Administration for Community Living

Office of Performance and Evaluation

Volunteerism Study

Final Study Report

FINAL

Prepared for: Administration for Community Living 

Office of Performance and Evaluation 

Submitted by: New Editions Consulting, Inc.

July 7, 2021
i 

Contents

Abstract..................................................................................................................................................... 1

Background ............................................................................................................................................... 1

Older Americans Act Programs............................................................................................................. 1

State Health Insurance Assistance Program......................................................................................... 2

Service Delivery and Volunteers........................................................................................................... 2

Study Purpose ........................................................................................................................................... 3

Methodology............................................................................................................................................. 3

Data Sources ......................................................................................................................................... 3

Analytic Methods.................................................................................................................................. 4

Study Results............................................................................................................................................. 4

OAA Title III ........................................................................................................................................... 4

OAA Title VII LTCOP............................................................................................................................... 5

SHIP ....................................................................................................................................................... 7

Summary and Implications ....................................................................................................................... 8

Supplement – Local Program Level Results.............................................................................................. 9

Methodology......................................................................................................................................... 9

Study Results – OAA Title III.................................................................................................................. 9

Study Results – OAA Title VII LTCOP ................................................................................................... 11

Study Results – SHIP............................................................................................................................ 12

References .............................................................................................................................................. 14
1 

Abstract 

Volunteers play a key role for the capacity of the Older Americans Act (OAA) Title III programs, the OAA 

Title VII Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, and the State Health Insurance Assistance Program to 

provide support services to older adults (generally age 60 and older). These three programs that help to 

maintain the health and well-being of millions of older adults rely on the contribution of unpaid 

volunteers. The results of this study show that unpaid volunteers across the three program areas 

contribute 6–14 hours per month on average. Importantly, volunteers contributed about 56% of the 

total annual labor in fiscal year 2019 for OAA Title III area agencies on aging, for an estimated annual 

value of $1.7 billion. Volunteers for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program contributed about 15.9% 

of the total certified ombudsmen annual labor in that year, or roughly $14 million in total estimated 

annual value. For the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, volunteers contributed about 28.2% of 

the total annual labor, or roughly $28 million in total estimated annual value. Given fiscal year 2019 

federal funding levels for these programs, volunteers represented an essential resource that all these 

programs depended on to serve clients. 

Background 

Older Americans Act Programs

Enacted in 1965, the Older Americans Act (OAA) authorized public funding for supports and services to 

help millions of older Americans live independently (OAA, 42 U.S.C. § 3018). Today, OAA programs 

provide a wide array of essential services to meet the needs of older adults (i.e., generally those age 60 

and older), including home-delivered and congregate meals, family caregiver support, in-home 

assistance, preventive health services, transportation, job training, protection from abuse, and other 

supportive services. These services are primarily targeted to older adults with the greatest unmet needs, 

particularly those who live in low-income households, have limited English proficiency, or live in rural 

areas. These programs play a vital role in helping to maintain the health and well-being of millions of 

adults age 60 and older, reaching one in five older adults. 

The largest amount of funding for the various OAA programs is allocated to the Title III program (72.3% 

of OAA funding). The Title III program authorizes grants to states and local entities for supportive and 

nutrition services (e.g., home-delivered meals and congregate meals served at group sites; nutrition 

education and counseling; family caregiver supports; supportive services such as home care, adult day 

services, and transportation). Another important OAA program is the Title VII program, which seeks to

ensure the safety and protection of the rights of older adults. It includes the Long-Term Care 

Ombudsman Program (LTCOP), which investigates and resolves complaints made by or on behalf of 

nursing facility residents or other institutionalized populations. 

Federal funding for OAA programs is provided in annual U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

appropriations, except for OAA Title V, which is supported by annual Department of Labor

appropriations. In fiscal year (FY) 2019, OAA federal funding was $2.06 billion, with OAA Title III services 

accounting for the largest portion of the Act’s funding ($1.49 billion). However, a significant amount of 

funding for Title III is also provided by other sources. For example, for OAA Title III home-delivered meal 

services and personal care services, OAA federal funding accounted for 35.5% and 15%, respectively, of 

the programs’ expenditures in FY 2019. States are required to provide a nonfederal match of 25% for 
2 

family caregiver support expenses and 15% for expenses related to supportive services, preventive 

health, and meals (Ujvari et al., 2019). Additional sources of funding for these services include federal 

Medicare and Medicaid, states, private donations, and voluntary contributions from seniors for services 

received (Government Accountability Office, 2010). For FY 2019, the OAA Title VII programs were 

funded at a total of $21.7 million, with the majority of OAA Title VII funding ($16.9 million) supporting 

the LTCOP (Congressional Research Service, 2021).

