Dollar Value of a Volunteer Hour

For those of you trying to put a dollar amount to your organization's volunteer labor, you may find this site useful:

http://www.independentsector.org/programs/research/volunteer_time.html

Independent Sector seems to be the primary source for these type of data. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is referenced in a note in one of the tables. I gave the BLS a call because I couldn't locate the source information on their website. I'm most comfortable using government statistics when writing a grant. However, the BLS doesn't publish these data and referred me to Independent Sector. So, it all sounds legitimate.

Not surprisingly, the hourly rate for volunteers here in South Dakota is low compared to the nationwide average. Wages are comparatively low here. But the 2007 value of $14.27/hour is still significant if you ask me.