Master Gardener Volunteers
The Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer (MGV) program provides intensive training in horticulture to interested Ohio residents who then volunteer their time assisting with educational programs and activities for Ohio residents through their local OSU Extension county office. Volunteers are not required to have gardening skills or knowledge; a passion for learning about gardening and sharing this knowledge with others is a must!
Working with county Extension personnel, Master Gardener Volunteers provide educational services to their communities such as: answering gardening questions from the public; conducting plant clinics; gardening activities with children, senior citizens, or disabled persons; beautifying the community; developing community or demonstration gardens; and other horticultural activities.
For more information on the Ohio State University Master Gardener Volunteer program, contact Pam Bennett and Jennifer Andon. Ask about access to the County Coordinators tab on the Master Gardener Volunteer homepage to learn more about the program from a volunteer coordinator perspective.
Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalists
The OCVN program is a research-based education program of The Ohio State University offered in partnership with several host locations, such as, park districts and OSU Extension offices. The OCVN program emphasizes hands-on natural resource and environmental education coupled with volunteer service. Participants in the OCVN program receive 40 hours of combined classroom and field instruction. Upon completing the OCVN course, participants provide 40 hours of volunteer service at any Ohio organization with a compatible program mission. OCVN courses are offered at several host sites.
Visit https://ocvn.osu.edu to learn more about the Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalists program and contact Anne Baird with questions.
Other Volunteers
For anyone looking to volunteer with Extension outside of 4-H, MGV and OCVN programs, you can create events at the Office of Volunteer Relations’ VolunteerMatch website.
Volunteer Insurance
Volunteers performing duties according to their volunteer job descriptions are covered under an annual volunteer insurance liability policy. This is personal, secondary liability insurance of up to $1,000,000 per occurrence. This does not cover transportation liability, and volunteers are encouraged to seek insurance advice from their insurance agent when transporting individuals. This does not cover accident insurance or medical or health coverage and does not cover negligence or errors on the part of the volunteer. This coverage is renewed annually by Extension Administration.
- Certificate of Insurance – Volunteer Liability
- Volunteer Insurance Policy
- Volunteer Financial Risk Management Handout
CIMA Corporation – the company from which we purchase volunteer liability insurance also offers optional automobile and bonding insurance for offices that deem those additional insurances necessary.