Congratulations to the 2024 Impact Award Winners! |
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AL!VE and award sponsor Better Impact are proud to present the 6th Annual National IMPACT Award Winners!
The IMPACT Awards celebrate volunteer engagement professionals who show exceptional leadership and knowledge in the field. They showcase the importance of the profession and continue to inspire professionals across the country to continue to lead volunteerism in their communities.
Learn more about this year’s winners by visiting our AL!VE Impact Awards webpage. They are receiving cash awards to further their professional development, sponsored by Better Impact.
Special Thanks to this year’s Judges and Committee: Carol Ayers, CVA; Shelli Beck, CVA; Keita Cole, CVA; Allyson Drinnon, CVA; Mark Heffner, CVA; Muriam Nafees; Gretchen Jordan, CVA; Mary Lynn Perry, CVA; Sarah Sukhram, CVA; and Jennifer Thompson, CVA. |
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Emerging Leaders have been involved in volunteer engagement for 3 to 7 years. This year’s Emerging Leader Winners are: |
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Exemplary Leaders have been involved in volunteer engagement for 8 or more years. This year’s Exemplary Leader Winners are: |
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| Dear AL!VE Members,
It is my pleasure to welcome Nicole R. Smith as AL!VE’s first Executive Director! Nicole is a dynamic leader in volunteer, intern and community engagement with over two decades of experience in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, including the performing arts, social services, sports, media and entertainment. As a Certified Volunteer Administrator (CVA) and recognized thought leader, Nicole has been at the forefront of creating scalable, impactful and capacity building volunteer and internship programs that emphasize recruitment, engagement, retention, and mentorship. She has developed recognition programs that have strengthened organizational cultures and volunteer experiences. Her professional background brings a creative and innovative approach to her leadership in the nonprofit and volunteer sectors.
Join us for a warm and welcoming Meet & Greet to connect with Nicole R. Smith, CVA, on Monday, December 9, 2024 at 2pm Eastern. This event offers members a wonderful opportunity to learn more about Nicole. |
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I also want to take the opportunity to recognize the Succession Planning Committee who spent the last year developing the Executive Director role, interview process, training schedule, onboarding and all the other requirements too numerous to mention. An enormous number of hours were spent on the details of this work, and because of that we now have our first Executive Director! Heartfelt thanks goes to Michelle Raymer, Megan Vixie, Jason Frenzel, Jordanya Reeves, Darlene Laird, Alicia Campbell, Christi Brown, Jenn Forristal, Wendy McClure, Ashley Rieser, and Grace Belizario. Thank you again for your exemplary work.
And finally, please join us on December 5, 2024 at our Annual Meeting where we will review our 2024 accomplishments, announce our new board members for 2025 and introduce our new Executive Director! It is free to attend. |
Please reach out to me if you have any questions, or have feedback for your AL!VE board. You can reach me at president@volunteeralive.org Sincerely, Cathy |
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December AL!VE Academy:
No Is a Full Sentence: Protecting Your Sanity and Prioritizing Self-Care During the Holiday Season Wednesday, December 4, 2pm Eastern
Just because the holidays are upon us and may become frantic, you don't have to! Prioritizing Self-Care is even more important during the holidays. This session will help to put the happy back in holidays as you maneuver your current workload with the additional holiday responsibilities filling your already spinning plates!
Learning Objectives:
Understand What Self-Care is and its Vital Importance the Impact of Effective Leadership Identify Signs of Burnout and Stress Develop Self-Care Habits for Long-Term Sustainability Effective Boundary Management
Presented by Nicole R. Smith, CVA |
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AL!VE's Presenter Boot Camp: Launching our third cohort in February 2025!
Are you a volunteer engagement professional seeking to elevate your virtual presentations? Do you have an idea for a topic or lived/professional experience but need help turning it into a compelling narrative for training? Do you freeze when tapped to lead educational content or need to translate in-person training into engaging virtual experiences?
AL!VE offers a members-only Presenter Boot Camp, a seven-week course designed to address these needs and more. Professionals at any level can benefit from joining us.
Our training combines webinars with COP-style discussions. Course components are designed to help you put theory into practice and lead you through creating a presentation from scratch.
When you complete the program and present your project, you will be certified as an AL!VE presenter and gain experience that can be applied to CVA certification or recertification.
Before registering, please confirm you can make ALL dates: February 4, 7; 11, 14; 18, 21; 25, 28 March 4, 7;11, 14; 18, 21; 25, 28 Interested in joining Cohort 3? Registration now open and limited to 24 participants. |
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Plan to Participate in Service Enterprise in 2025 Many of us set goals for the new year at the end of the year and map out how we can achieve and sustain those goals. Explore Service Enterprise to help your organization: -
Embrace community members as volunteer
- Be more effective and efficient in the way they engage volunteers and leverage their skills and talents
- Invest in volunteer engagement to maximize the return
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Evolve behaviors and create culture change around volunteer engagement
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Visit our website to learn more about AL!VE’s Service Enterprise Program and connect with a Training & Implementation Partner who can help map out success. |
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It's time ! VolunteerPro’s 2025 Volunteer Management Progress Report – The Recruitment Edition, their 10th annual survey!
