Busting Myths Volunteer Monitoring Survey Results
James Beckley
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
Common Myths About Volunteers
Volunteer means freeVolunteer means poorly
fundedVolunteer means poor
quality/quantityVolunteer means limited
resources (e.g. lab access)
Busting The Myths
In September 2012, DEQ conducted an online survey of non-DEQ monitoring groups
20 question survey designed to identify resource needs and contribution levels from these organizations
34 organizations responded
What Term Best Describes The Water Quality Monitoring Group You Belong To?
Citizen Volunteer- 15
College/University- 7
Federal Government- 5
Non Profit/NGO- 5
Local Government- 2Citiz
en V
olunte
er
Colleg
e/Univ
ersity
Federa
l Gov
ernmen
t
Non P
rofit
/ NGO
Local
Govern
ment
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Res
pons
es
How Many Sites Are Monitored By Your Group In A Year?
Values ranged from 1 to 180
880 total sites reported in survey
Average number of sites monitored per group was 27
Which Parameters Does Your Water Quality Monitoring Group Sample For?
Field parameters/ DO, pH, Temp- 25
Bacteria/ E coli- 22
Benthic Macroinvertebrates- 19
Nutrients (N, P)- 15
Water clarity/Turbidity- 13
Other- 9Fi
eld Pa
ramete
rs
Bacter
ia/ E
coli
Benth
ic M
acro
inve
rtebr
ates
Nutrie
nts (
N, P)
Wate
r Clar
ity/ T
urbi
dity
Other
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Res
pons
es
Does Your Monitoring Group Drop Off Samples To A Laboratory For Testing?
No- 22
Yes- 12
2212
Samples not dropped off to lab
Samples dropped off to lab
If Yes, Is The Laboratory Operated By The Monitoring Group Or A Contracted Laboratory?
Lab operated by a monitoring group- 8
Contracted lab- 4
Laboratory Operated by Monitoring Group
Contracted Laboratory0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Res
pons
es
What Is Your Group’s Primary Source Of Income To Cover Operating Costs?
Budget Allocation- 10
Grants/ Endowment- 10
Donation- 5
No Funding Source- 5
Membership Dues- 2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Res
pons
es
How Much Does The Primary Source Of Income Cover Operating Expenses?
100%-12
90%- 4
80%- 3
70%- 6
60%- 3
<50%- 5
Percent Funding Of Total Budget
Res
pons
es
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% <50%0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
What Is The Secondary Source Of Income To Cover Monitoring Costs?
No Funding source- 9
Grants/ Endowment- 7
Budget Allocation- 3
Donations- 3
Membership Dues- 2
Selling Services- 2
Other- 4*
* Includes 2 responses for donating personal funds or volunteering time
No fun
ding
sour
ce
Grants/
Endow
ment
Budge
t Allc
oatio
n
Donati
ons
Mem
bersh
ip D
ues
Selli
ng se
rvice
sOth
er0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Res
pons
es
How Much Does The Secondary Source Of
Income Cover Monitoring Expenses?
50%- 240%- 030%- 720%- 510%- 60%- 9
Res
pons
es
Percent Funding Of Total Budget50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
How Many Are Paid Positions, Average Number of Hours Worked and Salary?
Average paid staff per group= 1.2
Average monthly hours worked per paid staff= 37.2 hours
Average monthly salary for paid staff = $898.38 ($24.15/ average)
Average yearly salary per paid staff = $10,780.56
Average yearly salary for paid staff per group = $12,936.67
How Many Are Unpaid Volunteers and Average Number Of Volunteer Hours?
Average number of volunteers per group= 14.2
Average number of monthly hours per unpaid volunteer= 9.4 hours
Average equivalent monthly salary for unpaid position (assume $22.60/hr) = $212.44http://www.independentsector.org/volunteer_time
Average equivalent yearly salary per volunteer= $1,996.94
Average equivalent yearly salary for volunteers per group= $28,356.55
Estimated Annual Expenses To Perform Water Quality Monitoring
$0-$
1,000
$1,00
0-$5
,000
$5,00
0-$2
0,000
$20,0
00-$
50,00
0
$50,0
00-$
100,0
00
$100
,000-
$300
,000
>$300
,000
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Res
pons
es
What Is The Primary Reason For The Group To Monitor Water Quality ?
Identify areas of good or bad water quality- 13
Education and outreach of the public-10
Response to a specific concern- 3
Advocate for the environment- 2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Res
pons
es
Who Is The Intended Audience For The Water Quality Data Collected By The Group?
Government officials- 26
General public- 25
Members of the group- 24
Academic peers- 11
Local Partners/Schools- 4Govern-ment of-
ficials
General Public
Member of the group
Academic peers
Local Partners/Schools
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Res
pons
es
How Is The Data Communicated?Online Database/
Smartphone Application- 19
Newsletter/Report- 17
Power Point/Meetings- 12
Research Paper- 9
E-mail/Website- 5
Radio/Podcast- 1
Other- 3Data
base
App
licati
on
Newsle
tter/R
epor
t
Power
Point/M
eetin
gs
Resea
rch P
aper
/Web
site
Radio,
Pod
cast
Other
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Res
pons
es
Does Your Group Submit Water Quality Data To The Virginia DEQ?
Yes- 23
No- 9 24
8Groups submitting data to Virginia DEQ
Groups not submitting data to Virginia DEQ
If Yes, is Any of the Submitted Data Considered Level III by the VADEQ?
Yes- 18
No- 4
Do not know- 4 17
3
4YesNoDo not know
Is Your Group Interested In Submitting Data To The Virginia DEQ?
Yes- 31
No- 1
Yes No0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Res
pons
es
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