How to Contact Coordinators for Service Projects

Hello, service leaders! If you’re looking for some insight on how to contact coordinators for service projects, then you’re looking in the right place! This document will teach you how to locate volunteer coordinators’ contact information as well as when and how to contact them.  

• How to locate volunteer coordinators’ contact information
  • After you have determined what service projects you would like your club to participate in, it is time to start contacting volunteer coordinators. While every organization has its own way of managing volunteers, there are some general tips that can aid you in signing up your volunteers if you have any trouble.
  • The first thing you should do is go to the organization’s website. Usually, organizations will have a tab labeled “How to Help,” and under this tab, there is usually a volunteer link that you can click on. Some organizations may also have a tab labeled “Volunteer,” which will also send you to the volunteer opportunities that this organization has to offer.
  • Sometimes, organizations will have volunteer forms, both individual and group, that you have to fill out in order to sign up volunteers. These forms may be electronic or they may be paper forms that you need to manually fill out, scan, and email to the volunteer coordinator.
  • The volunteer coordinator’s contact information is usually included under the same tab as the organization’s volunteer opportunities. If it is not, most organizations have a section on their websites labeled “Contact Us.” You can call or email the organization based on the information that they provide you and ask how you can volunteer. If you do find the contact information of the volunteer coordinator, it is best to contact them as opposed to contacting the email or phone number listed under the “Contact Us” section.  
• When to contact
  • Once you have decided that you want your members to volunteer at a specific organization and you have located the volunteer coordinator’s contact information, it is finally time to contact them! There is no right or wrong time to contact a volunteer coordinator, but sooner is always better. Some organizations have so many volunteers that you may have to schedule an opportunity for your club to volunteer several weeks out. Also, contacting organizations sooner rather than later also increases your chances of being able to schedule all of the events that you would like to schedule.
  • REMINDER. If you are planning on working with other schools outside your home club you must fill out an Event Request Form or ERF to ensure the proper permission is granted and correct number of chaperones/advisors are available for the event. ERF’s take some time to fill out so please allow AT LEAST one month before the event to fill out all the required sections. ERF’s can be found on the CNH website in the Resource Database tab or at the link below http://resources.cnhcirclek.org/category/2-policies_forms_and_manuals/
• How- email, phone, person etc
  • You are now ready to start contacting some coordinators! Different coordinators prefer different methods of contact. Below are the most common methods.
    • Email: If you are emailing the volunteer coordinator, there are some important things to keep in mind. First, introduce yourself and your organization. For example, my name is Samantha Ruiz, and I am the volunteer coordinator for UNLV Circle K International. Then, explain why you are contacting them. You can ask them if they have any upcoming volunteer opportunities or schedule specific dates that you are interested in signing your club up to volunteer. For example, I am contacting you because I am interested in signing my club up to volunteer at your organization and wanted to learn more about your upcoming volunteer opportunities. Or, I am contacting you because I would like to sign my club up to volunteer at your organization on October 31 at 10:00 a.m. Lastly, thank them for their time.
    • Phone call: If you are contacting a coordinator by phone, you can follow the same general guidelines as you would if you were sending them an email. Introduce yourself and your organization, explain why you are contacting them, and thank them once they have helped you. For example, My name is Samantha Ruiz, and I am the volunteer coordinator for UNLV Circle K International. I’m calling because I would like to learn more about your volunteer opportunities/ I would like to sign my group up to volunteer at your organization. Once they have addressed your questions, thank them. The same guidelines can be used if you need to leave a voicemail.
    • In-person meeting: If you are going to have an in-person meeting with a volunteer coordinator, you will most likely need to have some preliminary communication with the coordinator via email or phone call. Please refer to the sections above regarding how to contact a volunteer coordinator through email or phone call. At your in-person meeting, you should introduce yourself and your organization, discuss volunteer opportunities, and thank the coordinator for meeting with you.

• Helpful tips when contacting coordinators
  • Always have your club’s calendar available and ready, especially during a phone call or in-person meeting. Coordinators may ask you what dates you would like to sign your club up to volunteer, and if you do not have your calendar with you, you won’t be able to answer this question.