State Health Insurance Assistance Program

Created under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990, State Health Insurance Assistance 

Programs (SHIPs) are designed to empower, educate, and assist Medicare-eligible individuals, their 

families, and their caregivers through outreach, one-on-one assistance, counseling, and training, to 

make better informed health insurance decisions that optimize access to care and benefits. Specifically, 

SHIPs assist individuals in obtaining coverage through Original Medicare (Parts A & B), Medicare 

Advantage (Part C), Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D), and Medicare Supplements(Medigap

plans). SHIPs also assist beneficiaries with limited income to apply for Medicaid, or the Medicare Savings 

Program and Extra Help/Low Income Subsidy, which help to reduce out-of-pocket payments for health 

care services (Administration for Community Living [ACL], n.d.-b). 

ACL provides federal grants to states and territories to fund local SHIPs and establish community-based 

networks of counselors who provide assistance in-person and by phone, make group presentations, and 

use a variety of media outlets to educate Medicare beneficiaries. In FY 2019, the federal government 

provided $49 million in discretionary appropriations for SHIPs and an additional $13 million in 

mandatory funding for outreach and assistance to low-income Medicare beneficiaries (Congressional 

Research Services, 2019). 

Service Delivery and Volunteers

Services and supports funded through the OAA programs and SHIP are delivered in all 50 states, the 

District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories through a comprehensive infrastructure known as the 

national aging services network. At present, the network consists of 56 state units on aging, 244 tribal 

organizations, two native Hawaiian organizations representing 400 tribes, 629 area agencies on aging

(AAAs), and nearly 20,000 local service providers (ACL, n.d.-a). These agencies and their staff play a key 

role as they plan and provide the services to OAA and SHIP service recipients. Specifically, AAAs serve as 

local entities that, either directly or through contract with local service providers, oversee the delivery of 

OAA and SHIP services. 

However, the delivery of services largely depends on the efforts of unpaid volunteers. Because funding 

is limited, without volunteers many AAAs and local services providers would not be able to provide 

nearly as many services or reach nearly as many individuals in the community as they currently do. 
3 

Study Purpose

Anecdotally, we know that volunteers1 generate significant value through their contributions to OAA 

programs and SHIPs. However, to date, little or no information is available about the actual or estimated 

economic value that volunteers contribute to these programs. To lay the foundation for addressing this 

gap, ACL funded this initial study to estimate the economic value of volunteers to OAA programs and 

SHIPs using available data.

This study focused on two main levels of analysis: 

• the national ACL program level based on OAA Title III, OAA Title VII LTCOP, and SHIP aggregate 

data for all U.S. states and territories, and

• the local program level based on data obtained from OAA and SHIP grantees (i.e., AAAs and local 

service providers).

This brief summarizes key findings from analyses conducted at the national ACL program level. Results

from analyses conducted at the local program level for select programs are provided in the Supplement. 

Methodology

Data Sources

Program Performance Data

OAA and SHIP program performance data were obtained to provide context about the programs and 

their reach. Performance data for the OAA Title III2 and OAA Title VII LTCOP3 were exported from ACL’s 

AGing, Independence, and Disability (AGID) Program Data Portal for FY 2019.

4 Performance data for the 

SHIP5 were provided by ACL program staff for grant year (GY) 2019.

6

Volunteer Data

Available annual data for the number of volunteers, volunteer hours, and full-time equivalent (FTE) 

counts for volunteers and paid staff, for OAA Title III and OAA Title VII LTCOP were exported from AGID

for FYs 2015–2019.

7

 National aggregate data for the number of volunteers, volunteer hours, and FTE 

counts for volunteers and paid staff for the SHIPs were provided by ACL program staff for GY 2019. 

