Citi Awards Grant to Support BVU’s Skilled Volunteer Placement Program

Program will enable nonprofits to connect with professionally-skilled volunteers

Business Volunteers Unlimited Maryland (BVU) announced that the Citi Foundation has awarded a $35,000 grant to support the organization's Skilled Volunteer Placement Program.

The initiative will build the capacity of Maryland's nonprofit community by engaging professionals in skills-based volunteering. BVU will identify professionals with specific skills, such as marketing, finance, and human resources, and will connect them with nonprofits that need their expertise.

"Providing skilled volunteers is one of the most significant contributions any business can make to the nonprofit community; BVU's Skilled Volunteer Placement Program will ensure that nonprofits receive the critical support they need to succeed in bettering our community," said BVU Executive Director Kelly Hodge-Williams.

"The need for this program is significant," continued Hodge-Williams. "Deloitte's 2009 IMPACT Survey found that 95 percent of nonprofits need more skilled volunteers, while 91 percent of corporate human resources respondents say skills-based volunteering adds value to their professional development programs."
Said Sheldon Caplis, Citi's regional director of south Atlantic region community relations, "Citi has had a long commitment to volunteerism and nonprofit capacity building. This program provides an opportunity to expand the reach and level of support volunteers provide to nonprofits. We are proud to partner with Business Volunteers Unlimited as part of our ongoing commitment to give back to the communities where our customers and team members live and work."

For more information about the Skilled Volunteer Placement Program and how to get involved, contact Nan Bambara at 410-366-1722. To learn more about Business Volunteers Unlimited Maryland, visit www.bvumaryland.org.

About Business Volunteers Unlimited Maryland (BVU)

BVU inspires volunteerism by connecting motivated people and businesses with the nonprofits and communities that need them most. Over the last 6 years BVU had trained and matched 375 business professionals with nonprofit boards and referred over 70,000 people to meaningful volunteer opportunities.

About Citi Foundation

The Citi Foundation is committed to enhancing economic opportunities for underserved individuals and families in the communities where we work throughout the world. Globally, the Citi Foundation is focusing its giving on Microfinance and Microentrepreneurship, which helps individuals become economically self-sufficient; Small and Growing Businesses, leading to economic expansion and job creation; Education, which prepares young people for personal and professional success; Financial Education, which helps individuals make informed financial decisions; and the Environment with a focus on sustainable enterprises that generate jobs and stimulate economic growth while preserving the environment. Additional information can be found at http://www.citigroupfoundation.com/.