Communities In Action
Frequently Asked Questions for Partnering Organizations
What exactly does it mean to be an "Organization Partner" of the ME³ Communities In Action program?
Being a Communities In Action Organization Partner means that you have given us a list of your needs and volunteer opportunities
for our database, and that we will work to connect the volunteers we recruit to serve you and fill these needs.
What does my organization get from being an Organization Partner?
Your organization will benefit by being connected with volunteers specially matched to your organization's cause, needs, and
schedule. Organizations also receive a regular e-newsletter with Communities In Action updates, invitations to our Volunteer Fairs
and Events, and occasional promotion on our website.
What is expected of my organization if I sign up to be an Organization Partner?
As an Organization Partner, we expect that you will provide friendly, organized service experiences for the volunteers we match to
you. Secondly, that you will help us get volunteers to you as quickly as possible by replying to our referral notifications in a timely
manner. Additionally, that you will be communicative with us and make us aware of any changes to your volunteer needs, staff
contact information or organization location. Finally, that you will complete an annual evaluation of our services so we can work to
improve them the next year.
Are all organizations able to be partners?
Organizations must be located in and/or operate mostly in Wake County, North Carolina. They must be a not-for-profit, tax-exempt
organization. We reserve the right to deny partnership to an organization if we feel you would be unable to benefit from our
services, provide volunteers with an experience that will keep them coming back/volunteering, or operate legally.
What is the process through which volunteers are referred to organizations like mine?
Volunteers register for Communities In Action by completing our Volunteer Sign Up form. They indicate their skills, interests,
availability, and anything else they may be looking for in a service experience. Based on what they indicated, we suggest
opportunities to them. They select the one(s) they are interested in, and we contact you, the organization, to get them set up.
Can you promise to get us a certain number of volunteers?
We are only able to promise that we will try to connect you to volunteers whose interests, skills, and/or availability matches your
available volunteer opportunities.
Will you help us recruit volunteers for our political or advocacy campaign activities?
As a non-profit organization unaffiliated with any political party or religious group, we are unable to use our program to support
political or advocacy campaigns. We may at times participate in limited voter registration activities at our discretion.
Will you raise funds for our organization?
Unfortunately, we as an entity are unable to commit to raising funds for any specific organizations or events. We are, however, able
to refer volunteers to you who may decide on their own to help your organization fundraise.
Are you a Volunteer Center?
While we are not affiliated with any national volunteer centers, Points of Light, or the Hands On Network, our program is similar to a
volunteer center in that we offer a variety of volunteer opportunities to our volunteers. However, unlike volunteer centers, we reach
out specifically to individuals who have never volunteered before, and provide a personal program liaison, called a "Communities In
Action Agent" to each volunteer to ensure they have all of the information they need to get started as well as a person to ask
questions and reflect upon their service experiences with. We operate this way in order to ensure every individual volunteer gets
the timely, personalized communication they may need as they begin their service journey.
How many organizations in Wake County are currently Communities In Action partners?
As of April 2008 there are 34 non-profit organizations in Wake County partnered with Communities In Action to receive volunteer
referrals. This number increases monthly.
What is the end goal of ME³'s Communities In Action program?
The Communities In Action program is designed to help increase the rate of volunteerism in Wake County, North Carolina, by
connecting first-time and experienced volunteers alike to the local organizations that need them.
