Volunteer Generation Fund
The Volunteer Generation Fund invests in volunteer management practices that increase volunteer recruitment and retention. Retention is key to ensuring volunteers are productively engaged and to bringing stability to nonprofit organizations.
What is the Volunteer Generation Fund's Impact on Minnesota?
ServeMinnesota is pleased to announce the continuation of the Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF) funding opportunity for volunteer connector organizations in Minnesota. Through VGF grants, AmeriCorps supports effective strategies to expand volunteering, strengthen the capacity of connector organizations to recruit and retain skill-based volunteers, and leverage volunteer service to address critical community needs. ServeMinnesota intends to award $350,000 in VGF grants. Applicants can request funding amounts between $15,000 – $100,000.
ServeMinnesota uses VGF funds to support contracts with Volunteer Connector organizations to develop and implement innovative approaches that increase the number of volunteers connected to community organizations and initiatives statewide. Connector organizations—such as Volunteer Centers and United Ways—play a key role in supporting local and regional volunteer engagement, particularly in Greater Minnesota. Grants enable connectors to partner with nonprofits, schools, municipalities, and community organizations to grow volunteer participation and adopt new recruitment and retention practices. Funding eligibility also includes community collaborations in Greater Minnesota that create volunteer-sharing partnerships. These initiatives address gaps in volunteer availability by enabling volunteers to support multiple organizations to meet essential community needs, such as transportation for seniors or staffing food shelves.
Collectively, these initiatives are intended to strengthen local volunteer systems, improve adoption of best practices, and develop scalable models of volunteer engagement that can be replicated across nonprofit, educational, and civic organizations.
To learn more please review the VGF Request for Proposal.
All applications should be submitted online via the VGF Connector Grant Application. If you would like to preview the budget requirements prior to submitting the application, click here.
For more information, please contact kevin@serveminnesota.org