Volunteer with LWV Alameda

​As with donations, volunteer activities are fundamental to the success of the League. While volunteering requires time and effort, it also pays enormous dividends to the volunteer. Working shoulder to shoulder with other League members, volunteers pick up new skills and make new friends.

​Are you new to the Alameda community? The League of Women Voters of Alameda is a great place to get acquainted with the broader community in a civil atmosphere that welcomes diversity and respects differences of opinion. 

Be A Volunteer: Help Your Alameda Community 

As a trusted nonprofit, we provide voter services, promote good government, conduct youth civics programs, and host forums on election and community issues for all Alameda citizens. Do you want to help empower voters and defend democracy in Alameda with the LWV of Alameda? Join us and volunteer! ​

What Do LWV Volunteers Do?

To help you understand more specifically what we do, here are descriptions of our committees and the tasks they perform. You can join us and volunteer to help on one committee or more. To volunteer, complete the LWV of Alameda Volunteer Form, which is located on this page right below the information on our Youth Outreach committee. 

Want more information about volunteering with us? Email us at [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!
Action

Action Committee - League of Women Voters of Alameda

What We Do

   1. Inform Voters:
  • Analyze and write Pros and Cons for local Ballot Measures.
  • Make recommendations to our Board of Directors on whether the LWV of Alameda should take a position on local Ballot Measures and write statements to support our League's recommendations.

   2. Follow issues of interest to the LWV of Alameda that are before local governing bodies, and when appropriate, advocate for LWV issues. 
  • Monitor Alameda City Council, Alameda Boards and Commissions, and AUSD School Board meetings.

   3. Advocate for National League, State League of California, Bay Area League, and LWV of Alameda priorities that include:​
  • Money in Politics (Campaign Finance Reform)
  • Making Democracy Work (District Elections, Ranked-Choice Voting)
  • Monitor the work of the Alameda City Open Government Commission.

Volunteer Opportunities
  • Join us to help guide issues before the LWV of Alameda Action Committee.
  • Serve on a working group: Campaign Finance Reform, District Elections, or Ranked-Choice Voting.
  • Monitor meetings of local elected bodies (most meetings are televised or live-streamed) to inform our committee of issues to follow.

Please contact [email protected] for more information.
BUDGET

Budget Committee - League of Women Voters of Alameda

What We Do
The Budget Committee prepares an annual budget for the upcoming fiscal year (July 1-June 30) that is submitted to the board and then to the membership at the Annual Meeting for approval.
 
Time Specific Duties:
  • January: Reviews updated 6-month budget report for current fiscal year. Works with the Budget Chair to formally request proposed department budgets for the upcoming fiscal year.

  • February-March: Attends Budget Committee meetings to review and discuss expense and revenue projections and works with the Budget Chair to prepare draft budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

  • Mid-March – April: Assists the Budget Chair in presenting the Annual Budget to the Board for adoption in March or no later than April.

Volunteer Opportunities
Budget committee members support the League in managing its funds in support of our mission and maintaining reserves for future operations. Time commitment is primarily January through April, and should not exceed 4 hours per month. Members may occasionally be asked to attend Board Meetings or provide input if new projects are being considered.

Please contact [email protected] for more information.
Communications

Communications Committee - League of Women Voters of Alameda

What We Do
  • Communicate the work of the League to our members and the community.  
  • Promote League of Women Voter of Alameda events.
  • Inform local voters about laws and policies.
  • Engage our community members in meaningful, respectful dialogue about matters that affect them.
  • Generate and manage publicity through our website, emails to members and friends, newspaper releases/ads, and social media.   

​How You Can Help
Join the Communications Committee or be a One Shot Wonder! Volunteer opportunities are listed below in order from the least amount of an estimated time commitment to the most.  

One Shot Wonder Jobs – Your choice of event(s) to help with. Note that these volunteer opportunities are paused, and will resume once we can safely gather at in-person events again.
  • Event Photographer - Snap 5-10 digital photos at a League event.
    • Time Commitment: less than 2 hours per event.

  • Town Crier - Post and distribute flyers for League events.​
    • Time Commitment: less than 1 hour per event.  

​Communication Committee Jobs - Training provided for all opportunities listed.
  • Publicity Manager -  Place ads, letters to the editor, and calendar notices in local newspapers.
    • ​Immediate opening.
    • Time commitment: 30 minutes about 10 times a year.

  • Social Media Administrator - Post League events, League-related articles, and share advocacy alerts or news from the League on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.​
    • Immediate opening.
    • Time commitment: 1-2 hours a month for one year.

