EDITOR’S NOTE: The Kansas Volunteer Commission shouldn’t be shortened to KVC. It should be written out as Kansas Volunteer Commission.
 

TOPEKA – OZ Museum/Columbian Theatre Foundation, Inc. recently became the tenth nonprofit organization in the state to become accredited as a Service Enterprise - joining the top performing 11% of nonprofits nationwide in volunteer engagement and organizational performance.

The Service Enterprise program, administered by AL!VE (Association of Leaders in Volunteer Engagement), strengthens nonprofit capacity through the fundamental and strategic use of volunteers and their skills to address community needs, according to volunteeralive.org. A Service Enterprise is an organization that strategically leverages volunteers to achieve operational efficiency and greater social impacts.

The Kansas Volunteer Commission notified OZ Museum / Columbian Theatre Foundation, Inc. about the accreditation in June 2024. Accreditation remains in effect for three years. Organizations are required to apply for reaccreditation after three years. The prestigious award was approved by AL!VE, one of the nation’s largest organizations dedicated to volunteer service.

The accreditation recognizes OZ Museum / Columbian Theatre Foundation, Inc. as a leading organization in volunteer engagement. To earn the accreditation, the nonprofit completed an extensive organizational assessment; 20 hours of training; 24 hours of coaching; intensive planning; and the implementation of change management practices.

Meeting the accreditation criteria means that OZ Museum / Columbian Theatre Foundation, Inc. is fully equipped to utilize the time and talent of volunteers to expand and enhance its services.

The Service Enterprise program concept was formed in 2010. In fall 2013, Points of Light scaled the project to 17 Service Enterprise Hubs in 11 states and certified 60 organizations. Points of Light between 2014 and 2021 scaled the project to 31 states and certified more than 640 organizations. In October 2022, AL!VE began administering the program.

Service Enterprise training and accreditation is delivered through a network of Service Enterprise Hubs, which are qualified organizations designated as trainers in the program standards.

In July 2019, the Kansas Volunteer Commission became the first organization in Kansas to receive Service Enterprise accreditation and was reaccredited in 2024. Now, the Commission serves as a Service Enterprise Hub for the Midwest.

Research conducted by the TCC Group, a national program and evaluation firm, found that organizations operating as Service Enterprises outperform peer organizations on all aspects of organizational effectiveness and are more adaptable, sustainable and capable of scaling their work.

Research also shows that Service Enterprises are as effective as their peers while operating at almost half the annual budget. For every $1 Service Enterprises invest in volunteer engagement, they get $3-$6 in return through more effective program delivery.

The other nine Kansas organizations to receive Service Enterprise accreditation to date are:

• Kansas Volunteer Commission, Topeka. The organization was accredited in July 2019 and reaccredited in January 2024.
• Topeka Habitat for Humanity Inc., Topeka. The organization was accredited in September 2021.
• Barton Community College Volunteers in Action of Central Kansas/RSVP, Great Bend. The organization was accredited in October 2021.
• United Way of Kaw Valley, Topeka. The organization was accredited in October 2021.
• Elizabeth B. Ballard Community Services, Lawrence. The organization was accredited in April 2022.
• Douglas County CASA Inc., Lawrence. The organization was accredited in January 2023.
• Johnson County Library, Overland Park. The organization was accredited in February 2023.
• Peace Connections, Inc. The organization was accredited in March 2023.
• Butler County Department on Aging RSVP and Foster Grandparents. The organization was accredited in February 2024.

For more information, contact Jessica Dorsey, Kansas Volunteer Commission, at (785) 296-3163 or jdorsey@ksde.org. For more information regarding Service Enterprise, please contact volunteer@ksde.org or visit kanserve.org.

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The Kansas Volunteer Commission is a program of the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE). The vision of the Kansas Volunteer Commission is to empower all Kansans to meet community needs through service. The Commission's primary role is to provide resources and leadership to support local initiatives that tackle community needs. As the state service commission, the Kansas Volunteer Commission promotes AmeriCorps national service, volunteer engagement, youth mentoring and civic engagement. For more information, visit www.kanserve.org.