1 For the purpose of this study, volunteer work refers to unpaid noncompulsory work—that is, time individuals give without pay 

to activities performed through an organization outside their own household (International Labour Office, 2011). 2 Number of service recipients and number of service unit

3 Number or nursing homes, board and care homes, number of complaints, and number of consultations 4 FY 2019 is October 1, 2018 – September 30/2019. 5 Number of individuals reached

6 SHIPs report data by grant year, which includes the period from April through March of the following year: GY 2019 is April 1, 

2019 – March 31, 2020. 7 For OAA Title III, national and state level annual State Program Report data include volunteers and paid staffing full-time 

equivalent (FTE) counts at the AAAs. Data for head counts of volunteers and staff are not collected, For OAA Title VII LTCOP, 

national and state level National Ombudsman Reporting System data include number of volunteers and paid staff, FTE counts, 

and number of volunteer hours donated. Volunteer data represent data for certified volunteer ombudsmen (not other 

volunteers).
4 

Analytic Methods

To estimate the economic value of volunteers for these programs, we applied a two-stage analytic 

approach. The first stage included an analysis of national aggregate data to estimate the average 

number of hours per month that a volunteer contributes to each program: OAA Title III program, OAA

Title VIl LTCOP, and SHIP. Due to data gaps (e.g., Title III does not collect data about the number of 

volunteers) and differences in reporting across the programs, each program-specific data source was 

assessed separately. To the extent feasible, based on available data, we then examined the share of the

total labor effort (volunteers and paid staff) that was performed by volunteers for each program. 

Because the vast majority of volunteers in these programs are likely to work part-time, the unit of 

analysis was total hours worked or number of FTEs rather than numbers of volunteers. 

In the second stage of analysis, we used results from stage one to estimate the economic value of 

volunteer labor for the programs. This analysis applied a replacement cost approach (based on 

observed market proxies of wages) to develop the estimates. Conceptually, this approach involves the 

following hypothetical question: If there were no volunteers today, how many paid staff members 

would need to be hired (or paid staff hours diverted) to replace the work activities performed by 

volunteers, and what would their wage be to do the same work as volunteers? 

Since finding the actual wage of paid workers was not feasible given the scope and design of the study, 

we applied a generalist wage assumption ($27.20) based on existing studies in the literature. This 

generalist wage is a 2019 national estimate of the value of volunteer time established by Independent 

Sector (Independent Sector, 2020). It is based on the annual average hourly earnings8 (not seasonally 

adjusted) for all production and nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm payrolls plus a 15.7% 

adjustment to account for the value of fringe benefits (Independent Sector, 2019). The annual earnings 

estimate was obtained from the Current Employment Statistics database which is maintained by the 

Bureau of Labor Statistics (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021). 

Study Results

OAA Title III

Program Reach

In FY 2019, OAA Title III funded 892 AAAs and 10,185 senior centers that coordinated and offered 

services to older adults. In addition, the program provided support to more than 202,000 caregivers 

serving older adults. More than 10.8 million older persons received OAA Title III services—including

almost 150 million home-delivered meals; more than 73 million congregate meals; and 20 million rides 

8 The Independent Sector value for our economic valuation was used rather than federal minimum wage ($7.25), which is much 

lower, as it is a more appropriate wage assumption. According to efficiency wage theory (Campbell, 1993; Katz, 1986), there are 

productivity and efficiency benefits to paying workers above the market wage. Based on labor economic models, it has been 

shown that higher wages improve workers’ productivity and deter workers from leaving, thereby reducing turnover rates. At 

the minimum wage level, workers may be less committed to their jobs and more likely to leave. Essentially, if a company pays 

market price for wages, then the cost to each worker of losing their job is essentially the cost of finding a new job. If the 

company pays its workers more than market price, however, then the cost to each worker of losing their job will be 

substantially higher, so turnover will be lower.
5 

to medical appointments, grocery stores, and other activities—and 21.8 million hours of homemaker

services. 

Volunteer Contribution and Share of Labor Effort

Supporting the program in FY 2019 to provide the services were 24,642 AAA paid staff FTEs and 31,234 

AAA volunteer FTEs.

