As an added benefit, the volunteers become informed about water sampling, biology, and the effects of various land use activities. Volunteers also frequently become involved in more extensive lake and watershed management activities. Any group wanting to participate in the VCM Program agrees to conduct monitoring every month for at least two years. The group then must secure funding for a monitoring kit and complete and submit a VCM monitoring plan survey. Once trained, the group is taken into the field to apply what they have learned.
Groups also undergo a quality control training session annually.