Your input is crucial to uncovering the most current trends in volunteer engagement. This year, VolunteerPro is exploring: · The biggest challenges for leaders of volunteers right now · The current average salaries for leaders of volunteers
· The specific recruitment tactics organizations are using to attract volunteers · Which tactics are the most effective and what benchmarks to track against · The extent to which organizations are leveraging paid advertising in their recruitment · The most popular websites for posting volunteer opportunities · And much more ... ? Survey Deadline: Friday, December 20, 2024 @5pm Eastern
? Exclusive Bonus: At the end of the survey, you will be redirected to a registration page to gain e access to the [SNEAK PEEK] 2025 Volunteer Management Progress Report Early Results webinar. Only survey participants and distribution partners will get access to this exclusive webinar, which will offer a first look at the insights that will shape our collective future.
P.S. Wondering what the Volunteer Management Progress Report is all about? You can learn more and download past reports here for free |
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Thank you to all who joined us at this year's Volunteer Management Hybrid Conference. We had 50 host sites in the United States, Canada, & Saudi Arabia, and 215 individual participants. We've had very positive reviews, including these takeaways from participants: -
We have more influence than we know, build relationships and social capital
- Obstacles can be seen as opportunities to grow.
- The strength of continued volunteerism is reliant on a people-first approach where everyone feels important
A very sincere thank you to all of our presenters, Adam, Nicole, Sarah & Tracey; Rob Jackson as facilitator bring it together, and our partners Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada and Better Impact. Save the date for the 2025 Volunteer Manager's Hybrid Conference - October 28 or 29, 2025 |
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Thank You
After more than 15 years of dedicated service to AL!VE, Gretchen Jordan, CVA, our Association Manager, will be retiring. Gretchen has been an integral part of AL!VE's growth, providing unwavering support to our members, Board of Directors, and numerous special projects.
Her dedication, leadership, and passion for volunteer engagement have left a lasting impact on both our organization and the field of volunteer management. We invite you to join us in honoring her legacy by giving back to the community she helped shape. You can help us honor and continue Gretchen's legacy in three ways: |
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| The CVA study group is a member benefit from AL!VE open to all AL!VE members preparing for the Spring 2025 exam.
It will be led by facilitators who have recently earned their CVA certification.
On January 22, 2025 @ 12 PM EST we will review the study resources and an overview of chapters one and two of the textbook.
We will meet Wednesdays at 12:00pm ET for eight weeks starting February 5, 2025. The study schedule is based on reading 1-2 chapters of the CVA textbook, discussing those chapters and reviewing sample scenarios during the calls. Interested in the study group? Complete the registration form (link below) by January 20th.
If you are not yet an AL!VE member, you are welcome to attend the first session, but you must join as an AL!VE member to attend the study group. FALL 2024 CVA Study Group Stats and details The Fall 2024 CVA Study Group has wrapped up and it went really well. Here are the stats: 35 registered AL!VE member participants (43 signed up for the course) 20 was the average weekly attendance (with a range of 16-25) 21 reported registration for the Fall CVA exam 19 passed the Fall CVA exam |
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AL!VE Annual Meeting - December 5 AL!VE Board President Cathy Thoma, CVA, and President-Elect Darlene Laird, CVA will present our initial 2024 Annual Report.
Hear short presentations from -
AL!VE'S Board President with a review of 2024
- Meet our new Executive Director
- Results of Board Elections & Introduction of New Board Members
- Vote on revised Bylaws
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Vice Presidents of Marketing, Membership, Programs, Advocacy
- Equity Leader
- Finance
- Service Enterprise
- 2025 Goals
Special Announcements! All AL!VE members and interested parties are welcome to attend. | | Update to the NEWEST AL!VE T-shirt!
We are pleased to announce that our T-shirt design winner chosen by member vote is now available! *Note* Our supplier had to make a change in the design, see below. It should be available for purchase now. Congrats to the winner Gina Edwards of Peoria, IL, who will receive a free t-shirt for their design submission. Proceeds from t-shirt sales support AL!VE. |
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We have a new mailing address! Please update your files, especially for membership payments. AL!VE (Association of Leaders in Volunteer Engagement) 965 Loucks Rd, #1021 York, PA 17404 |
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| Upcoming Events & Opportunities |
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Upcoming
Communities of Practice: November 19, 2pm - Rural Programs November 21, 12pm - Parks & Rec November 25, 2:30pm - National Networks December 3, 3pm - Food Banks December 11, 3pm - AmeriCorps Seniors December 12, 1pm - Faith Based December 19, 2pm - Disability December 20, 12pm - Book Club *All times Eastern* |
| Other Upcoming Events:
December 4 - December AL!VE Academy December 4 & 16 - CVA Credential Information Session December 5 - AL!VE Annual Meeting
December 9 - Meet & Greet AL!VE's New Executive Director! |
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Volunteer With Us!
