Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley

What Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley does

The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley (VCCV) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1995 and headquartered at 360 Westfield Avenue, Suite 300, Waterloo, Iowa, that operates as the central volunteer coordination infrastructure for Black Hawk County. Its core function is matching community volunteers — including youth, teens, college students, young adults, and business professionals — with 200+ member nonprofit agencies such as Habitat for Humanity, House of Hope, Thrive Together, People's Community Health Clinic, and Willow Winds Assisted Living. Technology backbone is provided by the third-party Galaxy Digital platform (vccv.galaxydigital.com), through which volunteers browse and RSVP for opportunities; the organization itself does not develop proprietary technology products. The VCCV also operates Service-Learning curriculum programs in partnership with Waterloo Community School District and Cedar Falls Schools, runs volunteer recognition programs (Mayors' Volunteer Awards, Eight over 80), and hosts recurring community events including MLK Day of Service, Volunteers On Tap, and the annual Appetite for Service fundraising gala.

Revenue mechanics are typical of a community nonprofit: agency membership is free, no fees are charged to volunteers, and operating income is generated through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, employer partnership programs, and the annual Appetite for Service gala (table sponsorships, table champions, live and silent auctions). The VCCV bills itself as a "community-led" GTM motion, with a secondary "event-driven" motion anchored by the gala. Strategic partnerships include the Cities of Cedar Falls, Evansdale, and Waterloo; Black Hawk County member agencies; Waterloo and Cedar Falls school districts; regional college and university partners; employer partners coordinated through Lauren Finke; and event partners such as Dormie Network and Scheels/Dupaco Community Credit Union. The organization is privately held as a nonprofit entity, is not publicly traded, has no parent company, has no subsidiaries, and reports no fundraising rounds, no M&A activity, and no regulatory actions.

Name

Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley

Legal name

Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley

Website

https://vccv.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley is a 501(c)-style nonprofit founded in 1995 in Waterloo, Iowa that connects individual volunteers with 200+ Black Hawk County nonprofit agencies via the Galaxy Digital matching platform and supports service-learning programs in local school districts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Volunteer Coordination Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits (BPAGADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Volunteerism, Service-Learning & Community Service (EDALAHAG), Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Volunteer coordination services
• Community engagement programs
• Nonprofit volunteer matching
• Service learning resources
• Volunteer recognition programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterloo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley (VCCV) is a nonprofit organization that connects individual volunteers with 200+ community nonprofit agencies across Black Hawk County, Iowa through a free online matching platform (Galaxy Digital). It also delivers service-learning curricula and resources for schools, runs volunteer recognition programs (Mayors' Volunteer Awards, Eight over 80), and supports member agencies with training and volunteer management tools.

Product overview

The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley operates as a volunteer coordination and community engagement organization, not a technology product company. Its offerings include a volunteer matching platform (powered by Galaxy Digital), Service-Learning educational resources for classrooms, volunteer recognition programs (Mayors' Awards, Eight over 80), an annual fundraising event (Appetite for Service), member agency support for nonprofits, employer partnership programs, and publications like The Connection Point case study series. These services work together to connect community volunteers with local nonprofits across Black Hawk County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Volunteer Opportunity Matching Online platform that connects individual volunteers with 200+ local nonprofit organizations in Black Hawk County, enabling users to browse opportunities and RSVP for community service.
• Service-Learning Program Program providing resources, project guides, reflection activities, and speaker connections that allow classrooms to integrate meaningful community service with academic instruction. Targeted at K-12 schools in Waterloo and Cedar Falls.
• Volunteer Recognition Programs Recognition and awards initiatives that honor community volunteers, including Mayors' Volunteer Awards, Mayors' Top Teen Volunteer Awards, and the Eight over 80 program honoring senior volunteers.
• Appetite for Service Annual Fundraising Gala Annual fundraising gala featuring silent and live auctions, celebrity servers, and a four-course meal that supports the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley's mission and operations.
• Member Agency Support Program Free partnership program for nonprofits that provides volunteer placement assistance, Service Enterprise Certification, training resources, and access to a pool of community volunteers.
• The Connection Point Publication Case study publication demonstrating strategic volunteer engagement practices with local nonprofits in Black Hawk County.
• Employer Partnership Program Program connecting Cedar Valley employers with volunteer opportunities for their employees to engage in community service; coordinated via the partnerships contact.

