For Businesses & Organizations
Vital to International Development
Businesses and non-profit organizations alike are vital to international development and to the mission of Volunteers for Prosperity. In addition to organizations that have a long tradition of association with official foreign assistance, a variety of entities- including smaller faith-based and community groups, trade associations, and corporations - are joining Volunteers for Prosperity and helping highly skilled American volunteers answer the call to service.
How to Get Involved – For Businesses and Organizations
The role of Volunteers for Prosperity is to serve as a clearinghouse for international voluntary opportunities. By partnering with us, you are being listed on the Volunteers for Prosperity as an organization actively using volunteers on international development projects.
1. Becoming a VfP Partner
Volunteers for Prosperity welcomes businesses and non-profit organizations alike as partners. To become a VfP partner, the business or non-profit organization must meet the following criteria:
- The organization must be organized under the laws of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or any other territory of the United States and must have its headquarters in the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or any other territory of the United States.
- The organization must conduct or anticipates conducting overseas activities that are consistent with the general purposes of the federally supported initiatives upon which the Volunteers for Prosperity initiative is focused.
- The organization presently sponsors, or indicates it is willing to sponsor, highly skilled U.S. professionals who wish to volunteer to work on specific U.S. development initiatives upon which the Volunteers for Prosperity initiative is focused.
2. Benefits to Partnership
Participating businesses and non-profit organizations can also gain additional exposure for an interest in their international development activities. Many corporations will welcome participation in Volunteers for Prosperity not only as a good way to contribute to international development but also as a means of enhancing the continuing education and quality of life of their professional employees. In the same way, trade associations, professional societies and other membership organizations will find participation in Volunteers for Prosperity as a useful service to individual members seeking to contribute their talents to international development.
3. Partnership Application
If your organization matches the requirements listed here then we would love to partner with us. Please click here to fill out a Partnership Application.
6. Honoring Volunteers
Participating businesses and non-profit organizations can play a key role in the promotion of
Volunteers for Prosperity by also becoming certifying organizations that nominate individual
volunteers for their efforts. Please visit: www.presidentialserviceawards.gov to learn more
about becoming a certifying organization.
Specific Opportunities for Businesses
1. International Corporate Volunteer Program
Private sector volunteer activity by US-based enterprises has been active in local
communities but underrepresented internationally. Recent program innovations have
demonstrated value by tying international volunteer activity to business strategy,
leadership development and corporate social responsibility efforts. In partnership
with IBM, USAID will support an International Corporate Volunteer program, which
will enhance development efforts by leveraging the skills and expertise of corporate
volunteers. An important goal of this program will be to increase the number of
participating companies and active skilled business volunteers in USAID development
activities. Stay tuned for updates as this new and innovative program evolves.
Specific Opportunities for Non-Profits
1. VfPServe
The Volunteers for Prosperity Service Incentive Program (VFPServe) is a public-private
partnership of the Office of Volunteers for Prosperity (VFP) at the US Agency for International
Development (USAID), highly skilled American professionals and U.S. non governmental
organizations (NGOs). The program is implemented through a partnership with the
GlobalGiving Foundation (GlobalGiving) and aims to improve the affordability of short-term
international volunteering through matching grants for individuals volunteering in USAID
priority sectors. To read more about how to get involved, click here. (hyperlink to VfPServe)
2. List of Non-profit VfP Partners
Are you a professional who would like to use your skills to help people in developing countries? Select a category below to find VfP partners that utilize skilled American volunteers overseas.
