Volunteer Program Assessment (VPA) The UGA Professional I-O Psychology Master’s Program (IOMP) partners with the Volunteer Program Assessment (VPA, pronounced “vee-pah”), a research-based assessment and consulting program designed to help nonprofit organizations better understand and support their volunteers. VPA gives nonprofit leaders an opportunity to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their volunteer program from the perspective of the volunteers themselves. Through an online survey, volunteers provide feedback about their experiences and perceptions of the organization. The results can help nonprofit leaders identify what is working well, where there may be opportunities for improvement, and ways to strengthen volunteer engagement, satisfaction, and commitment. VPA was developed in 2009 through a partnership between the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the Humane Society of the United States. The assessment is grounded in published research and was developed using findings from a large-scale study of volunteer programs that identified key factors associated with volunteer engagement and commitment. VPA Consulting through UGA Through UGA’s partnership with VPA, IOMP students and graduates serve as consultants to nonprofit organizations. They work directly with volunteer coordinators to administer the VPA survey, analyze and interpret the results, and provide evidence-based guidance and recommendations. For IOMP students and graduates, VPA provides hands-on consulting experience and an opportunity to put the science of I-O psychology into practice. Participating nonprofits receive an assessment report and consulting services at no cost. Feedback from organizations that have worked with the UGA VPA team has been overwhelmingly positive. Client evaluations show that the assessment has helped organizations better understand the strengths and weaknesses of their volunteer programs and provided useful information for making improvements. “These surveys have been really helpful to our organization. We've done three surveys now and we learn something new every time and it really helps us implement productive changes to help our organization grow.” -Jackie Nowinski, Volunteer Manager, Humane Society for Boone County Who Can Participate? Nonprofit organizations with more than 30 volunteers and a physical, brick-and-mortar location are eligible to participate in VPA. Organizations that do not meet these requirements may still be able to participate and are encouraged to learn more about available options. Apply for VPA Consulting Organizations interested in participating can complete the VPA application: https://vpa.charlotte.edu/apply/ In the referral section of the application, please note if you would prefer to work with the UGA team. This helps the national VPA office route the work to UGA when possible. Questions? For questions about the Volunteer Program Assessment or participation in the program, contact the VPA Co-Director at volprogram@charlotte.edu.
