As many of you know, this week marks National Volunteer Appreciation Week.  Many of you are planning and executing recognition strategies that bring your volunteers to the forefront for all they do for their communities and our country. This brings the glimmer and shine of hope as our nation continues to fight against systemic racism, as seen most recently through the attacks on Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. The AL!VE Board of Directors state the following:

Fueled by misinformation, a long history of discrimination and xenophobia, and coupled with racist rhetoric, attacks on Asian American and Pacific Islanders have skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In recent months, attacks—especially on women and seniors—have accelerated nationwide.

Fear has engulfed the Asian American community: graffiti and vandalism of businesses; verbal and physical attacks in the community; the horrific shootings in Atlanta. These tragic incidents exemplify racial targeting amplified during COVID-19.

AL!VE condemns racism and expressions of hate, bias and discrimination in all forms. We will continue to speak out against intolerance and racism against Asian American and Pacific Islanders, and indeed all peoples. We are dedicated to advocating for and within our field, and creating a welcoming environment for volunteer engagement professionals. We hope you will join us in solidarity with the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, and speak out against racism and violence against any group of people.

For additional resources, please visit: https://stopaapihate.org/.

AL!VE continues to work on its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and is in the process of developing an advocacy statement that will guide our work through AL!VE and the field of volunteer engagement.  This and our DEI strategy will hopefully be released soon and incorporated into our overall strategic plan. 

Thank you all for your continued work towards bringing out the best in our country and making it a place we can all be proud of. 

Stay healthy and safe, 
Megan 

(as of 4/14/21)

Renee DeRosier
Susan Czaplicki
Joanna Brown
Brittany McGarry
Michaela Blain
Carly Weld
Wayne Kehoe
Lane Allen
Eric Toliver
Julie Hagle
Cat Mason
Erin Kelly
DOVIA Colorado

Rick Lynch
Member Since: 06/23/2009

Sarah Elliston, CVA
Member Since: 05/17/2010

Trina Mayhan-Webb, MA, CVA
Member Since: 10/05/2010

Gene Dickinson
Member Since: 11/06/2012

Jared McCannell, CVA
Member Since: 11/04/2015

Jennifer Thompson
Member Since: 03/04/2016

Lillian Nelson
Member Since: 05/25/2016

Rhonda Berry
Member Since: 08/24/2016

Heidi Urbina SAVMA
Member Since: 05/05/2017

Bonnie Davis
Member Since: 03/09/2018

Antoine Cook
Member Since: 04/18/2018

Beth Healey
Member Since: 04/19/2018

Volunteer Managers of Central Iowa
Member Since: 04/25/2018

Kathy Guenther
Member Since: 11/06/2018

Rebecca Maletto-Cornell
Member Since: 11/18/2018

Michael Mashburn
Member Since: 04/24/2019

Barrie Madasu
Member Since: 05/23/2019

Shaina Goldberg NYAVA
Member Since: 01/06/2020

Sabrina Clark
Member Since: 01/22/2020

Dorian Dotson
Member Since: 02/06/2020

Tina Barzo
Member Since: 03/16/2020

Karen Reid
Member Since: 04/02/2020

Celebrate Service
National Volunteer Week
April 18-24, 2021

Hosted by Points of Light, this year's theme for National Volunteer Week is Celebrate Service – an opportunity to shine a light on the people and causes that inspire us to serve. Volunteerism empowers individuals to find their purpose, to take their passion and turn it into meaningful change. When each of us, in our own way, answers the call to make a difference, we make progress in solving our most persistent problems, and create stronger communities and a more just society.

Free toolkit and more information here.

New to AL!VE or just want to check in?  

Next Member Welcome Webinar:
May 4, 3 PM Eastern

Find out what's happening or get a quick fix of networking with your peers! New members will get a brief overview of our mission, benefits, activities and committees...

We are here for you! Please do not hesitate to contact us at info@volunteeralive.org or visit our website at www.volunteeralive.org.  While you are there, you can also:

• Read the latest news about the profession

• Submit a calendar or news item

• Check out the resources page

• Find volunteer opportunities

• ...and more!

Facebook: @Volunteeralive
Twitter: @VolunteerALIVE​
Instagram: @Volunteeralive
LinkedIn: View profile here

These monthly professional development webinars are available FREE to all AL!VE members, including Local Association memberships.  These sessions are recorded, and the slide deck & recording can be accessed on the members only side of our website.  From the member menu, choose 'Resources' tab and then File Archive.

APRIL:
Make it Personal - Building Inclusion in Your Volunteer Corps: Practical Exercises, Success Stories, and Cautionary Tales
Presenters: Paula Allen, Emilie Bromet-Bauer, and Nicole Smith 
April 23, 2021 - 2 - 3pm E  Register here.

MAY:
Advocacy: Saying No to the Wrong Things So We Can Say Yes to the Right Things
Presenter: Alana Knoppow
May 12th, 2-3pm E  Register here.

JUNE:
The Volunteer Value Proposition: Capturing Numbers and Impact
Presenter: Sue Carter-Kahl. PhD.
June 23, 1 PM E  Register Here.

