Policies and Procedures

This page is a one-stop-shop for the most important state-level files and instructions you need as a VMN volunteer. Please check Better Impact or with your chapter leaders for chapter-level information.

Volunteer Policy Handbook

VMN Volunteer Policy Handbook, 2025 edition

Volunteer Enrollment and Re-enrollment

• Enrollment: All Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers must enroll initially using the online Better Impact application form for their chapter. All applicants must be screened before acceptance.
• Re-enrollment: All Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers who want to continue participating in the program must re-enroll on an annual basis using Better Impact. The re-enrollment period is December 1 – January 31.
  • Re-enrollment instructional video: This is a 6-minute video that shows how a volunteer should complete the re-enrollment process for 2025. We demonstrate re-enrollment on both a computer and using the Better Impact mobile application on a phone. 

Better Impact Online Volunteer Management System

Better Impact is the volunteer management system used by VMN and other Virginia Cooperative Extension volunteer programs for volunteer enrollment, communications, activity listings, hours reporting, and more. Here are some tools to help you use the system.

• Better Impact VMS: Initial instructions for VMN Volunteers (PDF document)
• Better Impact VMS Training Video for VCE Master Volunteers: A 30-minute video to help volunteers get started using the basic functions of the system.
• Using Better Impact VMS Features as a Volunteer: Match your Interests to find Opportunities, Receive Notices and Reminders about your Activities, and See Who Else has Signed Up (PDF)

Risk Management and Civil Rights Trainings

All VMN volunteers need to complete the risk management and civil rights trainings as part of their basic training course and then again in subsequent years (every year for civil rights, every three years for risk management.) Both trainings are available as e-learning modules in Better Impact, and that is the best place to access them. When a volunteer completes one of the trainings in Better Impact, they will automatically get a qualification and badge showing they have completed it. 

Step-by-step instructions for accessing and completing the risk management and civil rights trainings in Better Impact (PDF)

Risk Management Resources

• Safety and Risk Management for Virginia Master Naturalist Volunteers: This VCE publication should be used in VMN basic training courses and as a reference and tool for all VMN volunteers.  This PDF document contains a risk management planning worksheet, a risk identification worksheet, and a field work risk management checklist.  Use this publication with the PowerPoint presentation above.
• Risk Management Planning Worksheet, Risk Identification Worksheet, Field Work Risk Management Checklist (MS Word): This document combines the three worksheets from the Safety and Risk Management publication into a single MS Word document so that volunteers may type in the worksheets and add additional information as needed. [link to Word doc]
• Accident/Incident Report Form (PDF): VMN volunteers should carry this current version of the form and use it in the event of serious accidents or incidents that occur during VMN programs or volunteer activities. [link to PDF doc]
• Emergency Procedures Card (PDF): VMN volunteers should print and fill out this card as directed in the risk management presentation and carry it when volunteering.  Use it in the event of a very serious emergency.  Make sure you have up-to-date information for your chapter advisor on the card.  [link to PDF doc]

Resources for Civil Rights Responsibilities

• Extension Contacts Reporting Fact Sheet (PDF): This publication describes what counts as a contact and what does not, as well as the differences between direct and indirect contacts.
• Voluntary Program Participant Self-Reporting Form (PDF): This document is for use by volunteers to aid in collecting contact demographic information during educational programs that they are doing with an Extension office. Volunteers may pass out this sheet and share the data with the Extension faculty member.​
• Coming soon: Virginia Cooperative Extension Description of All Reasonable Efforts (PDF): This document describes what is meant by making “all reasonable efforts” to encourage participation by and meet the needs of underrepresented groups.
• Coming soon: Virginia Cooperative Extension Equal Access Request Letter Template (PDF): This document may be used with external partner organizations to document their compliance with VCE’s nondiscrimination policies. 

Outreach Materials

• Virginia Master Naturalist program brochure: There are six versions of the brochure. All are identical on the inside; only the cover photo differs among versions. Chapters will receive printed copies with a mix of all the versions twice annually. Chapter may print additional copies of any or all versions whenever they wish.
• Coming soon: Introduction to the Virginia Master Naturalist program presentation