New Project Information

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.