9 AAA volunteers donated an estimated 62,467,200 hours10 of their time to provide 

the services and supports. OAA Title III AAA FTE data for 2015–2019 show that AAA volunteer FTE

counts11 were greater than AAA paid staff FTEs for 3 of the 5 years, and the number of AAA volunteer 

FTEs has been increasing since 2017.

Exhibit 1. Volunteer and Paid Staff OAA Title III AAA FTE Counts in 2015–2019, States, DC, and Territories. 

Economic Value

Based on the estimated hours contributed by OAA Title III AAA volunteers in FY 2019, the economic 

value of AAA volunteers is equal to approximately $1.7 billion12 for that fiscal year. This represents a 

significant economic value, considering that federal funding for OAA Title III in FY 2019 was $1.49 billion.

OAA Title VII LTCOP

Program Reach

According to the National Ombudsman Reporting System (the program’s administrative reporting 

system), ombudsman programs were responsible for advocating for residents in 16,263 nursing homes 

9 For OAA Title III, staffing data include FTE counts for AAA volunteers and paid staff. Data on head counts of volunteers and 

paid staff are not collected.

10 Total number of volunteer hours = FTE count of volunteers multiplied by 2000 hours. 11 The high AAA volunteer FTE counts are driven by five states each year; the volunteer FTE count would be much smaller,

compared to the paid staff FTE count, if data from these five states were removed. (For the years 2015, 2017, and 2019, 

volunteer FTE counts would be about half of the paid staff FTE counts if the data from these states were removed.) 12 62,467,200 hours multiplied by $27.20.

17,727

28,517

24,380 25,951

31,234

24,335 24,675

26,207

25,943

24,642

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

FTE Count of Staff

Year

Area Agency - Volunteers (FTE counts) Area Agency - Total Paid Staff (FTE counts)

2015: Area AgencyVolunteers( FTE counts): 

17,727

2015: Area Agency Total 

paid staff (FTE counts): 24, 

335

2016: Area AgencyVolunteers( FTE counts): 

28,517

2016: Area Agency Total 

paid staff (FTE counts): 

24,675

2017: Area AgencyVolunteers( FTE counts): 

24,380

2017: Area Agency Total 

paid staff (FTE counts): 26, 

207

2018: Area AgencyVolunteers( FTE counts): 

25,951

2018: Area Agency Total 

paid staff (FTE counts): 

25,943

2019: Area AgencyVolunteers( FTE counts): 

31, 234 (circled)

2019: Area Agency Total 

paid staff (FTE counts): 

24,642
6 

and 58,837 board and care homes in FY 2019. During this period, ombudsmen responded to 198,502

complaints from 123,863 individuals, and they provided information on rights, care, and related services 

to individuals and long-term care facility managers and staff on 425,084 occasions. 

Volunteer Contribution and Share of Labor Effort

Supporting the program in FY 2019 in these responsibilities were 1,118 people working full-time and 

5,947 certified volunteer ombudsmen.

13 Paid staff represented 1,362 FTEs. Volunteers donated 514,095

hours of time to OAA Title VII LTCOPs, the equivalent of approximately 257 volunteer FTEs. On average, 

each volunteer contributed 7.2 hours of work per month to the program, or 86.5 hours per year. These 

results suggest that OAA Title VII LTCOP volunteers contribute more hours on average than volunteers in 

general. Specifically, according to the September 2015 Current Population Survey, volunteers spent a 

median of 52 hours (4.3 hours/month) on volunteer activities during the period from September 2014 to 

September 2015 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistic, 2015).

OAA Title VII LTCOP FTE data show that certified volunteer ombudsmen contributed about 15.9% of the 

total certified ombudsmen annual labor in FY 2019. However, volunteer FTE counts have been steadily 

decreasing over time, from 354 in 2015 to 257 in 2019 for the LTCOP. 

Exhibit 2. Volunteer and Paid Staff LTCOP FTE Counts in 2015–2019, States, DC, and Territories. 

Economic Value

Based on the hours contributed by certified LTCOP volunteers in FY 2019, the economic value of 

volunteers is equal to $14 million14 for that year. (OAA Title VII LTCOP federal funding was $16.9 million

13 “Ombudsman” refers to the State Ombudsman. All other staff that perform duties of the Office are “designated 

representatives of the Office” although many use the term “ombudsman” in practice. The National Ombudsman Reporting 

System uses the term “certified” rather than “designated.” Volunteer data represent data for certified volunteer ombudsmen 

(not other volunteers). 14 514,095 hours multiplied by $27.20.

