According to independentsector.org, 44% of adults volunteer- 83.9 million Americans, representing the equivalent of over 9 million full-time employees at a value of 239 billion dollars per year. In 2007 the national average dollar value of a volunteer hour was estimated at $19.51. In addition, the Bureau of Labor Statistics increases this amount for specialized skill hours. For example, a certified librarian who volunteers in the museum library is valued at $20.23 to $23.13 per hour. What does this have to do with our own museum volunteers? Plenty.

Daryn Glassbrook, Associate Director of Development, Foundations and Government Relations at NMA, explains volunteer hours can be converted into income for the museum. When applying for grants and corporate sponsorships, donators often request a show of matching funds, similar to that old saying, “It takes money to make money.” Currently at the Nevada Museum of Art we have over 200 volunteers, nearly ten times the number of full-time staff members. Last year just under 12,000 volunteer hours were recorded, amounting to more than $234,000 in matching funds available to the museum, a significant number when submitting applications.

Not only valuable financially, volunteers also provide many imperceptible benefits not easily measured. They demonstrate the amount of support an organization has within a community. They supply the much needed “grease” to keep the museum running. Participating in everything from administration, installation, grant support, gallery tours, event staffing, instruction and more, NMA Volunteers provide the museum with a work force it could not otherwise afford. As a result, we have access to spectacular exhibits and events unusual for a population of our size such as the Art + Environment Conference, Frank Lloyd Wright exhibit and First Thursdays.