Looking to get involved further with AL!VE? Join us as a volunteer! Volunteering is a great networking opportunity and a chance to gain new skills and areas of expertise. There are a number of areas of support needed. Most roles are designed with a time commitment of 3-5 hours per month. Training is provided and the networking and professional development is a benefit all committee members enjoy! 2026 Conference Planning: Committee members wanted for ALL aspects of event planning - pick your passion on this new project committee!
Technology Committee - Join our newest Committee! Do you have a knack for technology and a keen interest in assisting AL!VE in selecting the most suitable platforms for our organization's needs? Whether it's streamlining virtual folder organization, providing support for web platforms, or navigating through the digital landscape, we welcome your expertise and enthusiasm to help drive our technological initiatives forward. Join us in shaping the future of AL!VE's digital infrastructure!
Academy Co-Lead Recruit and schedule speakers, including 4 DEIA speakers, for the AL!VE Academies. Approximately 4-5 hours per month. Advocacy Committee - Partnerships and Collaboration - facilitate with our local, regional, or national organizations or colleagues Programs Committee - Presenter Bootcamp Tech Support and Producer Membership Committee - Support AL!VE's member benefits, Ambassador program, and local association mentoring & professional development.
Development Committee - Members with fundraising, grant-writing, and grant-researching skills are invited to join this committee. Join the development committee and help build new funding streams for AL!VE!
Standards Committee: Help maintain the AL!VE Standards and keep this living document up to date, relevant, and useful for all Volunteer Engagement Professionals |
| Become a 2025
AL!VE Academy Presenter! |
AL!VE Academy provides high-quality varied educational opportunities designed to help leaders in volunteer engagement. These sessions build and strengthen leadership, management, and/or technical skills.
We are currently seeking proposals for presenters of monthly AL!VE Academy sessions for 2025, especially in the area of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). If you're a subject matter expert in DEI and volunteer engagement and are ready to share your knowledge with your peers, please consider submitting a proposal below! |
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Welcome to Our Newest Members! |
Millicent Boykin Terin Bates Amy Ortega-Freeman Veronic Mozzo-Wirr Madison Coleman Bethanie Albrecht Haydee Castro Kimberly Castillo Kimmy Berry Holly Greenleaf Christina Forino |
| New to AL!VE or just want to check in?
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 also are giving away some cool door prizes too!
Upcoming Member Webinars:
December 4 - 4pm AL!VE Networking Social - All are welcome! |
| Thank you to Our
Renewing Members! |
Jessica Tierney Carol Martinez Chelsea Paguio Meghan Maloney Nathan Little Melanie Hagan Michelle King Brittany Smith Jennifer Curtis Katlin Sanders Barbara Guenther Cindy Perreira Kate Edman Lynn Welch Shelley Orloski, CVA Kimberly Houge Kelli Callihan Colette Saucier Arianne Lovelace Mark Smith Paris Eriksen Paul Falkowski Rhonda Noble Tracie Demery |
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Be Sure to Whitelist our Emails! |
We send this newsletter monthly, and an additional 3-4 emails per month. If you didn’t get it in your inbox please check your junk/spam folders (if you find it there right click it and choose Junk/Spam and then select Never Block Domain). If you don’t find it that way you may want to ask your IT to whitelist volunteeralive.org. You can also try to whitelist at your email level by following the directions linked below (sometimes you may need admin permissions): Whitelisting for Gmail
Whitelisting for Office 365 Outlook Whitelisting for Outlook ios If you need more assistance or haven’t been able to access the email please email manager@volunteeralive.org so that we can follow-up and do another test email after volunteeralive.org has been whitelisted on your account. |
| We've been working on cleaning up our website and making resources more easily accessible. The tabs at the top of our page have changed and been reorganized! About: Find information about AL!VE like annual reports and meeting information, Board of Directors, mission, vision, and values, and more.
Membership: Find information about becoming a member or renewing your membership. Learn & Connect: Find ways to learn and connect with other AL!VE members like AL!VE Academies, Communities of Practice, Mentorship Programs, AL!VE Impact Awards, and more. Support AL!VE: Learn about ways to support AL!VE like the Ambassador Program, Sponsorship, Donations, shop our t-shirts, presentation opportunities, volunteer and intern opportunities.
Resources: Find resources to support your work as a volunteer engagement professional like AL!VE Professional Standards, Advocacy, Trends, DEAI, International Journal of Volunteer Administration (IJOVA), and more.
Service Enterprise Program Overview: Learn more about the Service Enterprise Program and how to get involved. Looking for something specific? Try utilizing the search feature by clicking the magnifying glass on our website. |
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