Purpose

The following guidelines outline appropriate practices for recognizing SCORE volunteers. Recognition helps honor the dedication and impact of our volunteers while ensuring consistent and thoughtful acknowledgments across SCORE.

When to Recognize Volunteers

Volunteers should be recognized on occasions that celebrate their contributions and milestones, including:

• Length of Service: Recognition at key anniversaries (e.g., 1, 5, 10 years).
• Achievement of Milestones: Recognition for significant accomplishments, such as reaching a certain number of mentoring hours or successfully completing a major project.
• Special Contributions: Acknowledgment for exceptional service, stepping up during challenging times, or exceeding expectations in their volunteer role.
• Annual Celebrations: Opportunities such as Volunteer Appreciation Month (April) or end-of-year celebrations.

Guidelines for Gifts and Tokens of Appreciation

• All gifts and tokens of appreciation should be modest, meaningful, and sourced from the SCORE Store. SCORE does not reimburse alcohol or alcohol-related gifts.
• Suggested items may include branded merchandise, small awards/certificates, or office supplies that can be useful to the volunteer in their role or personal life. See the SCORE store for available items.
• There are spending limits to consider, so please keep selections modest and ensure they align with SCORE’s budgetary guidelines.

Limitations on Gifts and Approval Process

• Pre-Approval Requirement: Any exception to these guidelines must receive prior approval from Field Operations Leadership.
• Purchasing Restrictions: Only items available in the SCORE Store should be used for volunteer recognition. Alternative purchases outside the SCORE Store are not permitted unless approved by Field Operations Leadership.
• Alcohol: SCORE does not provide reimbursement for alcohol or any alcohol-related gifts.

Additional Resources

For more ideas and examples of appropriate volunteer recognition, please visit our Volunteer Recognition Hub https://help.score.org/hc/en-us/articles/1500000017301-Volunteer-Recognition-Ideas-and-Examples