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• City of Cedar FallscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity government partner that co-celebrates community volunteers and participates in events like the May 12 celebration of volunteers of all ages.
• City of EvansdalecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity government partner collaborating on community volunteer recognition programs.
• City of WaterloocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity government partner that co-celebrates community volunteers and participates in recognition programs.
• Black Hawk County Member AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of 200+ nonprofit organizations in Black Hawk County that partner with VCCV to receive volunteer support. Includes Habitat for Humanity, House of Hope, People's Community Health Clinic, and others.
• Waterloo SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Waterloo Community School District to implement service-learning projects in schools including George Washington Carver Academy, Lou Henry Elementary, Peet Junior High, and Kittrell Elementary.
• Cedar Falls SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Cedar Falls schools to provide service-learning resources and program implementation.
• College/University PartnerssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerColleges and universities in the Cedar Valley area where students volunteer and participate in service-learning programs.
• Employer PartnerssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of employers in Cedar Valley who provide employee volunteer opportunities. Contact Lauren Finke for partnership information.
• Dormie NetworksupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvider of live auction event for the Appetite for Service fundraiser. Their golf courses are featured in the live auction experience.
• Scheels/Dupaco Community Credit UnionsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner2025 Silver Tray of Service award winner, demonstrating employee engagement in volunteerism.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Points of Light: Global volunteer-service organization that mobilizes volunteers and supports a network of local volunteer centers. Directly comparable mission and partner-network model, though at vastly larger scale.
• Idealist: Action and nonprofit-matching platform connecting volunteers with opportunities at nonprofits and social enterprises. Comparable volunteer-matching functionality with national reach and broader social-impact listings.
• VolunteerMatch: National nonprofit operating the largest digital volunteer-matching platform in the U.S. Directly comparable to VCCV's core function of connecting volunteers with nonprofit opportunities, but at national rather than single-county scale.
• Catchafire: Skill-based volunteering platform that matches professionals with nonprofits for pro bono engagements. Comparable volunteer-to-nonprofit matching focus, but specialized in skill-based rather than general community service.
• Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC): National nonprofit engaging youth ages 11-18 in volunteer service through affiliated local affiliates. Closely comparable to VCCV's youth-focused service-learning programs (e.g., George Washington Carver Academy, Lou Henry Elementary) and teen recognition programs.
• HandsOn Network (part of Points of Light): Network of local volunteer-action centers affiliated with Points of Light. Closely comparable model to VCCV — local volunteer centers coordinating community service — with shared best practices and national affiliation.

Broad incumbents

• RSVP (Retired & Senior Volunteer Program) through AmeriCorps Seniors: Federal program engaging older adults in volunteer service — directly comparable to the demographic focus of VCCV's Eight over 80 senior recognition program and to RSVP programming that the VCCV itself appears to host.
• AmeriCorps: Federal agency mobilizing Americans in service. Comparable mission of national/community volunteer mobilization, but at vastly larger scale and with federal funding and stipended service-member model rather than unpaid volunteer matching.

Regional players

• United Way of Black Hawk County: Local community-impact nonprofit operating in the same Black Hawk County geography as VCCV. Comparable regional nonprofit positioning and donor base, though focused on broader human-service funding rather than direct volunteer matching.
• Volunteer Iowa (Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service): State-level commission promoting volunteerism across Iowa. Comparable mission of advancing volunteer engagement, but operates statewide from a policy/grantmaking perspective rather than as a direct volunteer-matching service provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/volunteer-center-of-cedar-valley

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley