Business Volunteer Council

Check out the Business Volunteer Council's new GIVING GUIDE, it's great way for businesses to connect with nonprofits for holiday giving! Free copies are available at Volunteer Frederick or click here to download it.

What is Corporate or Business Volunteerism?

Corporate Volunteerism can be defined as community service initiatives which are planned, organized and executed by employees and endorsed by management. These initiatives generate specific benefits for the corporation as well as the community.

Our Participating Business Volunteer Council Members

Benefits to Companies

• Increases employee morale, commitment and productivity
  
• Reduces employee absenteeism and tardiness
  
• Provides low-cost leadership training, team and skill building
  
• Improves inter-departmental employee communication and understanding
  
• Improves corporate community image

Benefits to Employee

• Enhances personal self-worth & professional development
  
• Increases awareness of community resources
  
• Provides networking opportunities connecting employees with one another

Benefits to the Community

• Addresses community problems and needs
  
• Fosters the spirit of public service & improves the quality of life
• Reinforces ties between business & community

BVC members from CitiMortgage, Comstar Federal Credit Union, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, the Frederick News-Post, and Invitrogen wrap up the 2004 Resources for Readers project for the Frederick Reading Center.

What is The Business Volunteer Council of Frederick County?
The Business Volunteer Council, or BVC, is a coalition of local businesses and corporations interested in networking and sharing Employee Volunteer Program strategies. The Council meets monthly to share best practices, successful service project ideas and specific steps for developing both Employee Volunteer Programs and service projects.

The BVC

• Provides advice, training, outreach, and guidance to BVC members about developing and improving Employee Volunteer Programs
  
• Promotes volunteerism and empowers businesses to positively impact their community
  
• Helps evenly distribute volunteer activities throughout the year, throughout geographic areas and throughout areas of community need
  
• Coordinates collaborative service projects for its members and provides advance notice of volunteer and special service opportunities

Meeting Information:
BVC members meet every 3rd Thursday of the month from 8:00-9:30 am, excluding July and
August. Meetings rotate among BVC member business locations.

BVC Membership Services & Benefits
Your annual dues provides your business with:

• Membership for two in monthly BVC meetings that include
  
  • Networking among peers at area businesses.
    
  • Training, best-practice sharing and advice on Employee Volunteer Program development and improvement.
    
  • Presentations by local nonprofit agencies about services and volunteer needs.
    
  • Information sharing on upcoming projects and special events.
    
  • Motivation and enthusiasm for service and employee volunteerism.
    
• Promotion and profiling of BVC members and their employee volunteer efforts.
  
• Collaborative service projects coordinated by Volunteer Frederick & BVC members.
• Volunteer Frederick newsletters with featured volunteer opportunity listings.
  
• 20% discount on Volunteer Management Workshops.
  
• Access to the Volunteer Management Resource Library.
  
• Group service project consultation and coordination with local nonprofit agencies.
  
• On-site consulting (at hourly rate) for employee volunteer program development.
  
• One-on-one volunteer referrals for employees.
  
• One-on-one volunteer placement services: in-terview, pre-screening, agency matching and follow-up (at negotiated rate per employee).

BVC Service Projects
Members of the BVC commit to participating in two collaborative BVC service projects each year.
Sample projects include:

Make A Difference Day!
The nearly annual Duffle Bag Project provides children entering foster care through the Department
of Social Services with backpacks and duffle bags filled with essential personal care and comfort items.

The 2004 Visitation Room Renovation Project created a cheerful comfortable environment for foster care children visiting with their families.

Resources for Readers
Through employee book drives, children served by the Frederick Reading Center received book bags filled with books matching their interests and reading levels.

The BIG Sweep
Each year employee teams raise funds for their favorite charities by participating in Volunteer
Frederick’s BIG Sweep county roadside beautification program.

Starter Emergency Kits for Homebound Seniors
Through workplace supply drives in 2003, starter emergency kits were assembled and delivered to
Meals on Wheels clients.

Community involvement is not limited to projects above. Volunteer Frederick can help your business develop volunteer programs with area non-profit organizations.

The BVC is a program of Volunteer Frederick