Points of Light Unveils $100 Million Strategy to Double U.S. Volunteers by 2035

Points of Light, the nonprofit organization founded by former President George H.W. Bush to encourage civic service, is set to unveil an ambitious National Volunteer Strategy at its annual conference in Washington on June 22. The initiative represents the first phase of a $100 million plan aimed at doubling the number of U.S. volunteers from current levels to 150 million by 2035, addressing a critical gap between Americans' desire to volunteer and nonprofits' urgent need for workers.

The strategy emerges during a challenging period for volunteerism and the broader nonprofit sector. The Trump administration's 2025 decision to eliminate AmeriCorps, the federal agency responsible for national service and volunteerism, eliminated thousands of jobs and disrupted funding streams that nonprofits depended on. This action compounded an existing decline caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 28% of the population volunteered their time in 2023, the most recent year with available data, falling short of pre-pandemic levels despite some recovery beginning in 2023.

Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO of Points of Light, framed the strategy as essential infrastructure building. "We believe that volunteering changes everything," she said. "It changes the people who serve. It uplifts the community. And we know that collectively it can change our society." The strategy includes investments in infrastructure and building standards designed to serve both volunteers and nonprofits, addressing what research revealed: strong interest in volunteering but a lack of nonprofit infrastructure to connect interested individuals with organizations that need them.

Points of Light developed the strategy through an extensive "listening tour" spanning twelve months, which included two national surveys, 23 roundtables with leaders from corporate, cultural, faith, and governmental sectors, and input from a 40-member advisory council. Corporate partners are already demonstrating enthusiasm. UPS, for example, surpassed its goal of having company workers volunteer 30 million hours by 2030—achieving it in April 2026, four years ahead of schedule. UPS Foundation vice president Cathy Scott highlighted volunteerism's documented benefits: increased employee retention, professional network development, skill enhancement, reduced loneliness, and greater sense of purpose.

Sirangelo emphasized that the rebound in volunteer interest signals optimal timing for the initiative. "So many people in the industry have applauded the effort and said, 'I've been waiting for this for years'," she noted. The National Volunteer Strategy also positions itself within a broader societal mission, contributing to "building bridges, deepening empathy, and putting us on a path for having a more civil society where we can get along in a pluralistic environment."