Frequently Asked Questions

  1. How is the term "volunteer" defined?
  2. How were the data in this Web site collected?
  3. Do the rankings include all U.S. cities?
  4. What defines a large, mid-size, or additional city?
  5. How were cities selected for this Web site?
  6. How were the geographic boundaries of a city defined?
  7. What is a Metropolitan Statistical Area, is that different from a city?
  8. How is the term "neighborhood engagement" defined?
  9. If I did not serve with an organization, but I participated in a community clean up, is that volunteering?
  10. How can I get more involved in volunteering?
  11. What is the difference between volunteering and national service?
  12. How do I learn more about the Corporation and its programs?
  13. How do I learn about other research on volunteering?

1. How is the term "volunteer" defined?

Volunteers are defined as adults ages 16 years and older who performed unpaid volunteer activities for or through an organization at any point during the 12-month period from September 1 of the prior year through the survey week in September of the survey year.

2. How were the data in this Web site collected?

Data are collected through an annual supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS). The CPS is a monthly survey of about 60,000 households (approximately 100,000 adults), conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPS focuses on obtaining information on employment and unemployment for the nation's civilian, non-institutionalized population ages 16 and older. Each September, the Volunteer Supplement to the CPS collects information on the incidence of volunteering, the characteristics of volunteers, and civic life indicators in the United States. For more information, please see the Technical Note.

3. Do the rankings include all U.S. cities?

Rankings were generated for large and mid-size cities only. Large cities represent the 51 largest metropolitan areas, according to 2008 Census population estimates. Mid-size cities represent metropolitan areas with populations of less than 1 million people but greater than 100,000, and a sufficiently large number of CPS respondents from the 2005-2008 CPS Volunteer Supplement surveys.

4. What defines a large, mid-size, or additional city?

This Web site contains information for three groups of cities: large, mid-size, and additional. The groups are defined using two criteria: estimated metropolitan area population, and number of metropolitan-area residents who responded to the Current Population Survey (CPS) Volunteer Supplement survey. All volunteer data for cities are collected from the metropolitan area in which the city is located, including metro area residents outside the city limits. Large cities represent the 51 largest metropolitan areas, according to 2008 Census population estimates. Mid-size cities represent metropolitan areas with populations of less than 1 million people but greater than 100,000, and a sufficiently large number of CPS respondents. Additional cities also represent metropolitan areas with populations of less than 1 million people but greater than 100,000, and have CPS samples large enough to provide reliable estimates of a limited number of volunteer statistics. Cities of any population size that did not have the requisite CPS sample size were not included on this Web site.

5. How were cities selected for this Web site?

Major cities for this report were selected based on population of the surrounding metropolitan areas, as well as the number of metropolitan area residents in the CPS sample. All volunteer data for cities are collected from the metropolitan area in which the city is located, including metro area residents outside the city limits. For metropolitan areas that met these population requirements, but did not have enough respondents in the CPS sample, no city volunteer statistics were published. Large cities represent the 51 largest metropolitan areas, according to 2008 Census population estimates. Mid-size cities represent metropolitan areas with populations of less than 1 million people but greater than 100,000, and a sufficiently large number of CPS respondents. Additional cities also represent metropolitan areas with populations of less than 1 million people but greater than 100,000, and have CPS samples large enough to provide reliable estimates of a limited number of volunteer statistics.

6. How were the geographic boundaries of a city defined?

All city statistics are collected from Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), so the statistics reported from a city may be collected from the city itself, its suburbs, or surrounding counties. MSAs carry the name of one or more principal cities, the most heavily urbanized cities in the area; the names of the principal cities are used as designations for the city data published here. MSAs are county-based geographical units, defined by the the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). MSAs contain the counties in which the principal cities are located, plus one or more of the surrounding metropolitan counties. Every 10 years OMB publishes a comprehensive definition of MSA boundaries every 10 years to reflect population changes documented by the decennial Census. In order for an area to be designated an MSA, the area has to have at least one urbanized area of 50,000 or more in population, plus adjacent territory that has a high degree of social and economic integration with the urban core as measured by commuting ties.

7. What is a Metropolitan Statistical Area, is that different from a city?

The term city within this Web site refers to Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). All city statistics are collected from Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), so the statistics reported from a city may be collected from the city itself, its suburbs, or surrounding counties. MSAs are county-based geographical units, defined by the the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). MSAs contain the counties in which the principal cities are located, plus one or more of the surrounding metropolitan counties. Every 10 years OMB publishes a comprehensive definition of MSA boundaries every 10 years to reflect population changes documented by the decennial Census. In order for an area to be designated an MSA, the area has to have at least one urbanized area of 50,000 or more in population, plus adjacent territory that has a high degree of social and economic integration with the urban core as measured by commuting ties.

8. How is the term "neighborhood engagement" defined?

Starting in 2006, the CPS Volunteer Supplement has asked all adults two questions: "In the last year, have you attended any public meetings in which there was discussion of community affairs?" and, "In the last year, have you worked with other people in your neighborhood to fix or improve something?" Neighborhood engagement refers to one or both of these activities.

9. If I did not serve with an organization, but I participated in a community clean up, is that volunteering?

Within the Volunteering in America Web site, volunteers are defined as individuals who serve for or through an organization. For service events that are not coordinated by organizations, such as neighbors getting together to do work in the community, those who participate are considered to have served informally and is considered neighborhood engagement.

10. How can I get more involved in volunteering?

There are many ways to become more involved with volunteer opportunities. Go to the Serve.gov website to find an opportunity that appeals you by location and topic.

11. What is the difference between volunteering and national service?

Volunteers are individuals who donate their time for or through an organization. National service refers to the Corporation's National Service Programs. National service participants in Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America, and other Corporation programs provide dedicated volunteer service in local communities and the nation to address issues such as education, the environment, public safety, and disaster relief.

12. How do I learn more about the Corporation and its programs?

The Corporation for National and Community Service works to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering. To accomplish this mission, the Corporation provides grants and training and technical assistance to developing and expanding volunteer organizations. In addition, the Corporation explores, develops, and models effective approaches for using volunteers to meet the nation's human needs and conducts and disseminates research that helps develop and cultivate knowledge that will enhance the overall effectiveness of national and community service programs. Please visit our homepage at www.nationalservice.gov for more information about the Corporation at our programs.

13. How do I learn about other research on volunteering?

The Corporation's commitment to supporting the American culture of citizenship, service, and responsibility includes measuring the success and impact of our efforts. Performance reviews, research, and policy analysis help develop and cultivate knowledge that will enhance the overall effectiveness of the Corporation and of national and community service programs. To see more Corporation published research, go to the Research and Policy site.