The Volunteer's Survival Manual: The Only Practical Guide to Giving Your Time and Money isn't a book about how volunteers can solve society's problems and heal the world, nor a directory of organizations who are in need of volunteers. Whether you're searching for the right organization, or you're already heavily involved in a long-term volunteer position, The Volunteer's Survival Manual is an everyday handbook for volunteers. My practical approach means to be just that: a realistic guide to the nitty-gritty of contributing your time and money.

If you supervise volunteers or direct a corporate volunteer department, this book can be a vital resource in developing your program. If you teach a course in philanthropy or community service, this book can form the basis for a semester of discussion. For career and academic counselors, this book offers straightforward advice about student internships, volunteer credentials, and resume enhancement. The goal of The Volunteer's Survival Manual is to make you an informed, successful volunteer. After reading this book, you'll stop to think the next time you are asked to volunteer. And you'll have the resources to ask the right questions and make an informed decision. (p. 2)

CONTENTS
Introduction: What this book will do for you.
Questions and answers.
Why I wrote this book.

Part 1. Where do you fit? - 1,001 ways to volunteer.

  1. The right thing to do? - Look before you leap: 
           What's your current situation?
           Why do you want to volunteer? 
           What are your goals? 

  2. Choosing and joining - Competition between nonprofits:
           Chose from hundreds of models.
           They want you.
           The Sherlock Holmes approach

Part 2. Join today, new job tomorrow - The professional approach.

  3. Promises, promises - Volunteer opportunities: 
           Design your own job.
           What are your responsibilities?
           Put it in writing; R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
           Can you be sued?

  4. Your resume - Your volunteer experience at work:
           What counts?
           Board member.
           Chapter president or chair. 
           Docent/tour guide.
           Event manager.
           Librarian.
           Membership administrator.
           Newsletter editor.
           Office assistant.
           Program director.
           Publicist.
           Representative/community liaison.
           Sales clerk.
           Secretary (committee).
           Treasurer.
           Vice president.
           Volunteer coordinator.

Part 3. Savvy networking - People and Politics.

  5. Relationships - It's Who you know that counts:
           Whom will you meet?
           Getting to know you.
           Advice for the new kid in the club. 
           On the home front.
           Thanks.

  6. Powerful problems and petty politics:
           Negotiating solutions: What is the real problem?
           Taking it personally.
           Know what you're talking about.
           Break proposals into features.
           Look for objective answers.
           Take me to your leaders.

Part 4. What do you give, what do you get?

  7. Money - How much bang for your buck?:
           Before you contribute.
           Who gets how much?
           What does your money do?
           Taxes - What can you deduct?

  8. Volunteer value - How much are you really worth?:
           How much do you donate?
           Time is money.
           Loaning money to an organization.

  9. For members only - What's in it for you?:
           Are there tangible benefits?
           What money can't buy.
           A volunteer's education.
           V.I.V. (very important volunteer).

Part 5. A volunteer's dilemmas - Evaluations and ethics.

10. The volunteer track - Choosing the right path:
           Take a good look around.
           The volunteer track.
           Where do you go from here?
           Can you get paid for this?
           Saying goodbye.

11. Profitable philanthropy - Can a corporation care?:
           Is corporate charity a sham? 
           Is your organization selling out?
           Corporate involvement can be confusing.

12. The pitfalls of volunteering - 1,000 points of darkness:
           Is the project right for the organization?
           Loser activities.
           Is the project right for you?
           All members are not created equal.
           Can volunteering be involuntary?

Part 6. Resources:

A. Books and booklets [bibliography].
B. Organizations.
C. Magazines and periodicals.

Index.
Acknowledgments.

The Volunteer's Survival Manual: The Only Practical Guide to Giving Your Time and Money isn't a book about how volunteers can solve society's problems and heal the world, nor a directory of organizations who are in need of volunteers. Whether you're searching for the right organization, or you're already heavily involved in a long-term volunteer position, The Volunteer's Survival Manual is an everyday handbook for volunteers. My practical approach means to be just that: a realistic guide to the nitty-gritty of contributing your time and money.