Current Volunteer Opportunities
What’s my role in LWVDC? Where do I fit in? How can I make a difference?
Volunteers power the League! The impact of our organization in Dane County is directly related to the generosity of our members, who share their time and their passion empowering voters and defending democracy.
There are dozens of ways to make connections with others and make positive change in our community. Some leadership roles are ongoing and require more of a time commitment; other volunteer roles are for a limited time or just a few hours a month.
Read on to see where you fit into the League! Scroll through the offerings, or use these links to view listings with different teams.
Organization-Wide Help
Bakers
Love to bake but don't want to have too many treats tempting you at home? We are assembling a list of bakers who would be notified of opportunities to provide treats for special events. You will get to choose what works for you!
Events Team
Do you have a creative eye or enjoy juggling details? Love prepping for a party or hosting and making sure everyone has a good time?
We need members to pitch in with some upcoming League events in whatever way you’re interested. This could include:
Planning and organizing (usually at the request of a team, such as Membership or Program Advocacy - but you’re welcome to suggest ideas of your own!)
Jazz up our LWV presence at community events (e.g., decorations, signs, create “event kits” for pop-up socials)
Promotion (e.g., graphic design, copywriting, etc.)
Organizing potlucks
Set up events (and/or tear down at the end)
Registration/check-in
Greeting guests
Photography
Est. time commitment: spend as much or as little time as you have on this work. No long-term commitment is required (although we would love to have a leader or captain of this team to organize folks!).
Contact Barb Feeney with questions or if you’re interested.
Spanish-Speaking Outreach Volunteers
Are you comfortable conversing in Spanish? For some League outreach events, we need someone who can converse in Spanish. You need not be trained in voter registration but should be familiar with (or willing to learn) common voter registration terms.
Est. time commitment: whatever fits with your schedule.
Contact Barb Feeney with questions or if you’re interested.
Button-Makers
Our buttons have been a hit at outreach events this summer … but the supply is seriously depleted. We are looking for someone who will organize a button-making event at the office as needed. Instruction in using the button-making machine will be provided, along with names and contact information for volunteers. We could also use some creative folks to craft button designs, too.
If you are willing to organize a button event or join a button-making party, contact Operations Manager Kerry Helmer.
Membership
Member Hangouts Coordinator/Event Planner
Duties:
Plan Member Hangouts (virtual or in person as appropriate) approximately every other month
Work with Communications to advertise the hangouts
Develop creative ideas for conversation topics, locations, etc.
Send out Zoom information to attendees, host Zoom meeting, if virtual (note: personal Zoom account NOT required)
Est. time commitment: 2 hours/month
Finance
Finance Team
The Finance Team works together on activities like monitoring the financial condition of LWVDC, preparing an annual budget, and monitoring investments.
Est. time commitment: Monthly meeting; additional work depending on the desired level of engagement on subcommittees, projects, etc.
Bookkeeping Duties
Do you, or someone you know, want to put your bookkeeping skills to use in support of LWVDC’s Finances?
We’re looking for a volunteer to work with the League’s Treasurer on tasks such as:
Recording transactions (invoices, expenses, deposits, and checks) into Quickbooks
Reconciling monthly credit card statements
Reconciling the fundraising subsidiary ledger to Quickbooks
Reconciling the monthly credit card processing account to fundraising transactions
Preparing month-end financial statements for review by the Treasurer
Basic bookkeeping/accounting knowledge is a must, as well as experience with Quickbooks accounting software or similar software.
Est. time commitment: 10-20 hours/month; will vary depending on the time of year and the activities of the League.
Annual Financial Review
LWVDC Bylaws require an annual review of financial statements and records by someone who is not currently the Treasurer, nor has been the Treasurer for three years. This review does not constitute an audit and this person is not issuing an official audit opinion.
Experience in accounting and knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles preferred. Duties would include documenting testing of transactions; focus of financial statement review; and adequacy of internal controls, as well as issuing conclusions and recommendations. This position would report to the Finance Team and/or Board.
Est. time commitment: 30-40 hours (over 2-3 weeks), July/August 2023
Tax Preparation Assistance
LWV Dane County is looking for someone with previous experience preparing and filing IRS Form 990. The right person should have a tax background and have prepared 990s for other nonprofit organizations.
Est. time commitment: 40 hours (over 2-3 weeks), August/September 2023 (Target completion: September 30, 2023).
Communications
Bulletin Copyeditors
Our Bulletin Editor is looking for help copyediting our monthly e-newsletter. The right candidates have solid communication skills, are comfortable with technology (email, Google Docs, Microsoft Word) and have a working knowledge of AP style or related style guides.
Est. time commitment: 2-3 hours per issue (over a period of about two weeks).
Profile Leader
Profiles of our volunteers have become a popular feature of the Bulletin and we want to keep it going! Team leaders provide suggestions for volunteers to profile and the Profile Leader makes the contact. Our volunteers have been very willing—no arm twisting involved! Please contact Barb Feeney at 608.843.2272 or president@lwvdanecounty.org if you are interested in learning more.
Est. time commitment: 1 hour per month
Zoom Team
Volunteers are needed to assist with technological aspects of virtual and hybrid events such as Forums and Membership Meetings.