Have an idea or would like to present for a future webinar?  Learn more here.

Join a Community of Practice!
The AL!VE Communities of Practice (COP) Program is designed to give AL!VE members networking and educational opportunities within their field of expertise. Led by AL!VE members and field experts, it is a time to share experiences, resources and  recommendations with fellow AL!VE members. If you'd like to lead a COP in an area not listed below, contact us!

For more information about each COP, visit our COP webpage. 

New!  Animal Welfare  COP
The COP - Animal Welfare is designed to include a broad range of animal welfare organizations such as animal shelters, rescue groups, foster-based programs, sanctuaries, direct care for animals, and humane education programs. The objective of this COP is to connect volunteer engagement professionals within these organizations to share resources and best practices.

AL!VE is updating our Professional Standards and we're looking for volunteers to help us. We published professional standards in 2012 which reflect and guide effective practice for engaging and leading volunteers. You can find the current Professional Standards here.

Times have changed, volunteer engagement has changed, volunteer management has changed, and it's time to update these Standards to reflect current volunteer engagement and management. If you're interested in helping with this important Standards Project, please email Emilie Bromet-Bauer, Advocacy Committee Chair.

In 2021, Women in the U.S. still only make $0.82 for every dollar earned by men. For Black Women it’s $0.63, for Native American Women it’s $0.60, and for Latina Women $0.55. Knowing from Volunteer Pro’s recent survey that the field is predominantly women (88.1% identified as female), it’s probably not surprising that MAVA’s report on Promoting Job Equity for Volunteer Engagement Professionals (VEP) found senior leaders believed VEPs should be paid less than staff in roles with similar levels of skills required.
 
Research shows that one step to address the wage gap is greater salary transparency, including providing salary ranges with job postings. As a commitment to racial equity, and to advocate for equity in pay for our profession...

For AL!VE Members with a full membership, you now have access to a great new member benefit:  

Announcing the Portfolio Manager!

What is it? A convenient way to store your professional development certificates, transcripts, and the like.  Any .pdf, .jpg, picture, or the like can be stored here.  This will be stored for the duration of your membership.  If you currently hold a CVA, you'll be able to keep all your PDU's in once place, electronically.

How does it work? When you access the members' only side of the AL!VE Website, scroll to the bottom of the page and locate your membership information. On the far right, you'll see the 'Portfolio Manager'

Professional Development for Local Association Leadership, Boards, etc.
If your Local Association (DOVIA, AVA, DOV, etc) is an AL!VE Local Association member, or if you belong to a Local Association, please read and pass along these updates!  For more information about joining AL!VE as a Local Association, learn more here.

Our next offering:
May 18, 3:30 PM Eastern.  Register here.

Virtual Volunteer Fairs: How our Local Association Had A Successful Virtual Volunteer Fair!

Join Jessica Dennes from SAVMA (Southern Arizona Volunteer Managers Association) as she outlines the process SAVMA took to produce a successful virtual volunteer fair in the fall of 2020.  

As volunteer roles transition, change, or remain online, this is a great way to expand your recruitment base in an efficient and fun way in your community, involving a variety of opportunities from your local association's membership.

During this presentation, Jessica will outline: 

Need to plan a service project? See upcoming days of service to help you market your need:

Earth Day (April 22)
https://www.earthday.org/
Happy Earth Day! To all you Volunteer Management Professionals raising awareness today with service projects featuring Mother Nature, we salute you! (Earth Day had reached into its current status as the largest secular observance in the world, celebrated by more than a billion people every year, and a day of action that changes human behavior and provokes policy changes.

Don't forget to check out AL!VE's newsfeed on our home page for regular updates from our profession. Here's what you may have missed in this last month to catch you up!

• Applications Now Open For Fall 2021 Certification in Volunteer Administration Exam 03/05/2021

• American Rescue Plan Includes 1 Billion in Funding In Supplemental Funds For National Service Programs 03/15/2021

• The newest edition of Volunteer Administration: Professional Practice is available for purchase  03/17/2021

• Points of Light Online Conference Registration Now Open: $99 Early Bird Until April 30 04/14/2021

• Breaking News: The CORPS Act re-introduced in Senate for 117th Congress 04/16/2021

AL!VE is proud to join the Host Committee for the 2021 Points of Light Conference and share that registration is open for this highly anticipated event.  
 
The Points of Light Conference online experience is your opportunity to connect with an audience of changemakers from across the globe to uncover meaningful ways to drive transformative change. Are you ready to invigorate your organization’s efforts to engage volunteers and impact communities? Take a peek at the learning in store for the July 14-16 conference experience and take advantage of a special $99 rate when you register before April 30! 
 
Learn more here.

We're updating our member database to enhance our member networking benefit! 

When you register or access the members only system, you will be prompted to fill out the member skills database.  As this database grows you can search our membership to connect with a colleague regarding a specific skill - such as board development, social media, or fundraising. Please take five minutes and update  your skills on our database.  You can also go in an edit at any time.

Thank you!

PS:  Check to make sure messages from AL!VE aren't going in the spam folder.