Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP)

Do you volunteer for the PTA? Tutor children or adults? Coach soccer? Raise money for community organizations?

The Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP) recognizes employees' contribution of time and talent to nonprofit organizations. Under the program, employees are eligible to apply for a grant on behalf of the qualified organization where they volunteered 50 hours or more during the year. The Foundation rewards these employee volunteers with a $750 check for presentation to the designated organization. Employees may request VIP grants on behalf of two separate organizations for a total of $1,500 each year.

  • U.S. volunteers spent a median of 52 hours on volunteer activities in 2007. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Dept. of Labor)
  • Verizon Volunteers who utilized VIP registered an average of 73 volunteer hours in 2007

If you are a Verizon employee looking for volunteer opportunities in your community, please visit our Volunteer Connections online database

Here are some frequently asked questions about the Verizon Foundation Volunteer Incentive Program:

What are the eligibility requirements for VIP?
In order to qualify for VIP, hours must be completed and registered within the current calendar year (ie: hours volunteered in 2008 must be registered on or before 12/31/08.) Hours volunteered in a prior calendar year are ineligible (ie: hours volunteered in 2007 are not eligible to be registered in 2008, the transaction will be rejected.) All volunteer hours must be performed on the employee's own personal time in order to qualify for VIP.
How does the nonprofit organization verify my volunteer hours?
You should encourage the nonprofit to verify your volunteer hours online at http://foundation.verizon.com/nonprofit or ask the nonprofit to call 1-866-247-2687 from 8:00AM to 8:00PM Eastern Time Monday through Friday, or send a fax to (978) 824-0301 in order to verify your volunteer hours. Note: Employees should ensure that someone at the nonprofit, other than themselves or someone with whom they share a close personal relationship, confirm their volunteer hours.
How many $750 grant awards are employees eligible for per year through the Volunteer Incentive Program?
Active Verizon employees are allocated a total of $1,500 per year, per employee, for two $750 awards to two separate nonprofit organizations, when they volunteer 50 hours or more to each of these nonprofits. Employees must register volunteer hours made in the current calendar year in order to be eligible for the two grant awards from the Foundation.
If I volunteer at a nonprofit organization but have not completed the 50 hours to apply for a Volunteer Incentive Program grant, should I enter the request ahead of time or wait until I complete the required amount of hours?
Active Verizon employees must wait until they complete the 50 hours or more in order to register and apply for the grant to the nonprofit organization where they volunteered.
If I serve on a nonprofit board, does the Verizon Foundation pay board membership fees, dues, and/or provide financial support in connection with my nonprofit board service?
No. Employees are responsible for any/all board membership fees, dues and financial support in connection with nonprofit board service. Employees are, however, eligible to apply for one of their two $750 VIP grants under the Volunteer Incentive Program - when they volunteer 50 hours or more per year to the nonprofit.

Nonprofits are encouraged to visit our website (www.verizon.com/foundation) to learn more about our funding priorities, where they may apply for competitive grants year-round that meet our grant guidelines in the areas of literacy and domestic violence awareness, prevention and recovery.

Ready to register your volunteer hours? Click Here.

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