354 305 296 272 257

1,301 1,320 1,319 1,297 1,362

0

400

800

1,200

1,600

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

FTE Count of Staff

Year

Total Number of Certified Volunteer FTEs Total Number of Paid Staff FTEs

2015: Total number of 

certified volunteer FTEs: 

354

2015: Total number of 

Paid Staff FTEs: 1,301

2016: Total number of 

certified volunteer FTEs: 

305

2016: Total number of 

Paid Staff FTEs: 1,320

2017: Total number of 

certified volunteer FTEs: 

296

2017: Total number of 

Paid Staff FTEs: 1, 319

2018: Total number of 

certified volunteer FTEs: 

272

2018: Total number of 

Paid Staff FTEs: 1, 297

2019: Total number of 

certified volunteer FTEs: 

257 (circled)

2019: Total number of 

Paid Staff FTEs: 1,362
7 

for FY 2019). This translates into $2,351 per volunteer per year. With an average contribution of 7.2 

hours of work per volunteer per month, each volunteer provided an average economic value of $196 per 

month. This represents a greater economic value than the value contributed by volunteers in general, 

who contributed a median of 4.3 hours per month in 2015 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistic, 2015), for an 

estimated economic value of $117 per month.

SHIP

Program Reach

For GY 2019, the SHIPs reached 2,367,410 individuals via one-on-one assistance; 278,313 of these 

sessions were with individuals under 65 receiving Medicare due to disability. In addition, the programs 

reached 3,615,079 individuals through outreach activities.

Volunteer Contribution and Share of Labor Effort

Supporting the program in GY 2019 in these responsibilities were 2,651 FTE workers paid through SHIP, 

4,495 donated FTE workers paid in kind,

15 and 6,403 volunteer workers. Volunteers donated 1,027,358

hours of their time, equating to approximately 514 volunteer FTE workers. On average, each volunteer 

contributed 13.4 hours of work per month to the program, or 160.5 hours per year. These results 

suggest that SHIP volunteers also contribute more hours on average than volunteers in general (1.34 

hours/month vs 4.3 hours/month). Based on SHIP FTE data, volunteers contributed about 28.2% of the 

total annual labor for the SHIP in GY 2019.

Exhibit 3. Volunteer and Paid Staff SHIP FTE Counts for GY 2019. 

15 “Donated” (In Kind): Anyone working with the program that is paid by a source other than SHIP—e.g., care managers at 

Housing and Urban Development housing who are doing SHIP work as part of their job with the housing complex.

514

655 653

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Volunteer FTEs SHIP-Paid FTEs "Donated" (In-Kind) FTEs

FTE Count of Staff

FTEs
8 

Economic Value

Based on the hours contributed by SHIP volunteers in GY 2019, the economic value of volunteers is 

equal to almost $28 million16 for that year. (Federal funding for the SHIP through discretionary 

appropriations was $49 million in FY 2019.) This translates into $4,364 per volunteer per year. With an 

average contribution of 13.4 hours of work per volunteer per month, each volunteer provides an 

average economic value of $364 per month. This represents more than triple the economic value 

contributed by volunteers in the general U.S. population, who contributed a median of 4.3 hours per 

month in 2015 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistic, 2015), for an estimated economic value of $117 per 

month.

Summary and Implications

Volunteers play a critical role in the capacity of OAA Title III programs, the OAA Title VII LTCOP, and SHIP 

to provide essential services to older adults (i.e., generally age 60 and older). These programs play a vital 

role in helping to maintain the health and well-being of millions of seniors age 60 and older, reaching 

one in five older adults. Serving these adults would not be possible without the significant and 

continuous contribution of volunteers, who, according to interviews of program leadership conducted as 

part of this study, often volunteer for these programs for up to 10–15 years. The results from this study 

also indicate that, on average, volunteers for the OAA programs and SHIPs contribute more hours per 

month than other volunteers. 

