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Partnership Policy

The first step to posting your organization’s volunteer opportunities with BVU's Volunteer Center is to register as one of our partners. Currently, we may partner with your agency if it meets the following criteria. By applying to be a partner with us, you agree that your organization:

  • Is designated by the IRS as a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit or faith-based organization; or is a school, government agency, or community organization (Please see our General Posting Policy below for more specific guidelines).
  • Is located and serves clients in Northeast Ohio (Cuyahoga, Lorain, Medina, Summit, Portage, Geauga, Lake, Ashtabula, Stark) or has an international focus but has offices, staff, or a presence in the Cleveland area.
  • Has liability insurance that covers volunteers.
  • Does not withhold services based on membership or religious affiliation/participation.
  • Does not require religious participation or activity from volunteers.
  • Is not a political campaign.
  • Does not discriminate in its clients, staff, board, volunteers, or volunteer committees on the basis of a person’s race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, mental or physical disability, or any other status prohibited by applicable law.
  • Organizations with NO activity after joining may be deactivated after 1 year.
  • We'll add you to our nonprofit partner e-newsletter that is sent monthly or less often. We will not spam you or sell your information to anyone else.

To ensure that BVU has a full opportunity to help your organization meet its volunteer needs, we have developed guidelines for posting projects on our website:

General Posting Policy:

  • Partner organization staff will be given Partner Status which will allow approved staff to submit their volunteer postings directly through our online system. Volunteer opportunities will be approved within 72 hours.
  • Donation requests may be posted as Referral projects--if there is a service component to the project (For example, a project that asks for donated school supplies may be posted if part of the project is for volunteers to assemble and/or deliver the kits or run their own drives).
  • Is not an Internship. While they may be unpaid, volunteers are not really looking for internships on our site, the need is more career-oriented than volunteer and has Department of Labor criteria around it. If it is simply a skilled volunteer need and NOT an internship, then you can post that as normal, provided it is not classified as, called, or considered an internship.
  • Non-stock, not-for-profit business and community organizations that do not have 501 (c)(3) status but are working toward their status may become a partner and post volunteer opportunities if they follow the guidelines here; however, BVU reserves the right to decline any volunteer opportunity that appears to promote the business instead of the community.
  • Private and/or for-profit hospices, hospitals, and nursing homes may become a partner and post volunteer opportunities if the opportunities directly serve or benefit the clients of the organization and the volunteer will have direct interaction with the clients of the organization (NOTE: This excludes any operational duties like administrative tasks, event staff, and capital projects, such as building maintenance or landscaping that primarily serve the business). These postings must explicitly inform the volunteer that the company requesting volunteers is a for-profit entity.
  • BVU reserves the right to decline posting any volunteer opportunity or organization that does not align with BVU's mission and values.

Ready to apply?

Become a Partner

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