ServeOhio seeks to increase the capacity of Ohio nonprofits to recruit, engage, and retain skills-based volunteers. To achieve this goal, ServeOhio developed the Skills-Based Volunteerism Training Academy which will engage a cohort of 10 organizations annually in state-of-the-art training, technical support, and ongoing coaching to increase the use and effectiveness of skilled volunteers across Ohio. 

2021 Skills-Based Volunteerism Training Academy - Now Accepting Applications

ServeOhio is pleased to partner with Common Impact to offer the 2021 Skills-Based Volunteerism Training Academy. This 9-month program is designed to train and support a cohort of up to 10 Ohio nonprofits to develop and execute a skills-based volunteerism (SBV) project in their organization. 

What is Skills-Based Volunteerism?

Skills-Based Volunteering (SBV) is the practice of lending one’s specific professional expertise to community organizations in a way that helps them affect social change. SBV differs from other, more traditional forms of volunteering in that volunteers are engaged in activities that leverage their professional expertise and experience – such as marketing, finance, or human resources. Skilled volunteer support is typically focused on operational or administrative functions - activities that a nonprofit might otherwise have to hire or pay for specialized support.

What are the benefits of being part of this training opportunity?

Participating organizations will receive best in class training and support from skills-based volunteering experts from Common Impact consultants and ServeOhio staff. The training will include:

• Boot camp style training held virtually over three weeks in March 2021
• Custom support in project identification and scoping from Common Impact consultants in preparation for the SBV Boot Camp. (estimated two to four (2-4) hours of individual support as needed)
• Peer to peer networking and learning opportunities with other 2021 training cohort participants
• Webinars hosted by ServeOhio and Common Impact
• Ongoing project implementation support from SBV consultants for your nonprofit in planning and implementing skills-based volunteering projects for up to nine months following the boot camp
• Peer to peer networking and learning opportunities with other participating nonprofits from around Ohio

Want more information? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

SBV Training Academy FAQs

Program Timeline

Technical Assistance

ServeOhio hosted a technical assistance call on January 14th. View slides from the call here. 

How to Apply

Interested organizations should complete an application that will support ServeOhio in assessing an organization’s readiness to participate in the training program and expected activities. Completed applications should be submitted via email to rebeccah.verhoff-kiss@serveohio.gov by January 29, 2021 at 5:00 PM. 

Questions? Contact Rebecah Verhoff Kiss, rebeccah.verhoff-kiss@serveohio.gov. 

Download SBV Training Academy Application

SBV Resources

Nonprofit Skills-Based Volunteerism Toolkit

ServeOhio recently released a new Skills-Based Volunteerism Toolkit with in-depth information, tools, and resources to help you implement SBV in your organization.

VIEW NONPROFIT SBV TOOLKIT

Corporate Skills-Based Volunteerism Toolkit

ServeOhio is pleased to present our new corporate SBV Toolkit crafted to help companies think through implementing SBV in their organizations. The toolkit contains tools, resources, case studies, and more. 

VIEW CORPORATE SBV TOOLKIT

For even more information and resources about SBV, visit www.capacitycommon.org. 

Funding to support the Skills-Based Volunteerism Training Academy comes from the AmeriCorps Volunteer Generation Fund.