We help organizations leverage the skills and expertise of their volunteers to increase their social impact and strengthen communities.

Service Enterprise has a new home

As we have broadened our focus on volunteerism to civic engagement as envisioned through all nine elements of the Points of Light Civic Circle, the Service Enterprise program is now operated by our partners at AL!VE. Visit their website for details.

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About the Program

POINTS OF LIGHT’S SERVICE ENTERPRISE PROGRAM STRENGTHENS NONPROFIT CAPACITY THROUGH THE FUNDAMENTAL AND STRATEGIC USE OF VOLUNTEERS AND THEIR SKILLS TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS.

Service Enterprise Benefits & Resources

Organizations certified as Service Enterprises have access to:

A Comprehensive Diagnostic

Organizations have access to the Service Enterprise Diagnostic, a thorough, research-based assessment of their existing volunteer engagement practices that informs their training and provides tailored recommendations for improvement.

Volunteer Engagement Training

Organizations receive up to 16 hours of training focused on change management and volunteer engagement to help them transform and reimagine how they currently engage volunteers.

Coaching

Organizations receive up to 10 hours of coaching to help them translate knowledge from the training into action for their organization.

Certification

Organizations receive a designation signifying a commitment to leveraging the time and talent of volunteers to meet the organization’s social mission.

A Network of Peers

Organizations that join the Service Enterprise program will be able to network with each other, share best practices and provide peer-to-peer support.

Research and Resources

Organizations gain access to proprietary content and research, including a robust resource library with trends and reports about how best to engage and manage volunteers.

History & Methods

The Service Enterprise program started in 2010 with a simple question: how can we better engage volunteers? It has since become one of the nation's most impactful nonprofit certification programs.

THE HISTORY OF SERVICE ENTERPRISE

The Service Enterprise program began in 2010 when Reimagining Service partners CommonGood Careers, Deloitte, Taproot Foundation, The RGK Center for Philanthropy at the University of Texas and TCC Group collaborated around research and best practices for volunteer engagement. Based on this research, CaliforniaVolunteers leveraged a grant they received from the Corporation for National and Community Service to start a pilot project aimed at strengthening the capacity of volunteer organizations.

In 2012, Points of Light joined the partnership, collaborating with the RGK Center and TCC Group to integrate a diagnostic component that informs the process for organizations taking part in the program. Points of Light then developed the curriculum, marketing materials and content necessary to scale the program to organizations within our affiliate Network and other partners in the sector.

Since then, the program has scaled across the country through a network of Service Enterprise Hubs operating in more than 20 states, having certified over 650 organizations as Service Enterprises.

In 2022, Points of Light partnered with AL!VE, the Association of Leaders in Volunteer Engagement, to operate and lead the Service Enterprise program. We thank all involved for their leadership, early investment, research and assessment tools that built the foundation from which AL!VE will grow the program.

23%
Increase

In Volunteers Annually

1.5
Employees

Value of Increased Labor Hours

63k
Dollars

Value of Increased Labor Hours

80%
Report

An Increase in Skilled Volunteers

Request More Information

Interested in the Service Enterprise program and want more information? Send your inquiry to AL!VE.