Volunteer Opportunities

For over 100 years, volunteers have been a valued and essential part of Cornell Cooperative Extension. As a volunteer, you provide critical outreach on multiple levels to residents of all ages throughout New York State.

As part of our commitment to the excellent volunteer programs of Cornell Cooperative Extension and the well-being of our volunteers and participants we continuously review volunteer policies. In the last 5 years, in response to events at other organizations, and in compliance with our insurance underwriter, Cornell Cooperative Extension has updated its volunteer background screening requirement effective March 31, 2013. All volunteers providing more than one day per calendar year will need to have a volunteer background screening.

The volunteer background screening includes verification of the volunteer’s identity, a check for criminal background and sex offender registry; and for volunteers who will drive as part of their role, a motor vehicle driving record check. Financial credit reports will be conducted only for volunteers who handle finances as part of their role. Please be assured that personal information we gather on volunteers to conduct the screening is treated as confidential, restricted to the screening company and a small group of staff. It is not shared with the insurance company or any other outside party.

Thank you for your service as a volunteer to Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Last updated February 13, 2024