Independent Sector releases new value of volunteer time of $33.49 per hour
While we can never truly calculate the magnitude of the contributions made by volunteers, new national and state-by-state data underscore the significance of the invaluable support and services volunteers provide in communities across the country.
Independent Sector, with the Do Good Institute at the University of Maryland, announced today that they estimate the value of a volunteer hour in 2023 was $33.49, a 5.3% increase from 2022. Release of the data comes as nonprofits, philanthropy, corporate giving programs, and communities across the country celebrate National Volunteer Week.
“When you volunteer, you help hold up the foundation of civil society. Volunteers lend their energy and talents, help their neighbors, and strengthen their communities. Volunteers nationwide are making meaningful contributions to many causes to improve lives and advance the greater good,” said Dr. Akilah Watkins, Independent Sector president and CEO. “Volunteering is a critical form of engagement with nonprofits that strengthens the nonprofit workforce and drives trust in the sector. No dollar estimate can fully reflect the value of volunteers to the wellbeing of our communities and our nation, but organizations use this number to quantify the importance of volunteering.
In addition to the national average, we invite you to explore:
- Detailed state-level data to see how volunteer hours can be quantified in your community
- The importance of data for strategic volunteer engagement
The latest value is calculated by the Do Good Institute at the University of Maryland, based on hourly earnings released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. More in-depth information on the methodology is available here.
Kaʻū Rural Health Community Association, Inc. 