Volunteer FAQs
What are your volunteer options?/Do you have any volunteer opportunities coming up?/How do I register for a volunteer event?
You can find opportunities to volunteer helping people and nature thrive in Indianapolis by browsing our Volunteer Project Calendar. KIB offers litter clean-up, tree planting, habitat restoration, greenspace creation and other fun projects to volunteers to get their hands dirty.
What is the monthly timeline for different project types? Looking to volunteer at a particular time of year? Here is a seasonal project timeline, etc.
Our projects work best in specific seasons. Please look at the list below to determine what projects we are currently running.
Spring: Litter Clean-Up, Clean Neighborhood Initiative, Project GreenSpace, Community Forestry Summer: Litter Clean-Up, Clean Neighborhood Initiative Project GreenSpace, Habitat Restoration
Fall: Litter Clean-Up, Clean Neighborhood Initiative, Project GreenSpace, Community Forestry, Habitat Restoration
When should I expect to see projects posted on the calendar?
Projects are posted 4-6-weeks out from the project date. Since our project season starts in early spring, expect the first projects of the new year to be posted in late February.
Can I bring a group to a project?
KIB loves it when family members, friends, and co-workers come together to help their local community. We allow groups of 3-15 to register for a project by checking the Volunteer Projects Calendar, all volunteers in your group must register individually. Any public project on the calendar that needs volunteers is open for registration. All minors under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. If you have a group larger than 15 participants, please consider a Custom Day of Service or a Great Indy Cleanup.
How can I register my corporation or business for a Custom Day of Service?
KIB partners companies of all sizes to create days of service that are meaningful and fun for your team. Contact Michael Sharp, Director of Development, for project availability and pricing.
How do I become an Ambassador or Tree tender?
To become a KIB Ambassador or Tree Tender, you must attend a training session at Keep Indianapolis Beautiful headquarters. Trainings are held each spring and fall to ensure. Ambassadors are expected to attend one classroom training each year. Tree Tenders are expected to attend one classroom training and one in-field training each year. If you’re interested in becoming an Ambassador or Tree Tender, please fill out an Ambassador Interest Form or Tree Tender Interest Form We’ll be in touch soon after with upcoming training opportunities. For more information on the Ambassador/Tree Tender programs please visit our website.
How much time do I need to volunteer to be an Ambassador or Tree Tender?
We appreciate the time given to our organization from dedicated community members, and we also understand that volunteers may not have the most time to give! We hope that specialized volunteers can support a few projects throughout the year, but we do offer incentives and benefits for those who come to more projects. You can read more about these incentives here.
*Link Website as seen above
Can I do my required community service with KIB? Or, can I track volunteer hours for school or work?
Yes. Simply sign up to volunteer with us on our online Volunteer Project Calendar. Your KIB Project Manager will sign your paperwork at the end of the project to confirm your participation, or you can email the organizer listed in the project details.
What should I wear for my volunteer shift?
Clothing needed for projects is dependent on the project type, project location, and weather forecast. The volunteer department is currently working on an Intensity Rating scale which will be used to help volunteers come to projects prepared. Most projects will request long pants and close-toed shoes.
Do I need to bring anything to the project?
KIB provides all tools and materials needed to complete a project including shovels, pickaxes, wheelbarrows, gloves, and more. We recommend volunteers bring their own water, but we do provide a water cooler, snacks, and first aid for your comfort and safety. Look at the description of the project you’ve registered for more information.
Question: Can you post our project to KIB social media or the project calendar? Where can I post my personal volunteer project to the KIB website?
Answer: We are unable to promote non-KIB affiliated cleanups and events to our social media or Volunteer Project Calendar. There are several Indianapolis Calendars where you can post your Volunteer Event for free:
Downtown Indy |
Around Indy
IndyHub Events
Indy Hub Volunteer Page
Eventbrite
Facebook Events
Serve Indiana
We ask that outside organizers make use of local community calendars to raise awareness about their cleanups. These calendars may reach a wider audience outside of the KIB volunteer base and allow organizers to be more hands-on in the promotion/sign up process.
If you represent an organization and are interested in additional volunteer recruitment sites, there are other Volunteer recruitment tools that may be a good fit for you. We use sites such as Volunteer Match, AARP Create the Good, and Points of Light to reach broader audiences.
Question: What if a project is full and I cannot register?
Answer: If a project is full, make sure to double check the project posting throughout the week! We often receive last-minute volunteer cancellations, so a spot may open for you. Please check the project posting to ensure this is not a KIB affiliated event. KIB affiliated events will be displayed as full, but you can register through the internal link provided.