Why work with Business Volunteers?
Business Volunteers helps to build the capacity, network, and resources of community organizations by connecting them to the time, talent, and support of the business community. Through our partnerships with regional companies and their employees, we provide nonprofits and schools FREE and facilitated connections to volunteers, consultants, board members, trainings, partnerships, and more!
How to Get Started
To leverage the most successful partnership with Business Volunteers Maryland, nonprofits need to understand the process of engaging with the corporate community. Here’s how to make sure your organization isn’t missing out:
Required first step to a partnership with Business Volunteers! We do not assist nonprofits who are not registered in our system. Please make sure you complete and update this profile at least once a year or after any major change.
Organization Profile Form is currently under construction. Check back soon!
If you would like to engage in our services in the interim, please contact Lauren Novsak, lnovsak@businessvolunteersmd.org.
After completing an organizational profile, you will receive an automatic email with the Board Needs Assessment. Nonprofits seeking board members must complete this second form to capture information about your board recruitment needs and structure.
Once you have completed your organizational profile, express interest in one of the current special opportunities. These opportunities require a separate application and are updated regularly.
Leveraging your Partnership
Members of our staff may reach out with aligned ongoing opportunities available for your organization. This includes board member referrals, team volunteer project opportunities, and skilled volunteering opportunities.
To effectively leverage this partnership, provide timely responses to communication, apply early and often to opportunities, and take advantage of trainings and networking opportunities.
Please note that Business Volunteers staff works on behalf of our corporate partners and their employees to find and match them with community organizations that meet their needs and community engagement goals. Depending on the mission, location, engagement opportunities, size, scope, and stability of your organization, you may receive many referrals or none at all.
Current Special Opportunities
After you complete an organizational profile, your organization is eligible to engage in special opportunities. Special opportunities require a separate application and are updated regularly. Opportunities are updated on a rolling basis.
Our Programs and Services
At Business Volunteers, we believe in three pillars for corporate community engagement. Explore how your organization can align with us in doing good. better.
Business Volunteers hosts a variety of free trainings to support nonprofits and their staff. In particular, nonprofits should consider the communityBUILD series aimed at building nonprofit operational capacity, and the skillBUILD series aimed at building individual professional skillsets.
Visit our events page for a complete annual listing of trainings.
Through our Team Volunteer Experiences we manage company team volunteering events. Our role ranges from basic support to full-scale management.
Organizations that can provide ongoing meaningful direct service volunteer projects for large groups are highly desired. We aim to ensure both a great experience for both the business and community partner, bringing a suite of best practices to support a smooth, rewarding, and impactful event with lasting benefits.
Skilled Volunteers
Through our skillCONNECT and GIVE Fellowship experiences, we support community partners by providing them with skilled volunteers to help bring their professional expertise to bear on challenges you might be facing.
Board Matching
A couple times a year we host boardCONNECT, a round robin style fast paced event to meet with several candidates during one event.
Board Matching
Through our ongoing boardCONSULT program, we match business professionals seeking nonprofit board service to organizations seeking board members through a concierge matching and training program. Over 1000 professionals have been placed on regional boards through this service. We also host boardCONNECT, a round robin style fast paced event to meet with several candidates a couple times a year.
Corporate Partnerships
In all of our connections and events we strive to build lasting relationships between companies and nonprofits. At times this effort is intentional, as we scope nonprofit or school partners that meet company interests and needs.
Resources
As opportunities arise, we assist our business partners with distribution and donations of office supplies, goods and services, tickets, gifts, and dollars.
communityCONNECT: Ways to Help
We have a profound appreciation for the ways in which individuals seek to engage in the community and a deep understanding of the variety of causes seeking support. We are leveraging that knowledge and experience to provide a platform that enables the connection of community organizations who need support and companies/volunteers who are looking to help.