Importantly, through their commitment, OAA and SHIP volunteers represent a significant invisible labor 

force for these programs, providing an annual economic value of approximately $1.7 billion to OAA Title 

III programs, $14 million to OAA Title VII LTCOP, and $28 million to SHIP. Given FY 2019 federal funding 

levels for these programs, this contribution is significant, as the value of volunteer labor exceeds the 

federal17 funding level for OAA Title III and nearly equals the federal funding level for OAA Title VII 

LTCOP. Given these results, it is likely that, without volunteers, these programs at current funding levels 

would face great challenges in reaching those in need.

The results underscore just how essential volunteers are to these programs. In addition, they suggest

that the programs may face major challenges if they encounter a significant decrease in the volunteer 

workforce. Volunteer data from FY 2020–2021 may provide insight about the potential impact of a 

decreased volunteer workforce because many programs have reported losing a significant number of 

volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional analyses of volunteerism for OAA programs 

should examine the impact of COVID-19 on the number of volunteers and volunteer hours contributed 

to OAA programs.

With the U.S. aging population expected to increase substantially over the next 40 years (U.S. Census 

Bureau, 2020), and funding for many programs not keeping pace with the increase in the aging 

population, it is more important than ever to effectively engage existing volunteers and recruit new 

volunteers to help OAA programs and SHIPs meet the needs of our communities and ensure that 

services are provided continuously, reliably, and effectively. 

16 1,027,985 hours multiplied by $27.20. 17 A significant amount of funding for OAA Title III is also provided by other sources.
9 

Supplement – Local Program Level Results18 

This supplement presents results of analyses calculating the economic value of volunteers at the local 

OAA and SHIP grantee level (i.e., AAAs and local service providers).

Methodology

Data Collection Methods

As part of the study, researchers interviewed staff from nine grantee programs that use volunteers to 

provide ACL-funded services and supports as part of OAA Title III, OAA Title VII LTCOP, or SHIP. Among 

other questions, staff were asked about the number of volunteers19 and the total number of hours 

volunteers contributed in 2019. Programs that tracked these data provided them either during the 

interviews or in follow-up emails. If no data for 2019 were available, program staff were asked to 

provide their best estimate based on existing data from other years. Six20 of the nine interviewed 

programs were able to provide volunteer data. They included three OAA Title III programs, one OAA 

Title VII LTCOP, and two SHIPs.

Analysis Methods

The same two-stage analysis approach as that used in the national-level analysis described previously 

was applied to estimate the economic value of volunteers for each of the grantee programs. 

Specifically, the analysis included estimating the average number of hours contributed per volunteer per 

month, volunteer FTEs, and economic value of the volunteer labor based on applying the Independent 

Sector generalist wage assumption ($27.20).

Study Results – OAA Title III

Maine AAA (Spectrum Generations) 

Spectrum Generations is the Central Maine AAA and Aging and Disability Resource Center, providing

information and advice, referrals, programs, and activities for adults for over 40 years. From September 

1, 2018, to August 30, 2019, Spectrum Generations served 33,057 individuals, delivering 218,005 meals 

and serving 2,141 individuals as part of their congregate meal program. In addition, Spectrum

Generations provided 480 individuals and their families with caregiver support, training, counseling, and 

respite and provided 11,825 Information and Assistance contacts to 5,297 individuals seeking resources 

to care for a loved one (Spectrum Generations, 2019). 

In 2019, Spectrum Generations had 423 volunteers, who donated 29,347 hours in total, equating to

approximately 15 FTE volunteer workers. On average, each volunteer contributed 6 hours of work per 

month to the agency, or 69 hours per year. This represents an estimated total economic value of 

approximately $798,238 for 2019, or $157 per volunteer per month.

18 Programs have given permission to be named in this brief and to have their information included. All program staff were 

given the opportunity to review the content. 

19 Data about paid staff are not available. 20 One program (Healthy Living for ME) was able to provide data about its own use of volunteers as well as for the AAA it 

contracts with (Maine AAA).
10

Exhibit 4. Maine AAA Volunteer Data and Value of Volunteer Time, 2019.

