The $10 USD application fee is the last step of our application process for the Photographer and Digital Retouch Artist (DRA) applications. NILMDTS is a nonprofit and the application fee covers many volunteer benefits as well as the costs associated with having the technology to upload the images and the automation to have them entered into a database so that our application review team can evaluate and score the images submitted. Once an application is approved and accepted, the system then processes the application and the volunteer is given access to our training portal. Once the Volunteer Services Agreement and required training is completed, the volunteer is activated then, if a photographer, your contact information will appear on our Find a Photographer feature on our website.
Additionally, we implemented the fee because after completing an extensive amount of time and resources completing the entire application review and start-up technology process, we unfortunately find that a large number of applicants have only applied in order to obtain a free skills review of their work and never intend to volunteer with NILMDTS. This is not a good use of our agency resources and slows down the process for others, like yourself, who have the dedication to serve and are ready to begin volunteering with NILMDTS.
If the fee is ever a barrier to a truly dedicated potential volunteer, please email us as we have scholarships available upon request.