Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service FAQ's

 

 

Developing Group Volunteer Projects

Our organization doesn't usually work with volunteer groups. How do I go about creating a project?
Think outside the box. If your organization is set up to work with individual volunteers, you may need to spend some time brainstorming and developing projects that would be appropriate for a group. Is there a project around your office that you've been putting off because no one on staff has time to do it? Do you have an upcoming event that volunteers could help you prep materials for? Could you use some help brightening up the walls of your building? Ask other staff or your current volunteers for suggestions. There is always work to be done, and hosting a volunteer group is a great way to get a lot done in a short period of time. Still stumped? Check out some example ideas.

Our project isn't the most glamorous. How can I make it stand out to volunteers?
Sometimes it can be tricky to make a day of invasive species removal sound like an exciting volunteer opportunity. Take some time to write an attention grabbing title and description for your project. When volunteers are scrolling through hundreds of projects, they're going to click on the one with the interesting tag line. After all, doesn't "Give a Foster Child the Backyard of their Dreams!" grab your attention more than "Weeding and pressure washing needed"? Thought so. For some tips on writing project descriptions, check out these examples of descriptions that sell, and some that don't.

How many volunteers can we request?
You can request as many or as few volunteers as you'd like. Volunteer group sizes vary greatly, so no matter how big or how small your project, there is probably a group for you. We do ask that projects can accommodate a minimum of three volunteers. If you have an especially large project (more than fifty volunteers) you will most likely have a few groups from different companies volunteering with you.

How many projects can I submit?
As many as you want! As long as you have enough work to keep your volunteers busy, and have adequate staff support to manage the projects, there is no limit to how many projects you can host. And you can even host the same project on a couple of days surrounding MLK Day if you could use the help.


Managing Your MLK Day Project Online

What if I need to cancel my project?
Projects can be cancelled and removed from the site up until November 13th when registration opens. Cancelling your project after that may make your organization ineligible to participate in future United Way volunteer events. If you absolutely must cancel you project, please email us at volunteers@uwkc.org and please do not erase your project from the website as we need to have record of the project and alert any interested or already signed up volunteers.

How do I increase or decrease the number of volunteer spots for my project?
If your project already has sign ups and you need to increase or decrease the number of volunteer spots, contact us at volunteers@uwkc.org and we can change it on your behalf and alert volunteers. If you have no sign ups yet, you can change the number yourself by going back to the opportunity form and editing the capacity.

I submitted a MLK project, but now I can't find it. What do I do?

  • Login to your organization account

  • Click on the MY ORGANIZATION button in the top menu bar

  • Click on the OPPORTUNITIES tab under the pink toolbox

  • On the resulting page you will see your project listed with the Initiative as "2020 MLK Day of Service"


How can I see how many people have signed up for my project?

  • Login to your organization account

  • Click on the MY ORGANIZATION button in the top menu bar

  • Click on the OPPORTUNITIES tab under the orange toolbox

  • Click on the Responses link under the opportunity of interest and it will note how many sign ups there are. Click on the Export Responses button to export all responses and associated data (which will include name, email, project leader, company, team name, etc).


Where can I find the name and contact info of the Project Leader(s)?

  • Login to your organization account

  • Click on the MY ORGANIZATION button in the top menu bar

  • Click on the OPPORTUNITIES tab under the orange toolbox

  • Click on the Responses link under the opportunity of interest

  • Click the EXPORT RESPONSES button to see who is the Project Leader for each team and who are individual registrations. Individual registrations will not have a team name. People associated to a team will have a team name and a project leader associated to that team. Make sure you are communicating to all team leaders as well as individuals not associated to a team.

 

Communicating with Volunteers

How will I know when a group registers for my project?
When someone registers for your project you will immediately receive an auto-generated email notifying you from no-reply@galaxydigital.com. You will also receive a more detailed email when a group signs up from a United Way staff person within 1-3 business days outlining the group that has claimed your project, the name and contact info of the Project Leader, how many volunteer spots they claimed, and helpful resources to make your day a success. Once you receive this notification, we encourage you to make contact with the Project Leader, introduce yourself, and continue to communicate with them frequently leading up to the project.