Variable Maine AAA

Number of Volunteers 423

Number of Volunteer Hours/Year 29,347

Volunteer FTEs 1521

Number of Volunteer Hours per Volunteer/Year 69

Number of Hours per Volunteer/Month 6

Value of Volunteer Time/Year $798,238

Value of Volunteer Time per Volunteer/Year $1,887

Value of Volunteer Time /per Volunteer/Month $157

Maine Evidence-Based Program Provider (Healthy Living for ME)22

Healthy Living for ME delivers programs to help adults manage chronic health conditions, prevent falls, 

and foster well-being. It focuses on four main training programs: Falls Prevention, Diabetes Prevention & 

Self-Management, Caregiver Support, and Chronic Pain & Disease Management. It is one of the local 

service providers that Spectrum Generations contracts with to provide services to individuals in the 

community. Volunteers are tasked with leading one or two trainings per year. Each training requires 6–

20 hours to deliver, depending on the program. 

In 2019, Healthy Living for ME had four volunteers, who donated approximately 78 hours per year.

23

This represents an estimated total economic value of approximately $2,121 for 2019, or $29 per 

volunteer per month.

Wyoming Senior Center (The Hub on Smith)

The Hub on Smith (the Hub) is a multipurpose Senior Center that has been serving older adults

throughout Sheridan County in Wyoming for more than 40 years. Last year the Hub served over 4,800 

individuals by providing many different types of support, including information and access to services; 

congregate, home-delivered, and grab-and-go meals; home and personal care services; and family 

caregiver support.

21 Number of volunteer hours/year divided by 2,000 22 Results for the value of volunteers for a similar evidence-based program in Tennessee was provided to ACL program staff via 

email. The Stay Active and Independent for Life (SAIL) program is an evidence-based strength, balance, and fitness program for 

adults 65 and older provided by the Tennessee Commission on Aging & Disability. The program was funded with $148,752 in 

grant money for a 3-year period. During that period, volunteers contributed a total of 13,795 hours, for an estimated economic 

value of $378,810 (which is more than 2.5 times the value of the grant funding). 23 Low estimate is 24 hours/per year (4 volunteers multiplied by 6 hours multiplied by 1 training); average estimate is 78 

hours/year (4 volunteers * 13 hours * 1.5 trainings); high estimate is 160 hours/per year (4 volunteers * 20 hours * 2 trainings). 
11

The Hub staff estimated that, on average, 106 volunteers contribute a total of 8,778 hours24 per year,

equating to approximately 4.4 FTE volunteer workers. On average, each volunteer contributes an 

estimated 7 hours of work per month to the center, or 83 hours per year. This represents an estimated 

total economic value of approximately $238,762, or $188 per volunteer per month.

Maryland Home-Delivered Meals (Cecil County)

The Maryland Home-Delivered Meals (HDM) program, operated by Cecil County Department of 

Community Services (DCS), provides meals to homebound persons aged 60 and over through the efforts 

of dedicated volunteers. Two meals, one hot and one cold, are delivered on Mondays, Wednesdays, and 

Fridays to clients along eight routes. 

In 2019, the program had 40 volunteers, who donated 2,800 hours in total. On average, each volunteer 

contributed 6 hours of work per month to the program, or 70 hours per year. This represents an 

estimated total economic value of approxiamtely $76,160 for 2019, or $159 per volunteer per month.

Exhibit 5, below, summarizes the extent and estimated value of volunteer time across these three OAA 

Title III programs in 2019.

Exhibit 5. OAA Title III Grantee Volunteer Data and Value of Volunteer Time, 2019. 

Variable Healthy Living 

for ME The Hub HDM

Number of Volunteers 4 106 40

Number of Volunteer Hours/Year 78 8,778 2,800

Volunteer FTEs 0.04 4.4 1.4

Number of Volunteer Hours per Volunteer/Year 13 83 70

Number of Hours per Volunteer/Month 1 7 6

Value of Volunteer Time/Year $2,121 $238,762 $76,160

Value of Volunteer Time per Volunteer/Year3 $354 $2,252 $1,904

Value of Volunteer Time /per Volunteer/Month $29 $188 $159

Study Results – OAA Title VII LTCOP

California San Luis Obispo County LTCOP

LTCO Services of San Luis Obispo County, a small not-for-profit agency, provides residents of care 

facilities in San Luis Obispo County, California, with access to advocacy services, complaint investigation 

and resolution, facility monitoring visits, and witnessing advanced health care directives. The agency was 

created in 1978 and on average has 15 ombudsman volunteers serving over 3,000 clients. Since its 

24 For 6 months during the COVID-19 pandemic, the 106 volunteers contributed 3,511 hours. The Hub staff estimated that these 

hours would have been approximately 25% higher during “non-COVID times”: (3,511+878)*2 = 8,778.
12

inception, volunteers have contributed thousands of hours to improve the quality of life for San Luis 

Obispo County facility residents. Funding for ombudsman services is provided by the AAA, the County of 

San Luis Obispo, and private donations.