Responsibilities include communicating with the Program Team about their needs, setting up Zoom webinars, and keeping Zoom running smoothly during events. We have an existing team with solid protocols in place but are seeking 1-2 additional members to share the work. Volunteers should be familiar with the core functions of Zoom meetings and webinars and be willing to learn and problem-solve.
Est. time commitment: 1-2 events per year (weekday evenings) and occasional brief virtual meetings.
Resource Materials Writers
Resource materials are produced for each forum and made available to anyone who attended or wants to learn more. Resource materials provide background on the issue addressed in the forum, as well as links to articles or studies covering the issue in depth and to organizations working on the issue. Resource Materials include questions to promote discussion in Discussion Unit groups. The ideal length is around four pages.
Duties:
Research and draft resource materials for forum issues
Prepare links and graphics for resource materials
Consult with workgroup planning the forum
Est. time commitment: 10 hours per forum. There will be four to six forums in 2023-24, but the same person does not have to do all of them!
Voter Service
Senior Liaisons
New senior living complexes are popping up all over Dane County. We would like to have have a senior liaison assigned to each facility. A senior liaison helps to keep residents informed using information that the League provides. Facility managers generally appreciate getting this information so they can help keep their residents informed about voting options and election dates. Learn more about being a senior liaison.
Est. time commitment: 1–2 hours before each election.
Candidates’ Answers review
In early/mid-October and late February/early March, compare information about candidates and races from several different sources. The sources include information from the WI Elections Commission, Excel spreadsheets compiled by League volunteers, and information entered by candidates themselves into Vote411.
Volunteers need to be familiar with Wisconsin’s election system and comfortable comparing information from multiple websites to ensure that the information that will be printed in Candidates’ Answers is complete and accurate. (We need two volunteers to supplement existing volunteers.)
Est. time commitment: 8–16 hours over a 10-day period in late Feb/early March each year, and in early/mid-October in even years
Assistance with Vote411
Assist Brook Soltvedt with entering race and candidate information into Vote411 and soliciting candidate responses. The volunteer needs considerable experience using electronic interfaces.
Est. time commitment: 15–25 hours twice a year (heavy time commitment in early January, with follow-up work through March, or heavy time commitment in early June of even years, with follow-up work through August)
Voter Service Quizmaster
Create quizzes to help voter registration volunteers brush up on voting and voter registration requirements. Use an existing Google template to create the quizzes, which will be included in the Voting Volunteers Weekly email.
Can be done from home or ever you can access a computer. Must be comfortable using Google products or willing to learn. The quiz template is easy to use. The quizmaster should be willing to do some research on topics using LWVDC resources.
Est. time commitment: About 1 hour to become familiar with the system. Then about 1 hour per (approximately weekly) quiz through December 2022.
Program
Resource Materials Writers
Resource materials are produced for each forum and made available to anyone who attended or wants to learn more. Resource materials provide background on the issue addressed in the forum, as well as links to articles or studies covering the issue in depth and to organizations working on the issue. Resource materials include questions to promote discussion in Discussion unit groups. The ideal length is around four pages.
Duties:
Research and draft resource materials for forum issues
Prepare links and graphics for resource materials
Consult with workgroup planning the forum
Est. time commitment: 10 hours per forum. There will be four to six forums in 2023-24, but the same person does not have to do all of them!
Forum Planners
The Program/Advocacy Team will present four to six forums in 2022-23, beginning in September, on the following topics: Reproductive Justice; Election Integrity; Judicial Integrity; Campaign Finance Reform; Economic Opportunities for All; Neighborhoods for Social and Racial Equity; and Climate Resistant Rural and Urban Communities.
Forum planners will meet in a work group and work in coordination with the overall Program/Advocacy Team.
Duties:
Meet every other week with the workgroup for about three months prior to the forum
With the Team, develop the specific topics to be addressed in the forum
Suggest speakers and a moderator for the forum
Communicate with forum speakers and coordinate their presentations
Work with the Tech Team to set up virtual, in-person, or hybrid AV needs
If in person, arrange for a location and refreshments
Est. time commitment: 10-15 hours for each forum. Volunteers can commit to planning only one forum if they like, or many!
Lively Issues Luncheon Planner
The League holds a Lively Issues gathering once a year, featuring one speaker on a particular topic of interest to League members.
Duties:
Work with the Program/Advocacy Team to select a date, location, and topic for the luncheon
Meet every other week with a planning workgroup for three months before the luncheon
Contact speaker and moderator and work with them to develop presentation
Work with venue, caterer, Tech Team, and others to determine details of luncheon and hybrid broadcast
Est. time commitment: 20 hours, starting about three months before the luncheon (expected to take place in early 2024)
Advocacy
Advocacy Corps
In collaboration with Program, advocates respond to action alerts on timely issues and events important to Dane County and Wisconsin. Advocates can join one or more of five Issue Work Groups: Voter Rights, Judicial Integrity, Climate-Environmental Justice, Reproductive Freedom, and Campaign Finance Reform. Advocates identify and use many strategies for action (e.g., identify issues for action, letter-writing, attendance at events, and phone banking).
Est. time commitment:
As a member of the Advocacy Corps, you’ll be expected to attend once-monthly meetings and participate in additional work and Work Group meetings, depending on your desired level of engagement on campaigns.
You can also participate in your choice of ad hoc campaigns (often 1-2 hours each).