Service Enterprise Initiative (SEI)

Service Enterprise Initiative (SEI)

Program Type: Capacity building certification program for nonprofits

Geographic Scope: Massachusetts

Partner: Led by AL!VE and administered in Massachusetts by the Massachusetts Service Alliance

Purpose: Help organizations achieve a greater "return on investment" (ROI) for volunteer engagement and strengthen their mission statements through systematic volunteer engagement practices.

Benefits of Service Enterprise Certification

Organizational Benefits:

Leverage the full value of volunteer time and talent

More efficient engagement of volunteers

Program growth and increased capacity and sustainability

Increased operational capabilities through freeing paid staff time

Specific financial incentives

Quantified Impact (Average Certified Service Enterprise):

23% increase in volunteers annually

+2,700 hours of donated time from volunteers annually

$63,000 in valued labor from additional volunteer hours

80% of Service Enterprises report increase in both volunteers and skilled volunteers

60% report increase in average volunteer hours

Massachusetts Participation: As of 2022, 113 Massachusetts organizations are either accredited Service Enterprises or participating in the program towards accreditation.

Three Service Enterprise Domains

1. Establishing the Foundation

Creating and sustaining appropriate groundwork and organizational underpinnings for successful volunteer engagement

Includes: Funding & Resource Allocation, Technology, Leadership Involvement, Planning

2. Best Practices in Volunteer Engagement

Practices ensuring effective engagement of volunteers and community partners

Includes: Recruitment & Cultivation, Onboarding, Training, Supervision & Support

3. Impact and Outcomes

Utilizing tools to create and sustain relationships, tell organizational story, listen to stakeholders

Includes: Collaboration, Communication, Growth & Change, Tracking & Evaluation

Service Enterprise Characteristics

Establishing the Foundation Domain:

Funding & Resource Allocation: Provision of financial, human, space, and material tools necessary for volunteer engagement; willingness to seek additional support

Technology: Broad-based utilization of technology for all volunteer engagement aspects (record keeping, communication, service options)

Leadership Involvement: Executive and board leadership demonstrate commitment through actions; volunteer engagement key strategy to achieve mission

Planning: Thoughtful, comprehensive preparations for volunteer and community engagement based on established principles and practices

Best Practices in Volunteer Engagement Domain:

Recruitment & Cultivation: Ongoing process to engage individuals and groups with skills, interests, abilities to further mission; targeted for diverse mix of community members

Onboarding: Smooth pathway to service through screening, preparation, guidance; involves community members and staff

Training: Education and skill development plus organizational knowledge to equip volunteers and staff to work effectively together

Supervision & Support: Consistent oversight and support ensuring volunteers succeed and feel valued and appreciated

Impact & Outcomes Domain:

Collaboration: Vital part of nonprofit work; collaborative undertakings build relationships and sharpen service focus

Communication: Many forms operating through diverse channels (formal/informal, print/social media) for internal and external groups

Growth & Change: Seek ways to improve services, cultivate leaders, seed new thinking, create new platforms for action; staying on cutting edge motivates staff

Tracking & Evaluation: Assesses organizational progress towards institutional goals and performance of volunteers, staff, and community partners

Support Provided by MSA

Organizations working towards Service Enterprise certification receive:

Thorough assessment of existing volunteer engagement practices (research-based)

16-20 hours of team-based change management training to reimagine volunteer engagement

Individualized coaching to address organizational opportunities and challenges

National certification symbolizing commitment to volunteer engagement

Technical Assistance valued at $10,000-$15,000

Contact: Ian Whalen-Stone, MSA's Director of Training and Technical Assistance