April 30, 2026

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New Estimate Puts Volunteer Time at $36.14 an Hour

by Amanda L. Cole

New national data puts a higher price on “free” labor.

As nonprofits navigated rising costs, staff shortages, and uneven volunteer pipelines in 2025, the estimated value of volunteer time climbed to $36.14 an hour — a 3.9% jump year over year, according to the “2026 Value of Volunteer Time Report.”

Independent Sector and the University of Maryland’s Do Good Institute release the figure annually, using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data to produce both a national estimate and state‑level figures. The 2025 update, timed with National Volunteer Week, pegs the national rate at $36.14 per hour.

Meanwhile, state values range from $17.99 in Puerto Rico, to $54.77 in the District of Columbia. Georgia saw the fastest growth, with its volunteer value per hour value rising 7.9% from $32.63 to $35.22.

“Once again, the increase is real and not just due to inflation (2.7% in 2025), and the state-level estimates on the U.S. map also show how much these estimates vary by region and by state,” Nathan Dietz, research director at the Do Good Institute, said in a statement, noting the variations are due to cost of living.

Many nonprofits use the value of volunteer time to recognize contributors in annual impact reports, and to help boards, donors, and corporate partners grasp the scale of contributed labor. For example, a food bank that logged 20,000 volunteer hours last year could estimate that volunteers provided more than $720,000 in contributed labor using the new national rate. Independent Sector notes that the figure is an estimate of replacement cost for an average volunteer hour, not a precise price tag on every role, and encourages organizations to pair it with other measures of volunteer impact and engagement.

“Before our founding fathers touched quill to paper to sign our Declaration of Independence, Americans have been volunteering their time and energy to the causes and communities they believe in — aiding wounded soldiers in the Revolutionary War, advocating for the abolition of slavery, marching for civil rights, and raising funds to support those left behind by the other sectors of our society,” Dr. Akilah Watkins, president and CEO of Independent Sector, said in a statement.

“... While it is impossible to capture the immense contribution of the U.S. volunteer force into a dollar amount, the Value of Volunteer Time serves as an important representation of the economic and social value of the millions of hours Americans dedicate to service every year.”

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Abby Beausir, PhD, has been named Director, Oral Health Strategy at the HealthPath

Foundation of Ohio.

Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) has named Lacy Schutz

as Interim Executive Director, effective May 18th.

Breakthrough Cincinnati recently welcomed Kieli Ferguson and Jenifer Moore to its board of directors, bringing expertise in public education, communications, and inclusive

policy.

Clare Blankemeyer and Spencer Cropper join the Bethesda Inc. and bi3 Fund Boards.

Meals on Wheels of Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky welcomes its new Director

of Development, Dr. Laura Allen, a researcher in the field of aging.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Kentucky Nonprofit Network (KNN) announced the formation of the Northern Kentucky Nonprofit Coalition (NKNC) at a launch event hosted by sponsor Dean Dorton. This new regional alliance of KNN members aims to build a stronger, more unified nonprofit sector voice among organizations serving Northern Kentucky. NKNC joins existing coalitions in Lexington, Louisville, and Southeastern Kentucky—a step toward KNN's goal of creating a strong statewide network of nonprofit leaders advocating locally for the work of the nonprofit community.

St. Vincent de Paul Northern Kentucky (SVdP NKY) is proud to announce a $20,000 grant from the Unnewehr Foundation in support of the Sweet Dreams Bed Program.

Established in 1995, Sweet Dreams provides new twin-sized beds, bed frames, and mattress protecters at no cost to children 16 and under, seniors over 65, and individuals with disabilities.

Busam Subaru is driving transformative change across the region with a standout year of giving. Queen City Book Bank (QCBB) is honored to be named Subaru’s “Share the Love” Hometown Beneficiary for the ninth consecutive year. This year’s campaign was a remarkable success, generating $27,115 and bringing the total raised over nine years to more than $240,000 in support of QCBB’s literacy programs.

The Anthony Muñoz Foundation has announced the recipients of its 2026 Straight ‘A’ Scholarship. This year, 18 Tri-State students will be awarded $42,000 in college scholarships thanks to Mike’s Carwash. These students will receive a one-time scholarship toward pursuing their college education. One Overall Male and One Overall Female Straight ‘A’ Student of the Year will be chosen and awarded an additional scholarship.

Women Helping Women hosted a community event, “Inside the New Front Door for Survivors,” on Thursday, April 23, offering a first look at its newly designed hotline and response space. This transformation represents a major investment in survivor care, strengthening the infrastructure behind the largest survivor hotline in the state of Ohio, which fields more than 20,000 calls annually.

The Victorian at Riverside, an assisted-living facility for older adults in Covington, is grateful to the Unnewehr Family Foundation for a $25,000 grant to provide meals for the residents.

