BVS Project Handbook: A guide to becoming a BVS partner to receive year-long volunteers
Thank you for your interest in becoming a Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) project site.
When you contact Brethren Volunteer Service, you will receive a current project book and covenant, which is the agreement between a project and BVS. This covenant lists the responsibilities of the project to the volunteer, as well as the responsibilities of the volunteer to the project. Volunteers sign a similar covenant with BVS.
The estimated cost of a volunteer for a 12-month period is $10,000 to $15,000. This includes:
- BVS volunteer placement fee. Please note that placement fees are assessed on an annual basis when a project receives a volunteer.
- Church of the Brethren related project – $3,150/volunteer
- Non-COB project with Annual Budget of…
- $0 to $500,000 – $3,400/volunteer
- $500,001 to $1,500,000 – $3,900/volunteer
- $1,500,001 and higher – $4,400/volunteer
- $250-350 monthly allowance, for 1st, 2nd, or 3rd year volunteer. (We ask that if taxes are taken out, the stipend should be a net of $250-350).
- Room & Board: $25 – $50 a week (net) for food. Housing costs depend on project location.
- Transportation to and from work and other miscellaneous needs.
- Transportation to and from the BVS mid-year retreat.
- Transportation for the volunteer to their home (or point of departure for non-US volunteers) at the end of their term of service.
Projects cannot be guaranteed a volunteer even after they become a part of the BVS program. It is not unusual for a project to wait one or two years before getting a volunteer, since BVS has more projects than volunteers. Please consider these factors as you consider whether or not you want to apply to become a BVS project.
Contact the BVS Office at (800) 323-8039 if you have interest in becoming a BVS project.