  • Graphic Artist - Create digital flyers and ads for League events.
    • Position currently filled.
    • Time commitment: 1-3 hours about 10 times a year.

  • Website Manager – Post and update content to the LWV of Alameda website.
    • Immediate opening. 
    • Time commitment: 4 hours a month for one year.

  • Voter Editor – Edit newsletter article submissions to ensure proper grammar and punctuation are used, all web links work, the article logically flows from point to point, and all names included are spelled correctly. Submit finished articles, along with a two-three sentence summary of an article, to the eBlast Manager. Create a printable calendar of events every month and send it to the Website Manager. Time commitment: 4 hours every month for one year.
    • Immediate opening for backup Voter Editor.
    • Time commitment: 4 hours every month for one year.

  • Email Manager – Create and send email updates (aka eBlasts) to LWV of Alameda friends and members.
    • ​Position currently filled with full-time & backup Email Manager.
    • Time commitment: 16 hours a month for one year.​

​Please contact [email protected] for more information. 
Fund Development

Fund Development Committee - League of Women Voters of Alameda

Volunteer Opportunities

​Please contact [email protected] for more information.
membership

Membership Committee - League of Women Voters of Alameda

Goals & Activities
If you enjoy meeting new people in the community and enjoy social gatherings, this is the committee for you. You would recruit new members, retain current members, and ensure that our valued members help support our mission of voter education and advocacy. Our membership will move toward reflecting our community in diversity and culture in age and gender.

Volunteer Opportunities
  • Join the committee (year-round) Meet for 1 hour once a month for meetings.

  • Or join our Single Events Team: (no need to join monthly meetings) Distribute membership brochures and place sign up sheets at League of Women Voters of Alameda forums, community events, venues in Alameda; talk to potential members about the League (ongoing). Set up & pick-up banners, name tags at League events.

  • Give brief presentations about our League to local civic organizations, youth groups.

  • Meet with new members over coffee in informal League orientation sessions (once a month or as needed.)

  • “Adopt” one or two new members, introduce them to current members, keep members informed -- The Buddy System.

  • Manage and or assist with the Dec-Jan renewal drive with letters, e-mail, phone calls to members.

  • Open your home for informal get-togethers and conversations about League actions at the national, state and local levels, especially for new members (once or twice a year, as you wish.)

  • Plan events that could attract new members to reflect the diversity of Alameda. ​

When We Meet
Find us, the League of Women Voters of Alameda Membership Team at Alameda’s Nob Hill Grocery, near the Peet’s Coffee shop (which is located inside) at 10am, the second Wednesday of each month. (In COVID-19 times, we meet once a month via zoom usually the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 9am.)
 
Please contact [email protected] for more information.
Programs

Programs Committee - League of Women Voters of Alameda

Goals and Activities
The main objective of Programs is to further the education of members and non-members on issues supporting our national and state positions while also addressing local items of interest. Committee members assist with event topics, event planning, promotion, and attendee engagement. Programs range from film showings of topical issues to well-known political speaker panels. These events are held at various venues to increase attendance and League exposure at different demographic and geographic pockets within the community.
 
Throughout the year, the Programs Committee will:
  • Develop event planning structure, support other LWV of Alameda committees with their events, and reduce duplication of efforts and resources.

  • Foster relationships with venues, speakers, and co-sponsorship organizations.

  • Establish regular committee meetings and activities. Through its diverse activities in presenting educational events and forums, the Programs Committee provides and excellent opportunity for members to serve, learn, and meet new people.

Six different programs will be held six times a year. For some events, Programs may pursue co-sponsorship/co-partnership with groups aligned with our League positions on a topic of mutual interest. This has a dual benefit for us. One, it provides us greater exposure to other organizations and to new groups of local residents. Second, it helps to lower our overall cost in terms of labor and funding for these joint events versus hosting an event by ourselves.

Volunteer Opportunities
  • Propose topics, speakers, venues for community forums and other activities.
  • Identify target audiences for forums and prepare publicity materials.
  • Organize print materials and volunteers needed for community events.
  • Volunteer to help set up for events, welcome attendees, distribute literature.
  • Prepare topical handouts for events.
  • Many other opportunities.

Please contact [email protected] for more information.
Voter Service

Voter Service Committee - League of Women Voters of Alameda

Goals and Activities
Help educate citizens so they can learn more about the electoral process, make informed choices, and get involved in government. This is the heart and soul of the League, and this critical committee needs many helping hands!

Volunteer Opportunities
  • Voter Forums. During election seasons, we hold community forums to provide voters with question and answer sessions with local candidates, and explain the pros and cons of state, regional, and city ballot measures.

