AL!VE offers organizations a low-risk, high-value research-based organizational assessment service to provide leaders with a clear, data-informed snapshot of how effectively an organization engages volunteers, and a focused roadmap for strengthening capacity and impact. Delivered by Service Enterprise Licensed Providers nationwide, the process offers expert guidance and actionable insights enabling leaders to determine whether deeper investment, such as Service Enterprise Accreditation, makes sense.

Overview

AL!VE's Service Enterprise Organizational Assessment is the ideal service for nonprofit organizations, community organizations, and institutions that are:

• Seeking to build organizational capacity
• Developing or refreshing a strategic plan
• Strengthening volunteer engagement practices
• Exploring more diverse and inclusive community engagement strategies
• Preparing for future participation in the full Service Enterprise Program

We use the Index of Volunteer Engagement (IVE) tool, grounded in extensive research by The University of Texas at Austin’s RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Engagement, to conduct the assessment. The tool:

• Measures the degree to which an organization strategically engages volunteer time and skills for mission delivery 
• Identifies strengths and areas of opportunity for volunteer culture and capacity building 
• Serves as a learning tool to expand and deepen community and volunteer engagement 
• Creates a comprehensive custom report with a thumbnail sketch of the organization and prioritized suggestions for improvement (i.e., flagging gaps that contribute to staff burnout and turnover)

Why this Assessment Matters

For many organizations, volunteer engagement is either under-leveraged or overly relied upon without the necessary infrastructure to support it. This assessment helps leaders:

• Understand whether volunteer engagement is truly strategic  
• Identify where small, targeted investments can reduce staff strain and increase impact 
• Align leadership, programs, and operations around a shared vision for engagement 
• Make stronger informed decisions around engagement 

What to Expect

Step 1: Complete the IVE Assessment

• Format: Online self-assessment
• Participants: 3–10 organizational leaders
• Time: ~30 minutes per participant (plus 30 extra minutes for one representative to enter organizational data)
• Timeline: Completed within 1–2 weeks

Your Licensed Provider will set up your organization, help identify participants, and guide you through the entire process.

Step 2: Participate in a Facilitated Debrief

Following completion of the assessment, your organization will receive:

• A formal assessment report
• Tools and guidance to strengthen community engagement
• A 2–2.5 hour facilitated debrief session (virtual or in-person)

All participants and additional leadership as appropriate are encouraged to attend. The session turns insights into actionable strategy.

Get Started

AL!VE's Service Enterprise Organizational Assessment is valued at $1,500. Many Licensed Providers leverage AmeriCorps, state, or private funding to reduce costs for participating organizations. Pricing and timeline estimates are provided directly by your local Licensed Provider.

Complete the interest form to get connected to your local Licensed Provider to receive your customized estimate, timeline and answer any other questions you may have.

Domains & Characteristics

Twelve core characteristics define organizations that operate as Service Enterprises, demonstrating strong, sustainable, and strategic volunteer engagement practices. Explore the Service Enterprise Domains and Characteristics below to see how these elements work together to elevate impact, strengthen community partnerships, and advance mission-driven results.

In the Media

Learn more about the IVE 2.0 assessment from the article titled, RGK Faculty Develop Index for Volunteer Engagement Tool, published November 20, 2024.