Eligibility

New organizations must be approved prior to posting volunteer opportunities. There is a two-step application, which will be approved within two business days of submission. Agencies are welcome to join the community on volunteerLNK.org if they are located in Lancaster County, and:

  • A nonprofit 501(c)3 organization (Agencies will be asked for their EIN (tax identification number) during the registration process.
  • Nonprofit organizations recognized by the IRS as a tax-deductible entity.
  • A public or private school.
  • A government entity serving the community (e.g. libraries, fire department, parks and recreation program).
  • A licensed health-care facility (e.g. hospital, hospice).
  • An organization fiscally sponsored by another organization with 501(c)3 status or that has applied for, and is waiting for approval, of their 501(c)3 tax-exempt status.
  • Additionally, registering nonprofits must affirm they do not discriminate as to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ethnicity, marital status, military status, disability, or any other status prohibited by applicable law in the provision of programs and services, or in employment. Note that nonprofit organizations that are classified as Nonprofit Type-Religious by the Nebraska Secretary of State may consider religious affiliation when making hiring decisions per the Nebraska Fair Employment Practice Act

Unfortunately, an agency can’t register on volunterLNK.org if the organization:

  • Is based in or operates from a private residence.
  • Seeks volunteer assistance for personal purposes.
  • Is a partisan, political organization, or is largely organized for political action
  • Requires financial membership to participate in its volunteer activities.

United Way of Lincoln and Lancaster County reserves the right to refuse any organization whose volunteer program's mission and purpose it finds contrary to the spirit of volunteerism.

And a few other things to remember:

  • Organizations are not allowed to solicit funds on volunteerLNK.org or link to their donation pages.
  • Organizations may post fundraising events and volunteer opportunities related to fundraising events.
  • Organizations are solely responsible for posting/updating their content on volunteerLNK.org.
  • Organizations are only allowed to post opportunities that take place in Lincoln and Lancaster County.
  • VolunteerLNK.org is a free public service to our community of organizations and volunteers. Using this site helps foster volunteerism in our community and create a pool of volunteers that benefit every organization.

 

Best Practices

Volunteer Engagement Basics: Taking care of volunteers
Registering organizations agree to:

  • Provide volunteers with all the elements of good customer service and effective volunteer management, including:
    • A safe working environment
    • Volunteer position descriptions
    • Orientation and training
    • Supervision
    • Evaluation
    • Recognition
  • Provide and/or notify prospective volunteers, including board members, of your liability insurance coverage.
  • Screen each volunteer referred to your organization for appropriateness. United Way of Lincoln and Lancaster County does not screen your volunteers. Each organization is responsible for the volunteer(s) referred throughvolunteerLNK.org, and agrees to hold United Way of Lincoln and Lancaster County harmless from any and all claims, losses, damages, or expenses which you may incur or suffer as a result of any action or inaction of any volunteer referred to you through United Way’s volunteer website.

 

Volunteer Opportunity Basics: Keep it current and fresh
In order to continue using volunteerLNK.org, agencies agree to do the following:

  • Regularly post your ongoing or date-specific volunteer opportunities.
  • Update your volunteer opportunities as necessary to keep them current.
  • Avoid email bounce backs – keep your agency’s contact information current.
  • Be upfront about any volunteer costs or material requirements; volunteers need to know if the project won’t happen unless they can donate paint, bring shovels, etc.

Respond to our requests to confirm connections, volunteers engaged, etc. United Way may edit some content within your volunteer opportunity, but won’t change the core message of the opportunity. Why?

  • To make sure we are providing a quality volunteer searching experience, e.g. it is categorized correctly, adding a key word for searching, etc.
  • To correct typos, readability, etc.
  • To shorten the amount of text so it’s more mobile-friendly.

What you can expect from United Way:

  • United Way will promote the volunteerLNK.org – and your volunteer opportunities - far and wide! That means social media, and more. However, United Way is not responsible for filling your volunteer opportunities.
  • United Way will respond to questions and approve organizations within 2 business days.
  • United Way will be analyzing the site regularly, and advocating for enhancements with our vendor. We welcome your feedback on its functionality.
  • United Way will keep you informed about volunteering activities:
    • How our site is doing – metrics, challenges, and celebrations.
    • Tips on how to use the site, best practices for promoting opportunities, etc.
    • Notifications about our volunteer events – Volunteer Week, Day of Action, Day of Caring, and Season of Service.

What we would love from you – in addition to what we say above:

  • Success Stories. Connect with a great volunteer via our site? Let us know, your organization might be highlighted via social media, our blog, or in other ways.
  • Promote the site. Getting calls from volunteers and no opening? Volunteers with a skill you cannot use? Can’t accommodate groups in your space? Refer people to the site. We know other organizations in the community will pay it forward so you benefit one day.
  • Ideas. Whether it’s a site enhancement, a collaborative volunteer project with organizations in your neighborhood, or a way to spread the word, we’d like to know.

For questions about Eligibility and Best Practices, contact Ashley Tesar, Administration & Volunteer Engagement Manager at United Way of Lincoln and Lancaster County.