Volunteer Iowa Launches New Reporting Application
Date: Friday, April 1, 2016
DES MOINES, Iowa--Iowa businesses, non-profits, and agencies can track and report employee volunteer hours online for the Give Back Iowa Challenge, an initiative to increase employer supported volunteering, through Volunteer Iowa’s new Web-based application. The application enables employees to track and report hours, employers to enter a non-itemized total, and reports totals to employers and challenge organizers. The services are available online at https://volunteerchallenge.iowa.gov.
The eight-week challenge will run from April 1 through May 31, 2016 and is an opportunity for employees who volunteer to receive recognition by tracking and reporting their hours, as well as for employees that may be first time volunteers to try something new that could help them develop additional skills or enthusiasm for their work.
In the past, tracking and reporting responsibilities were handled by the employer in a document submitted online through Google Docs. With the Web-based application, the process is streamlined - enabling tracking, reporting, and submission. In addition, the application has functionality that can be tied into social media accounts at a later date.
“We hope this online service will increase volunteer participation rates with its ease-of-use and accessibility,” said Adam Lounsbury, Executive Director, Volunteer Iowa. “This is another example of making government available to Iowans 24/7.”
The service was developed at no cost and is the result of a partnership between Iowa Interactive, LLC and the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO). The Give Back Iowa Challenge was initiated by Governor Branstad and Volunteer Iowa. The Challenge recognizes and awards small, medium, and large employers with the highest number of volunteer hours per employee.
About Volunteer Iowa (Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service)
Volunteer Iowa and its partner agencies work with organizations and individuals on three main fronts. The first is to help agencies develop quality programs that use service as a strategy to fulfill their missions and address Iowa’s greatest areas of need. The second is to help engage Iowans in their communities by promoting service and expanding the volunteer base. Finally, the third area of work is to connect individuals with appropriate service opportunities by building the volunteer infrastructure. More information is available at www.volunteeriowa.org.
About Iowa Interactive
Iowa Interactive, LLC is responsible for the oversight and development of the official website for the State of Iowa, Iowa.gov. The portal operates through a public-private partnership between the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) and Iowa Interactive, LLC, to help Iowa government entities Web-enable their information services. Iowa Interactive builds, operates, maintains, and markets Iowa.gov and is part of eGovernment firm NIC’s (NASDAQ: EGOV) family of companies.
About NIC
Founded in 1992, NIC (NASDAQ: EGOV) is the nation's leading provider of official government websites, online services, and secure payment processing solutions. The company's innovative eGovernment services help make government more accessible to everyone through technology. The family of NIC companies provides eGovernment solutions for more than 4,500 federal, state, and local agencies in the United States. Forbes has named NIC as one of the “100 Best Small Companies in America” six times, and has been included four times on the Barron’s 400 Index. Additional information is available at www.egov.com.
DES MOINES, Iowa--Iowa businesses, non-profits, and agencies can track and report employee volunteer hours online for the Give Back Iowa Challenge, an initiative to increase employer supported volunteering, through Volunteer Iowa’s new Web-based application. The application enables employees to track and report hours, employers to enter a non-itemized total, and reports totals to employers and challenge organizers. The services are available online at https://volunteerchallenge.iowa.gov.
The eight-week challenge will run from April 1 through May 31, 2016 and is an opportunity for employees who volunteer to receive recognition by tracking and reporting their hours, as well as for employees that may be first time volunteers to try something new that could help them develop additional skills or enthusiasm for their work.
In the past, tracking and reporting responsibilities were handled by the employer in a document submitted online through Google Docs. With the Web-based application, the process is streamlined - enabling tracking, reporting, and submission. In addition, the application has functionality that can be tied into social media accounts at a later date.
“We hope this online service will increase volunteer participation rates with its ease-of-use and accessibility,” said Adam Lounsbury, Executive Director, Volunteer Iowa. “This is another example of making government available to Iowans 24/7.”
The service was developed at no cost and is the result of a partnership between Iowa Interactive, LLC and the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO). The Give Back Iowa Challenge was initiated by Governor Branstad and Volunteer Iowa. The Challenge recognizes and awards small, medium, and large employers with the highest number of volunteer hours per employee.
About Volunteer Iowa (Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service)
Volunteer Iowa and its partner agencies work with organizations and individuals on three main fronts. The first is to help agencies develop quality programs that use service as a strategy to fulfill their missions and address Iowa’s greatest areas of need. The second is to help engage Iowans in their communities by promoting service and expanding the volunteer base. Finally, the third area of work is to connect individuals with appropriate service opportunities by building the volunteer infrastructure. More information is available at www.volunteeriowa.org.
About Iowa Interactive
Iowa Interactive, LLC is responsible for the oversight and development of the official website for the State of Iowa, Iowa.gov. The portal operates through a public-private partnership between the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) and Iowa Interactive, LLC, to help Iowa government entities Web-enable their information services. Iowa Interactive builds, operates, maintains, and markets Iowa.gov and is part of eGovernment firm NIC’s (NASDAQ: EGOV) family of companies.
About NIC
Founded in 1992, NIC (NASDAQ: EGOV) is the nation's leading provider of official government websites, online services, and secure payment processing solutions. The company's innovative eGovernment services help make government more accessible to everyone through technology. The family of NIC companies provides eGovernment solutions for more than 4,500 federal, state, and local agencies in the United States. Forbes has named NIC as one of the “100 Best Small Companies in America” six times, and has been included four times on the Barron’s 400 Index. Additional information is available at www.egov.com.