PetSmart Charities® Model Volunteering Program (MVP)

The PetSmart Charities Model Volunteering Program (MVP) is an exciting opportunity that rewards agencies for innovative volunteer programs that best utilize the time, skills and passion of their volunteers for outstanding results.

White Cat Hands The goal: We’re looking for creative solutions to maximize volunteer contributions in animal-welfare agencies. We want to share these model volunteering programs with other agencies across North America. Your volunteers are your greatest resource, and your success in utilizing that resource can inspire others.

Each quarter, PetSmart Charities will select one winning agency from those who submit their MVP. The winning agency will receive a $1,000 award check, be featured on our website and in Quarterly, the newsletter for and about our animal-welfare partners.

All you need to do is tell us about your agency's stellar programs, showcasing the smart ways your agency utilizes volunteers.

How do you challenge volunteers to work smarter, not just harder?
Does your agency demonstrate the leadership to guide your volunteers into strong programs that impact adoptions, fundraising and day-to-day operations?

Examples:

Recruited college students interested in videos to make weekly “special pet for adoption” website postings
Utilized skills of retired office manager to set up and monitor system for post-adoption follow-up tracking
Encouraged hobby photographers to take pet photos for website and teach others how to best capture pet personalities
Organized people who can’t, or don't want to, come to shelter to work from home sending e-mails and making calls for adoption follow-ups
Developed a system of transport drivers to take pets to the veterinarian or other appointments

As we gather these submissions on outstanding volunteer management and the programs that result, we will compile best practices to help all agencies to best utilize their volunteers and avoid the ruts that stifle creativity and inhibit the overall value of what each volunteer offers.

MVP Submission Form

Complete the following fields to submit a volunteer program you would like for us to consider as a MVP.

Your Information

Name:

Title	First Required	Last Required

E-mail: Required

ZIP / Postal Code:

Yes, I would like to receive e-mail from PetSmart Charities

Yes, I would like to receive postal mail from PetSmart Charities

*2.

Question - Required - Your Phone Number

*3.

Question - Required - Name of Agency

*4.

Question - Required - Agency's Executive Director (or equivalent leader)

*5.

Question - Required - Executive Director's E-mail Address

*6.

Question - Required - Agency's Street Address

*7.

Question - Required - Agency's City

*8.

Question - Required - Agency's State/Province

*9.

Question - Required - Agency's Zip or Postal Code

10.

Question - Not Required - Name of Model Volunteering Program

(Maximum response 255 chars, approx. 5 rows of text)

*11.

Question - Required - Which area of your agency does this program benefit (e.g. adoptions, administrative, operations, fundraising, etc.)?

(Maximum response 255 chars, approx. 5 rows of text)

*12.

Question - Required - Briefly describe the program, emphasizing how it uses volunteer resources wisely.

*13.

Question - Required - Explain in detail how the program has improved your agency or how it made your agency's work more efficient, effective, or thorough. Include how this program benefited the animals.

*14.

Question - Required - Was this a new program or an expansion of a previous program? If it was an expansion, was that work previously done by volunteers or by paid staff?

(Maximum response 255 chars, approx. 5 rows of text)

*15.

Question - Required - Was this program started by your agency with existing volunteers or with volunteers recruited specifically for the program?

(Maximum response 255 chars, approx. 5 rows of text)

16.

Question - Not Required - Is there anything else we should know about how this program is a model for wisely using the skills, time, and energy of volunteers?

By submitting your story, you agree that you give PetSmart Charities, Inc. permission to use the story, and any photos we obtain from you in relation to the story, in any media for any purpose. You acknowledge that the information you provided is accurate and you are the rightful owner of any photos we ask for and that we have the right to resize and/or edit the story and any photos we obtain from you. We cannot guarantee that your submission will be selected as a Model Volunteering Program and we cannot be held responsible for any information you submit to us. Your e-mail address will be stored (but not published) for internal use. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@petsmartcharities.org.