About Energize and Our Website
What Is Energize?
Energize, Inc. is an international training, consulting and publishing firm specializing in volunteerism. If these words are in your vocabulary--community service, membership development, auxiliary, community organizing, service-learning, lay ministry, pro bono work, supporter, friends group, political activist, service club-- we can help!! Founded in 1977, Energize has assisted organizations of all types with their volunteer efforts--whether they are health and human service organizations, cultural arts groups, professional associations, or schools.
- Consulting and Training
- Publishing
- Online Volunteer Management Staff Development - Everyone Ready®
(Now available for national, large and smaller organizations, as well as for individual enrollment -- anywhere in the world.) - About the President, Susan J. Ellis
- Compliments from Our Friends around the World on our 30th Birthday, 2007
How this Website Connects You to the World of Volunteerism
Energize has been on the Web since 1997. At that time, we saw a strong need to connect leaders of volunteers with resources, information and ideas generated from around the world. We want this to be a place where leaders of volunteers come:
- to exchange views on critical issues in the field,
- browse pertinent articles and purchase quality books on volunteer management,
- gather information on how to broaden their professional skills and networks,
- advance their careers and
- link to other sites useful to volunteer managers.
We want your feedback!
We want this site to provide the most current and vital information in the field. Throughout the site, we have forms you can complete to provide us information on a range of topics including conferences, classes, DOVIAs, your volunteer recognition ideas, etc. We also want to hear your opinions on Susan's hot topic of the month, our books, and even the website itself. Complete the forms and submit them to us. We do want to hear from you! Contact us now
Who is the Website Manager and How Do I Contact Her?
Kristin Floyd is the Website Manager and is always interested in hearing your opinions (good or bad!) about the site. She's particularly interested in knowing if you're having any trouble viewing parts of the site or if you have ideas to improve the design or content of the site. All suggestions will be considered! Contact us
Why We Are a For-Profit Company
This question arises periodically, so here is what Susan Ellis has to say:
I could have opted to make Energize a nonprofit organization, recruit a volunteer board of directors, raise funds, and put myself on salary. Instead, I had a conscious, philosophical reason for taking the for-profit route. I have watched too many nonprofits convince third-party funders of the value of their services, while those who actually receive the services are dubious of their worth. Since funders rarely ask the end users what they think, grants continue to be awarded mainly on the skills of the organization's proposal writers. The only way that I could be certain that my clients valued Energize's services was to establish a direct, customer relationship with them. Many of our customers pay for our training, books, and other help with money they, in turn, get from donors. But the customer decides how to spend that money. If they choose Energize, I feel that is a true endorsement. And that's why I'm proud to have lasted in business for over 30 years.
Recognition
Energize has received praise for its services from many sources and maintains a file of testimonial comments from clients and colleagues. Occasionally we are honored in a special way. Two examples are this letter from Project Linus NJ and the BetterWorldHeroes Web site, which has included Susan on their calendar of "heroes" for December 5 (International Volunteer Day).
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