Organizational Opportunities from VSD

Volunteering is on the rise and so is the importance of a quality volunteer experience. The need for volunteers is growing even as agencies struggle to engage those who want to serve.

Volunteer San Diego is here to help. Please feel free to invite the organizations you support to take advantage of these important opportunities:

· Volunteer engagement training. Three nationally-known speakers visit San Diego over the next six months. The first training is June 16 and focuses on engaging boomer (and other high-impact) volunteers.
http://tinyurl.com/qxgluf

· VSD orientation and coaching sessions. Offered monthly (for free), we share how to get the most out of VSD’s volunteer database and resources, including coaching on writing effective volunteer descriptions that are more likely to be adopted. Sessions are deliberately small to provide individualized attention.
http://tinyurl.com/2wvmhw

· VSD’s membership subsidies. We have subsidies available to increase volunteer project (and organization) exposure, volunteer management support, and volunteer recognition – including priority referral for corporate projects. Only $50 in year one.
http://tinyurl.com/6qajx3

VSD also is pleased to announce a new program we’re kicking off with stimulus funding. In July, we’ll provide 18 of our pre-selected member agencies that assist economically disadvantaged youth with volunteer AmeriCorps members. These AmeriCorps members will serve for one year and focus on building volunteer infrastructure to recruit more volunteers and thereby, serve more clients in need. The program is paid for primarily with stimulus funds with a combined cash and in-kind value of $350,000. VSD will incur costs of approximately $15,000 to implement this program and is seeking funding to underwrite these costs.

With fewer funds to go around for everyone, it’s important to take advantage of the resources that still exist – like VSD. I appreciate your assistance in sharing the above opportunities with your community partners.

Sue Carter, Executive Director
Volunteer San Diego