Will I be able to communicate with the volunteer group prior to the project?
Yes. Lack of clear communications between the host organization and the volunteers is a common pitfall for projects. Make sure you initiate communications with the group leader ASAP. Connect via phone and e-mail and follow-up closer to the event as well. If possible, arrange a site tour for the Project Leader prior to the event so that you can familiarize them with the site and the project.


I haven't heard from my Project Leader. What do I do?
If you have tried to contact your Project Leader and have not received a response, please let us know and we can check in with the volunteer and gently remind them to make contact with your organization.


Managing Your Project Day-Of

What if things don't go as planned on the day of the event?

Make sure to have a back-up plan. Ask yourself the following questions:

  • Do you have a back-up plan if the volunteers complete the project quickly?

  • What are your contingency plans if too many or too few volunteers show?

  • What if you have equipment failures or supply shortfalls? If your project is outdoors, what will you do in the case of bad weather?


We have our own volunteer sign-in sheets. Do we still have to ask volunteers to sign in on the sheet provided by United Way?
Yes, but you can combine our volunteer sign-up sheet and liability waiver with yours so volunteers only need to sign in once. As the host organization you are responsible for facilitating volunteer sign-in and ensuring volunteers sign the United Way of King County liability waiver. You must retain a copy of the form for one year after MLK Day.

Is there an easy way to check-in volunteers and track hours?
Yes! Click here to learn about the check-in feature on United Way's volunteer site. This feature allows you to easily sign in volunteers and then the system will automatically log their volunteer hours for your tracking purposes. You can see a list of everyone who has signed up to easily check in folks or if someone happens to just show up, they can create an account on the spot and be added to your online list. All you need is a phone, tablet or computer on the day of the project. 

You can also add volunteer hours by going to the opportunity, clicking on responses underneath the title, checking the corresponding boxes next to the individual's name and clicking on "add default hours".


Coordinating with Volunteers

Will volunteers provide the supplies needed for my project?
The host organization accepts full responsibility for providing all supplies and equipment needed for the project and managing the logistics of the project. You can ask volunteers to bring basic supplies of their own if they have them (gloves, shovels, etc.) but should not rely on volunteers to provide supplies required for your project. Volunteers should not be required to purchase supplies or donate money towards purchasing supplies.

Will there be children participating in the group projects?
Some volunteers may want to bring along their children to the project, especially since most kids get MLK Day off. If your organization does not accept volunteers under a certain age, make sure to specify that in your project description. Also, when communicating with your Project Leader, you may want to reiterate what your organization's policy is on youth volunteers.

A volunteer group has already expressed interest in my project. How do I go about reserving it for them?
If you have already identified and confirmed a volunteer group that will claim your project, make sure to include the name and contact info of whoever will be acting as the Project Leader when you submit your project description on our volunteer site. If you don't tell us to reserve your project, it will be available for any MLK Day group to claim. If your project is reserved for a specific group, it will not appear on the registration page, and we will get in contact with the Project Leader in order to get them signed up. Please refer to the registration page for further instructions on how to correctly register your project for a held group.

Are we required to provide lunch to volunteers?
No. While some organizations are able to provide lunch to volunteers, it is by no means a requirement. If you are unable to provide lunch, let the Project Leader know that volunteers will need to bring their own food and maybe give a few suggestions of places to eat near your project. If you will be providing lunch, we do ask that you indicate as such in your project description.

What if my project logistics change after a group has already registered for my project?
Make sure to communicate with that group as soon as you know logistics will need to change to ensure they are still interested in the project. Updating your project description on the site does not notify your volunteer group so they may not be aware of these changes unless you specifically reach out to them. If the group decides they are no longer available for your project, please let us know at volunteers@uwkc.org.

How should I thank my volunteer group?
At the end of the project, set aside some time to congratulate the group on a job well done, to talk about the impact of the project, and to say "thanks" and celebrate accomplishments. Some other ways to recognize your volunteers could be sending a follow up thank you, sharing pictures from the project, or asking for volunteer feedback via a survey.


Click here to go back to the MLK Day of Service Resource Page

Questions? Email us at volunteers@uwkc.org