National Network of State Associations of Volunteer Centers and HandsOn Affiliates

The next NNSA conference call is Thursday, September 16 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Call in Number: 1-888-387-8686, Conference ID: 1704658 #

NNSA Meeting Notes:

• July 15, 2010
• May 20,2010
• March 18, 2010
• January 21, 2010
• November 11, 2009
• September 17, 2009

NNSA Agenda for 2010

Relevant NNSA Documents and Resources

• Affiliate Membership: Realizing Your Dreams, NCVS Presentation- Zack Brown & Jesse Salinas
• 2008 Annual Affiliate Report Aggregate Summary and Highlights
• Get HandsON Campaign Information
• Volunteer Management Training Series Overview
• Volunteer Management Training Series Materials Use License Agreement
• Projected HON Action Center Member Benefits and Return on Investment (ROI) - FY2010
• NNSA Membership Form
• HandsOn Network Disaster Situation Report- 5.11.2010
• HandsOn Nashville Volunteer Report Card
• Serve America Act – Unfunded or Under-funded Programs as of May, 2010
• America's Service Commissions - NNSA - Volunteer Center Letter
• New Era of Partnership Meeting at National Conference, 2009
  Notes and letter from HandsOn Network, America's Service Commission and NNSA
• Promoting Certification in Volunteer Administration in Your Community
• NNSA Committee Officers and Contact Information

About State Associations of Volunteer Centers

State Associations of Volunteer Centers and Hands On Affiliates can be key stakeholders supporting the growth and success of our new national volunteering network. We are convinced It is important that Points of Light and Hands On Network continues to invest in this system of state and regional collaborations. State Associations can provide effective and visible structures for local service units, allowing them to serve as advocates and key informants at the state and national levels on volunteering and community service issues. State Associations can strengthen and build the capacity of local Volunteer Center and Hands On Affiliate staff through peer-to-peer best practice and resource sharing.  We are confident that State Association successes in securing state funding and staffing to support Volunteer Centers will grow if given support and recognition by our national sector partners.

Thirty State and Regional Associations currently link Volunteer Centers and Hands On Affiliates in states or regions providing a network supporting professional development and communication for Volunteer Center and Hands On Affiliate leaders. Most State Associations focus on four main areas:

• Advocacy: A collective voice to promote volunteering within a geographic area
• Professional Development: Peer-to-Peer support, leadership development and sharing effective service practices and resources.
• Collaboration: Working together, Agency leaders work together around fundraising, programming and external partnerships to further their work
• Sustainability  Working together to seek additional resources or funding streams to benefit member affiliates

An ad hoc group of State and Regional Association leaders have drafted a set of four recommendations recommended for consideration by all state and regional associations and by our national partners, Points of Light and Hands On Network. These recommendations and their action steps are offered as a starting point for a dialogue on the importance that state and regional associations can play in furthering our mutual efforts to create a strong national volunteer movement. We believe adoption of these recommendations can be helpful in strengthening our network. Care was taken to minimize any costs related to this effort. We are mindful that our national budget may not currently support increased investment. Thus we have modified earlier recommendations to include steps that can be taken with minimal financial impact.

We are an ad hoc, unelected body and we are acting in good faith in behalf of our colleagues to draft a set of recommendations that can be considered at both the national level and by all of the state associations. We are confident that document helps to set the stage for consideration of how we can most effectively engage state and regional associations to further our mutual goals to strengthen our national system of volunteering service providers.

1.  Create a Sustainable National Network of State Associations  

Explanation: Assure that the State Association Network is effective, strong, and unified across the USA.  Help position each State Association as a leader in volunteering.

• Formally recognize the importance of State and Regional Associations and state the intention to work with the field to develop a sustainable model.

• Facilitate the establishment of a national State Association Forum/ Council /Assembly
• Facilitate the Election of Officers of the National Network of State and Regional Associations.
• Identify regular communication link(s) with POL/HON
• Include an opportunity in the agenda of the annual national conference for the state association leaders to meet.
• Engage elected network officers as an active task force of the national sector
• Draft a strategy for developing increased support of the Network by the State Service Commissions.
• Work with the Corporation for National and Community Service to encourage increased support of the Network by State Service Commissions.

2.  Increase Staff Support for State Associations 

Explanation: Many State Association leaders need staff to help them move their Associations to the next level.  Right now, only two states have paid staff - and it has proven to be an effective approach to increase programming and funding.

1. Encourage state Associations to seek funding to engage professional staff where possible and appropriate. A funding strategy can include member dues, corporate board member grants and State Service Council Support
2. Publish best practices among state associations
3. Encourage State Commissions on service and volunteering to engage and support their state associations where they exist.

3. Maximize Communications Among All Sectors of the Network 

Explanation: Increased communication between State Associations, affiliates, POL&HON and State Service Commissions will further the field of volunteering.

• Identify regular communication link(s) with POL/HON
• Include an opportunity in the agenda of the annual national conference for the state association leaders to meet.
• Engage elected network officers as an active task force of the national office
• Encourage and support regular communications among state association leadership
• Engage state association leaders in the various national committees and task forces.

Note: State and Regional Associations can lake a lead role in developing research documentation for the national system

4.  Build the Capacity of State and Regional Associations 

Explanation:  To support state associations the national office could provide the “nuts and bolts” on how to start and operate an effective State association

• Encourage State Service Commissions to engage and support state/regional associations where they exist.
• Initiate and support a grant proposal and approach corporate and/or philanthropic entities to support state associations.
• Expand the existing State Association Handbook in the coming years.

• The document can be developed to include more varied examples to better serve the diversity of State Associations across the country. 
• Develop a “best practices” section for the Handbook. The handbook needs to be reviewed and revised on a regular basis to meet the needs of the profession.
• The expected outcome would be a relevant and up-to-date document that would be used in the field. State Associations would have will have a user-friendly document to refer to as they develop and grow and meet the needs of their constituency.
• The investment would be the staff time required to keep the Handbook updated and current with “best practices.” Other cost would include printing and distribution of the updated document.. A web-based document could eliminate the need for printing.
• The next steps would be to solicit information from the field about the enhancements that need to be made to the handbook and the solicitation of “best practices” to be included in the Handbook. State Association membership would be responsible to provide the information and “best practices” to the designated staff.