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. 

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.

Skills-Based Volunteerism Training Academy

While the impact of SBV is well-known, many nonprofits still encounter significant challenges in effectively engaging skills-based volunteers. That's why ServeOhio is partnering with Common Impact, a national leader in skills-based volunteer engagement, to offer the Skills-Based Volunteering Training Academy (Training Academy). The goal of the Training Academy is to equip Ohio nonprofits with the skills, tools, and resources needed to lead impactful SBV projects that make a lasting organizational impact. Twelve nonprofits were accepted into the 2020 Training Academy Cohort.

1. Project REBUILD, Inc., Canton
2. Horizon Education Centers, North Olmsted
3. YWCA Columbus, Columbus
4. ACCESS, Inc, Akron
5. Harmony Project, Columbus
6. SourcePoint, Delaware
7. Hamilton Urban Garden Systems, Hamilton
8. Ohio's Hospice, Dayton
9. Community Properties Impact Corporation, Columbus
10. Easterseals Central and Southeast Ohio, Hilliard
11. United Way of Hancock County, Findlay
12. Franklin County Recreation, ADD, A Hattie Larlham Agency, Westerville

Questions? Contact Rebeccah Verhoff-Kiss at rebeccah.verhoff-kiss@serveohio.gov or 614-995-5269.

More SBV Resources

Webinar Recording

Skills-Based Volunteerism 201: Project Scoping and Planning

Choosing and preparing for the right project is crucial to any successful SBV engagement. This webinar on January 8, 2020 focused on getting “project ready” for SBV and translating organizational needs into clearly defined projects that are a good fit for skilled volunteers. Listen to the recording here. 

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 SKILLS-BASED VOLUNTEERISM 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 Corporation for National and Community Service's Volunteer Generation Fund.