Make music part of your summer with Cincinnati Youth Choir. From the engaging, skill-building experience of Singabration Summer Choral Camp to the playful, exploratory Passport to Music camp in partnership with Baldwin Music Education Center, we're offering opportunities for singers at every stage. Learn more and register here.

In recognition of Mental Health Month, Lindner Center of Hope will host Community Education Day, Sunday, May 3, 2026, 11:00am – 4:00pm at the Manor House Event Center. This half-day community workshop is designed to advance community engagement by increasing awareness of mental health and wellness, encouraging open and informed conversation, and reducing the stigma surrounding mental illness.

Pets In Need of Greater Cincinnati is proud to announce a $22,000 grant from The Kenneth A. Scott Charitable Trust, a KeyBank Trust to support our Senior Paws Initiative, helping provide essential veterinary care for senior pets in need.

Larger-than-life sculptures made entirely of Duck Tape® are returning to Washington Park Thursday, May 8 through Sunday, May 18, as part of the annual “Duck Tape® at the Park” exhibition. Created by students, alumni, and local artists connected to the Art Academy of Cincinnati, this year’s installation celebrates “America 250” with bold, public-facing works.

Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries announced that it has received a $25,000 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation — the organization’s first-ever award from the Foundation — in support of its GoodWorks Pathways Workforce Development and Barrier Reduction Services for Greater Cincinnati Opportunity Centers.

Giving Voice Foundation’s 11th annual Mimosas for Memories just raised a record $164,627 to support free programs for individuals and families impacted by Alzheimer’s and dementia across Greater Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CABVI) is deeply grateful to Scripps Howard Foundation for a $15,000 grant to promote Childhood Literacy for youth who have severe vision loss. CABVI is deeply grateful to H.G., H.F. & Louise Tuechter Dornette Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, N.A. Trustee for a $25,000 grant to help provide Updated Industrial Equipment to Employ People with Vision Loss. CABVI appreciates the Ohio Valley Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, N.A. Trustee the foundation office at Fifth Third Bank for a $25,000 grant to help provide Updated Industrial Equipment to Employ People with Vision Loss.

St. Vincent de Paul Northern Kentucky (SVdP NKY) is deeply grateful to the local organizations that participated in the 3rd Annual “Food Fight Against Hunger”. Participants collected more than 540 pounds of food, hygiene products, and essential supplies to help stock SVdP NKY’s Choice Food Pantries ahead of the busy summer months, when many families struggle with increased food insecurity.

FUNDING AND RESOURCE OPPORTUNITIES

ArtsWave and MeetNKY have opened applications for the 2026 Northern Kentucky Creative Placemaking Grant, a program supporting arts and cultural heritage projects that activate public spaces, strengthen neighborhoods and contribute to Northern Kentucky’s cultural identity and visitor appeal. The competitive grant program provides up to $10,000 per project, or up to 50% of total project expenses, to nonprofit organizations proposing arts-driven initiatives that contribute to community development across Northern Kentucky. Funded projects will take place between June 1, 2026, and May 31, 2027. Find full grant guidelines and apply here.

OneSource Center created the Emerging Leader Award to recognize talented nonprofit professionals who demonstrate exceptional promise and a commitment to strengthening the nonprofit sector. The Award provides a full scholarship for the selected honoree to participate in the EXCEL Executive Leadership Program, including one year of executive coaching. Find more information and nomination form here.

A Spring 2026 class at NKU will look at occupational therapy intervention and program planning for group and activity development. We are looking for community partners to help us teach our students. We would like to invite applications from nonprofits (or programs within nonprofits) that are focused on supporting psychosocial support and group opportunities towards building a stronger community. One agency will be selected by the students to receive a $2,000 grant to support the implementation of an occupational therapy-psychosocial health and wellness site objectives. Find more information here or contact Angela Boyd at boyda9@nku.edu.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

General Tax Deadlines for HR and Payroll Professionals, May 1, 1:00pm EDT.

Determining where an employee "works" for tax purposes is no longer straightforward in today's environment of remote work, hybrid schedules, and multi-state employment. For payroll and HR professionals, understanding how to

properly define and code work locations in the payroll system is essential to avoiding preventable errors. Learn more and register here.

Kathleen Burns Kingsbury visits the Erlanger Library on May 12, 5:30pm, to discuss her book, "Breaking Money Silence". This is a gender inclusive talk that defines money

silence, its costs to individuals and society, and offers steps to identify and shift your

money talk mindset to engage in more meaningful financial dialogues with your partner,

aging parent, children, siblings, family, and/or friends. Registration required.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Join us at Rhinegeist on May 14, 3:00pm-7:30pm, for a Period Poverty Week

community volunteer opportunity hosted by Hoxworth Blood Center and Period Kits

Ohio. We’ll be donating blood and packing up period kits for those in need. Sign up here

to volunteer.

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