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Advancing Engagement of Volunteers by Cities

MAVA Initiative on City Volunteer Engagement


The Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement (MAVA) was awarded a Bush Foundation Community Innovation Grant to convene conversations with partners, cities, volunteer managers, volunteers, and citizens interested in building new strategies to engage a diverse citizenry in community problems.

MAVA conducts extensive research on a variety of initiatives in the field of volunteer engagement. If you are a MAVA member, most of the reports and studies are available to you at no charge. If you are not a member, there is a cost to download these studies and reports. Please consider MAVA membership.
Resources for Cities on Volunteer Engagement from MAVA

Value of Volunteers for Cities

    Value and Benefits of City Volunteers - Click Here

Tips for Starting or Building a Volunteer Program

    MAVA Tool Kit for Starting or Strengthening a City Volunteer Program - Click Here

    Advice from Cities on Starting or Expanding a Volunteer Program - Click Here

    List of City Volunteer Positions - Click Here

    MAVA Tips Sheet for Starting or Building a Volunteer Program - Click Here

    Why Hire a Volunteer Manager - Click Here

    Strategies Recommended by Cities for Success with Volunteers - Click Here

Cities Contact List

    Cities Willing to Share Ideas - Click Here

Volunteer Management Tools and Resources Shared by Cities

   Planning

        Plan for Developing Volunteer Program - Roseville - Click Here

        Plan for Structure of Volunteer Program - Warren - Click Here

        What Volunteers Want - Dassel - Click Here

   Volunteer Positions

        Volunteer Position Description – City Volunteer - Warren - Click Here

        Volunteer Position Descriptions – Eight Positions - Click Here

   Volunteer Intake

        Interview Questions - Plymouth - Click Here

        Volunteer Application Form - Warren - Click Here

        Volunteer Application Form - Four Cities - Click Here

        Volunteer Application Form - Mounds View - Click Here

   Volunteer Training   

        Volunteer Training Plan - Carlsbad CA - Click Here 

   Forms

       Volunteer Time Sheet - Four Cities - Click Here

   Volunteer Handbooks, Policies and Support

       Volunteer Handbook - Four Cities - Click Here

       Volunteer Handbook - Carlsbad CA - Click Here

       Volunteer Policies - Sample - Click Here
  Supervisor Handbooks, Training and Support    

       Volunteer Supervisor Handbook - Sample - Click Here

       Volunteer Supervisor Handbook - Four Cities - Click Here

       Tips for Supervisors - Carlsbad CA - Click Here

       Q & A for Supervisors - Carlsbad CA - Click Here

       Engage a Volunteer Consultant - Carlsbad CA - Click Here

         Volunteer Request Form - Plymouth - Click Here

Resources for Engaging Culturally Diverse Volunteers

     Tip Sheet - Involving Volunteers from Diverse Communities, from the Volunteer Perspective - Click Here

     Interviews with Volunteers from Immigrant Communities Regarding Volunteering for a City - Click Here

     Examples from Cities - Involving Culturally Diverse Volunteers - Click Here

     Tips from Cities on Involving Culturally Diverse Volunteers - Click Here

     Research Report City Involvement of Culturally Diverse Volunteer Full Report - Click Here

Police Department Volunteer Program - Resources Shared by the City of Moorhead

     Police Volunteer Brochure - Click Here

     Volunteer Application - Click Here

     Volunteer Program Policy - Click Here

     Personal Inventory - Click Here

    Moorhead Police Department Training Manual

         Volunteer Letter - Click Here

         Volunteer Agreement - Click Here

         New Volunteer Checklist - Click Here

         Purpose and Philosophy - Click Here

         Basic Expectations - Click Here

         Organizational Structure - Click Here

         Information Pages - Click Here

         Conflict Management - Click Here

         Radio Usage and 10 Codes - Click Here

     Residence Checks - Click Here         
   
     Residence Checklist Form - Click Here
      
     Traffic Control - Click Here

         Uniform Policy - Click Here
Thank you for sharing resources to the cities of: Apple Valley, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Burnsville,  Dassel, Edina, Inver Grove Heights, Moorhead, Mounds View, Rosemount, Roseville, Rothsay, St. Louis Park, Warren and West St. Paul and the Minneapolis Park Board.

 
MAVA Surveys on City Volunteer Engagement

    City Volunteer Engagement Survey Report - Click Here
 
    Report on Interviews with City Volunteers - Click Here

Articles and Web Resources

    “Cities Using Volunteers,” League of Minnesota Cities study - Click Here

  
MAVA Training

See our Event Calendar for additional training including MAVA’s “Volunteer Impact Leadership Training Series.” This two-day training series on best practices of volunteer engagement provides the essentials for running a volunteer program.