In the beehive state, we embody industry, and not just on the job. Utah consistently ranks as the number one state in the nation for volunteerism as well as charitable giving. In 2023, AmeriCorps reported that over 1.2 million Utahns formally volunteered through organizations, while more than 1.7 million informally helped their neighbors.
Gov. Cox and Lt. Gov. Henderson further cemented Utah’s stature of service by issuing two executive orders and instituting large-scale service programming with the One Utah Service Fellowship and the Volunteer for Good programs.
But Utah’s leadership extends beyond mere hours; Utah is focused on fostering an elevated volunteer experience from start to finish. UServeUtah, the Utah Commission on Service and Volunteerism, offers a robust training to help organizations ensure that service hours are meaningful for both volunteers and the communities they serve.
Volunteer Programming for Maximum Impact (VPMI) Training
UServeUtah offers the Volunteer Programming for Maximum Impact (VPMI) training, an in-person, cohort-based program designed to strengthen and sustain volunteer programs within organizations.
Launched in 2022, the training teaches volunteer coordinators how to cultivate organized, inviting environments to maximize volunteer efforts. It covers best practices for recruiting and retention strategies, impact measurement, continuity planning and communication with senior leadership. The curriculum evolves every year to incorporate the most effective strategies and industry trends.
Organizations that engage extensively in the program are able to earn a UServeUtah Volunteer Management Designation. This requires:
- They complete a required pre-training knowledge assessment.
- Participate in a two-day training.
- Engage in a four-month evidence-building program, followed by a post-training knowledge assessment.
- They receive one-on-one consultation and expert review of evidence items.
Organizations can achieve Bronze (3 evidence items), Silver (6 evidence items), or Gold (9+ evidence items) designations, signifying a commitment to excellence. Since 2022, over one hundred individuals from about 80 organizations have participated, and 24 organizations have been awarded designations.
UServeUtah’s pre- and post-training assessments have demonstrated an average 73% increase in knowledge about volunteer management. The training itself has also earned high ratings for its content, trainers, and resources. Participants also appreciate the opportunity to network with other mission-driven professionals across the Utah public impact sector.
“the structure and thought put into the VPMI course interwoven with the accountability of producing evidence items” made earning a designation for their organization “immensely valuable.”
One community leader shared that “the structure and thought put into the VPMI course interwoven with the accountability of producing evidence items” made earning a designation for their organization “immensely valuable.”
Evolving with Volunteer Expectations
One key way that UServeUtah stays in touch with volunteers’ interests is through the Community Engagement Pathways. Like a personality test for volunteering, UServeUtah’s survey helps individuals discover what best aligns with their interests and personal attributes. It has been taken by nearly 4,000 people since the latest version was published in early 2024. Three-fourths of those respondents reported their age between 14 and 21 years.
The six pathways — Community Engaged Learning and Research, Community Action, Direct Service, Philanthropy, Policy and Governance, and Corporate Social Responsibility — come with toolkits with ideas for involvement in a variety of issue areas. Unsurprisingly, the survey has found the greatest affinity toward direct service, or on-the-ground volunteerism with immediate impact.
“Having a solid plan in place using UServeUtah’s designation program as a starting point has allowed us to increase our volunteer hours served over 120% from FY23 to FY24.”
As such, UServeUtah continually updates the VPMI curriculum to keep pace with emerging technologies and volunteer preferences. For instance, encouraging teenagers to take more ownership of their service, even by micro-volunteering, a COVID-era practice which might include posting to social media. VPMI also trains volunteer managers to create capacity for themselves by utilizing AI and other tools that amplify their outreach and increase efficiency.
“Our volunteer numbers have skyrocketed since we implemented a volunteer software service to track impact,” remarked one local volunteer coordinator. “Having a solid plan in place using UServeUtah’s designation program as a starting point has allowed us to increase our volunteer hours served over 120% from FY23 to FY24.”
The Customer Experience team thanks UServeUtah for their work in helping organizations statewide increase not only volunteer numbers and hours, but also elevate volunteer experiences, ensuring Utah remains a national leader in its commitment to community service.