In 2019, the agency had 11 volunteers who donated 1,515 hours in total, equating to approximately one 

FTE volunteer worker. On average, each volunteer contributed 11 hours of work per month, or 138

hours per year. This represents an estimated total economic value of approxiamtely $41,208 for 2019, 

or $321 per volunteer per month. Exhibit 6, below, summarizes the amount and estimated value of 

volunteer time for this LTCOP in 2019.

Exhibit 6. Ombudsman Services Volunteer Data and Value of Volunteer Time, 2019.

Variable San Luis Obispo County LTCOP

Number of Volunteers 11

Volunteer FTEs 1

Number of Volunteer Hours/Year 1,515

Number of Volunteer Hours/Volunteer/Year 138

Number of Hours/Volunteer/Month 11

Value of Volunteer Time/Year $41,208

Value of Volunteer Time/Volunteer/Year $3,746

Value of Volunteer Time/Volunteer/Month $312

Study Results – SHIP

Florida SHIP (SHINE)

SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) is a free program offered by the Florida Department of 

Elder Affairs and the local AAA. Specially trained volunteers assist Florida seniors with Medicare,

Medicaid, and health insurance questions by providing one-on-one counseling and information. Services 

provided by this state agency are completely run by volunteers. 

In 2019, the agency had 450 volunteers,

25 who donated 78,000 hours in total, equating to approximately 

39 FTE volunteer workers. On average, each volunteer contributed 14.4 hours of work per month, or 

173 hours per year. This presents an estimated total economic value of approximately $2,121,600 for 

2019, or $393 per volunteer per month.

Michigan SHIP (MMAP)

MMAP, Inc. (formerly Michigan Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program) is a nonprofit grantee of the 

Michigan Aging and Adult Services Agency to administer Michigan's SHIP grant. It operates under the 

direction of a volunteer Board of Directors who represent a variety of organizations that provide 

25 Volunteers serve as volunteers for the Florida SHINE program and the Florida Senior Medical Patrol program.
13

services to Michigan’s older adults and people with disabilities. MMAP provides free health-benefit 

counseling services at regional AAAs, County Departments on Aging, Senior Services Agencies, 

Commissions on Aging, and other similar organizations located throughout Michigan. MMAP has over 

200 counseling locations serving 83 counties with more than 600 trained MMAP team members 

available to serve Michigan's 1.9 million Medicare beneficiaries. In FY 2019–2020, MMAP reached 

187,478 Michigan Medicare beneficiaries through counseling and outreach activities, helping them save 

$48,121,214.00 on their health care expenses (MMAP, 2020).

In 2019, MMAP had 566 volunteers who donated 11,634 hours in total, equating to approximately six

FTE volunteer workers. On average, each volunteer contributed 1.7 hours of work per month, or 21 

hours per year. This represents an estimated total economic value of approxiamtely $316,445 for 2019, 

or $47 per volunteer per month.

Exhibit 7, below, summarizes the extent and estimated value of volunteer time across these two SHIPs in 

2019.

Exhibit 7. Florida and Michigan SHIP Volunteer Data and Value of Volunteer Time, 2019.

Variable SHINE MMAP

Number of Volunteers 450 566

Volunteer FTEs 39 6

Number of Volunteer Hours/Year 78,000 11,634

Number of Volunteer Hours/Volunteer/Year 173 21

Average Number of Hours/Volunteer/Month 14.44 1.71

Value of Volunteer Time/Year $2,121,600 $316,445

Value of Volunteer Time/Volunteer/Year $4,715 $560

Value of Volunteer Time/Volunteer/Month $393 $47
14

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