Points of Light Foundation

Points of Light mobilizes millions of people to take action that is changing the world. Through affiliates in 250 cities across 37 countries and partnerships with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages more than 5 million volunteers in 20 million hours of service each year. We work to connect individuals with opportunities to make a difference that are personal and meaningful. Together with our global network, we partner with corporations to encourage the deeper civic engagement that our society needs. We offer expertise to build workforce volunteer programs that engage employees and help businesses bring their values to life. And we unite nonprofits with the talent and resources they need to thrive. We are committed to empowering, connecting, and engaging individuals and organizations to be a force for social good.

For those who want to use their hearts, hands, and minds to have a larger impact - in the community or in the world - knowing how and where to get involved can sometimes be difficult. We work to connect individuals, and their talents, resources and time, with organizations in need and with others who share their interests and passions. We help you find the right outlet for your energy. For corporations, providing employees with meaningful experiences to make a difference and aligning these programs with company mission and CSR goals can be challenging. Together with our global network of affiliates, we partner with corporations to design customized initiatives that engage employees, align with CSR goals, and reflect the changing needs of society today. As society expects more from business, we help partners engage their customers - through actions and voices - in the challenges facing our communities and our world. For nonprofits, finding and retaining volunteers with the right skill sets is not always easy. We support nonprofits to help you connect with the talent and resources you need, and we provide training to work more effectively with the volunteers you recruit.

At Points of Light, all volunteer mobilizing and capacity building programs are evaluated regularly so our organization understands the number of volunteers mobilized, the hours of volunteering completed, the number of people directly impacted by the volunteer service, and the impact of that volunteer service across defined issue areas (Animal Support & Welfare; Civic & Community Development; Economic Opportunity, Homelessness & Poverty; Education & Schools; Disaster Preparedness, Response & Recovery Services; Environmental Services; Health, Hunger & Well-Being; Military & Veterans Services; Equality & Services to Special Groups: Family Services, Immigrant & Refugee Services, LGBTQIA+, Senior Services). In addition, we measure the effectiveness of nonprofits to mobilize volunteers and the impact overall human capital has on their service delivery.

In 1990, President George H.W. Bush founded Points of Light to make volunteer service a central part of our culture. Over the last 20-plus years, President Bush's foundation for a volunteer movement has been built on by every succeeding President … and by thousands of organizations and businesses and millions of people. More people are volunteering than ever before and they are serving in ways President Bush couldn’t have imagined when he founded Points of Light nearly 30 years ago. Employee volunteering has become ingrained in the culture of businesses, large and small. Service in high schools and on college campuses has become the norm and is on the rise. Points of Light continues to grow that number significantly and to broaden and deepen the ways individuals can create real and lasting change. In the process, we are defining a new kind of volunteerism for the 21st century, one that calls on people to utilize their full range of assets – time and talents, financial resources and their voice as citizens.