer when volunteering. Nonprofit organizations often operate with limited resources but, organizationally, need the skills of experienced professionals in areas such as marketing, information technology, management and human resources. For professionals and skilled technicians, offering to help a nonprofit can be a meaningful way to “give back.”
Points of Light Foundation
Employee skill-based volunteering holds new promise for employee skills and non-profit partner effectiveness: A review of current knowledge. |
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On Philanthropy
A new type of volunteer has emerged. Instead of physically digging a hole, this volunteer will use a pen and calculator to strategize a means of getting a fledging nonprofit out of a financial hole. |
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Advice/Personal Experiences
| “Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds." -George Eliot |
Service Leader - Volunteer Resources
Here you will find information on how finding the right volunteer opportunity and making the most out of your volunteer activities can be crucial to making a real difference and having a rewarding experience. Many of these resources are written by internationally-recognized volunteerism and volunteer management expert Susan Ellis. |
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Oneworldonepeople.org
This site has several articles containing inspirational stories about volunteering. |
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Independent Sector: A Vital Voice for Us All
The Value of a Volunteer’s Time: The estimated dollar value of volunteer time is $19.51 per hour for 2007. The estimate helps acknowledge the millions of individuals who dedicate their time, talents, and energy to making a difference. Charitable organizations can use this estimate to quantify the enormous value volunteers provide. |
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