Coordinators must maintain a fair amount of paperwork for volunteers. The most important document is the volunteer agreement. Other documentation that needs to be kept with the agreement includes (FSM 1834.3):

• Application
• Reference checks or background check
• Driving record check and copy of government license
• Transfer of property form
• Housing agreement
• Training record
• Volunteer leader designation letter
• A record of hours served and accomplishments (timesheets)
• Amount and purpose of monetary expenditures for incidental expenses; payments
• Medical records
• Related correspondence, if any
• Awards received

Volunteer Agreements

Several methods can be used to keep track of volunteer agreements. Some coordinators assign an identification number to each agreement and keep them all in one file system. Then, for easy reference, they create a separate hard copy document or computer file where they note the number of the agreement, the person or group volunteering, program area, valid dates, and the volunteer's position or project. Other coordinators file all their agreements in one area, by the name of the volunteer or group or by the program area under which the service is being done (such as recreation, 2300).

Some coordinators have each of their volunteer supervisors keep the agreements they are responsible for while the coordinators track all the agreements on their units in a spreadsheet. For an example of such a spreadsheet, see appendix C. No matter which filing system you use, be sure that other employees on your unit can find the volunteer agreements when you’re not around.

Do not put a volunteer's Social Security number or demographic data on the agreement. Demographic data (age, sex, ethnicity, or race) can be compiled in a spreadsheet if it is kept confidential.

Remember to keep the volunteer agreements current and have them signed by the appropriate line officer. Do not let them become outdated. Terminate agreements once the service is completed. Retain volunteer files for 3 years after they are closed.

Volunteer Time and Accomplishments

The official timesheet for volunteers is Form FS-1800-25 (appendix D). You can also have your volunteers track their own time through the "Volunteer Time Tracking Portal" at http://www.volunteer.gov/gov (see the Web site for more information on how to use this system). There is no official accomplishment form for volunteers, but an accomplishment report is easy to create (see appendix C for an example). An accomplishment report needs to include the following information:

• Date
• Project or position
• Number of individuals
• Total hours served
• Miles driven in private vehicles
• Age and gender data
• Racial/ethnic data
• Cost data (Forest Service use only)

It is up to you to decide how often your volunteers should submit their time and accomplishments. Some coordinators prefer that volunteers submit this information after each project, while others want time submitted monthly or quarterly. Either the volunteers or their supervisors can submit the volunteers' time and accomplishments, but it is critical that the volunteers or supervisors provide you with the proper information. You will need it later for your annual accomplishments report.

To make it easier to compile the annual accomplishments report, experienced coordinators recommend tracking volunteer accomplishments throughout the year in a spreadsheet that includes the volunteers' names, demographic data (age, sex, ethnicity, or race), hours served, value of the service, and type of service (research, field work, administrative support, facilities).

Annual Accomplishments Report

Volunteer accomplishments (figure 57) are officially reported using the Volunteers Annual Report FS-1800-24 (appendix D) and the Volunteers and Partnerships database.

Figure 57—(top) The Tick Island slough bridge had to be replaced after it was
warped by hurricane-driven floods...and the KICCO F-Troop came to the
rescue. Courtesy of the Florida Trail Association. (top middle) Hiawatha
National Forest volunteers prepared tray cells and planted them with
native seeds for restoration projects. Courtesy of Gary Morgan, Forest
Service, Eastern Region. (bottom middle) Students from Discovery High
School in Yreka, CA, helped clean up the Shasta River during National River
Cleanup Week on the Klamath National Forest. Courtesy of Dave Payne
(submitted by Togan Capozza). (bottom) The Backcountry Horsemen
packed more than 50,000 fingerling trout into 19 lakes. Courtesy of
Larry Shuman, Shasta Trinity Unit.
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