  • Affidavits and Voter Materials. We distribute affidavits regularly, and Easy Voter Guides during election seasons, to public sites in Alameda.

  • Voter Registration. We staff tables to register voters at all LWV of Alameda events, and staff a table or information booth to register voters at local community events.
    ​
  • Voter's Edge. This is a League of Women Voters of California and Map Light partnered website that offers comprehensive candidate and ballot information to California voters. During election seasons, we update this website with information on local candidates and ballot initiatives. 

Please contact [email protected] for more information.
Youth outreach

Youth Outreach Committee - League of Women Voters of Alameda

Established in 2015, the League of Women Voters of Alameda Youth Outreach Committee recruits young members to become informed, engaged, and valued participants in our historic mission of voter education, advocacy, and making democracy work.

Goals and Activities
The goal of this committee is to increase communication of the values of the LWVA through services for our youth, which includes, among other activities, creating a formal intern program to hire youth volunteers as interns. The current avenues for communications services include: 
 
  • ​The creation, development, and promotion of VERIFYIT! ™ online civics quiz game.
  • The Student Internship Program.
  • The Spring LWV of Alameda/College of Alameda's High School Public Speaking/Debate Scholarship Program.

​VERIFYIT!
The “Democracy Matters: Take the Civics Challenge” project of 2020 created VERIFYIT! ™ to specifically tackle the challenges youth face navigating misinformation online, coupled with the lack of understanding of voting rules and the basics of citizenship that form our American rule of law. VERIFYIT! ™ is a free, educational, non-partisan, online quiz game designed to be played on mobile phones, computers, and other devices in or outside of the classroom.
 
LWVA Student Internship Program
This new program is ongoing as we work with the existing LWV and CASA models of Student Internships to develop a LWV of Alameda Student Internship Program that will be available for all LWV of Alameda Committees.
 
Spring Semester LWV of Alameda/College of Alameda (CoA)
High School Public Speaking/Debate Scholarship Program
The LWV of Alameda/CoA Debate Scholarship program, from 2015-2019, engaged the Alameda High Schools to promote creative thinking, enhance knowledge of civics, and encourage students to become active participants in the democratic process. This collaboration between the LWV of Alameda and College of Alameda’s Communications Department is a testament to the value of the idea overcoming impediments that only the COVID Pandemic could stall.

The three students who signed up for the 2020 hybrid online/public Debate Scholarship program were caught in the closure of all College of Alameda’s classes, including the online Communication classes, that required a public forum. This program is ON HOLD through 2021, and should be re-examined for the future. 
  
Volunteer Opportunities

General
  • Work with the Fund Development Committee to write and submit grant-funding requests as needed for this committee's programs.
  • Coordinate with the LWV of Alameda Voter Service Committee to support our High School Voter Registration Program. 

VERIFYIT! 
  • ​Work with Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) administrators and teachers to help develop online civics game criteria in the areas of media literacy, current events, history, civics, and critical thinking.

  • Work with school, community and institutional partners to promote online civics game. These partners can be local, regional and national.

  • Work with Career Tech Marketing teacher and administrator to use our game as a project to design marketing strategies for, and then use this example as part of their curricula.

  • Work with a software development team of UX, graphics, front end and back end developers, database management services to constantly update and refine the structure of the VERIFYIT! game.

  • Develop game questions for content areas that reflect LWVA priorities, such as: fake news articles, constitutional law, state voting regulations, electoral college, climate change, race equity laws and events, as well as other areas.
 
LWV of Alameda Student Internship Program 
  • Mentor and evaluate student interns working with VERIFYIT! and other programs and activities.

Spring Semester Public Speaking/Debate Scholarship Program
  • Work with Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) administrators and teachers to gain an understanding of requirements for preparing students to debate.

  • Construct a debate format and rules of engagement, in conjunction with our partner, the College of Alameda, Department of Communications and Distance Learning, to be submitted to the LWVA Board for approval. Note that the LWV of Alameda provides the Scholarship funds for the students who apply, are accepted, and take the College of Alameda’s Debate/Public Speaking Course, which is an accredited college level, 1 credit course. In 2019, the students also received a small stipend, and a medallion and statue as awards.

  • Select a League Position or Issue to be debated using the League’s pros and cons tool.​

Please contact [email protected] for more information.​

Volunteer - LWV of Alameda Board of Directors

Nominations will soon open for the 2022-2023 year!

If you are interested in joining the Board, please review the job descriptions below and let us know. 

The next full set of elections will be held at the Annual Meeting in June of 2022. All terms will last one year and begin on 1 July 2022. LWV of Alameda members may apply or nominate other members (with their permission) to “make a difference." 

​To learn more, contact our Nominating Committee.