Frequently Asked Questions

Volunteers

Q. Why do I need to register as a user?

A. As a registered user you can get complete details about projects as well as contact information (phone and e-mail) for project managers.

Q. What do I do if my e-mail address changes?

A. You do not need to re-register when you get a new e-mail address.  Log into The Bridge using your old e-mail and password. Click on the My Profile tab and scroll to the bottom of the page.  Replace your old e-mail address with your new one and click Update.  PLEASE NOTE: If you have family, group, ministry, association, or state convention memberships, you must change your e-mail address in each and every one of your memberships.  To do this, click on the My Membership tab at the top of your Welcome Back page.  Click on each of your memberships and update your e-mail address.  Be sure to click Update or Continue at the bottom of the page.

Q. How do I search for a project?

A. To search for a project, go to the purple Project Search bar. Select a project type and/or U.S. region/state/providence. Click on Search.  If you need to search more specifically, click on Project Search at the top of the page and use the advanced search option.

Q. When I find a project of interest, what is the next step?

A. When you find a project of interest, click on the Express Interest box on the Project Search Detail page.

Q. Can I contact project managers directly?

A. Yes. Contact project managers via e-mail by clicking Express Interest or call the project manager at the phone number listed.  If you are not a registered user or logged in, then you will not be able to access project details or project manager contact information.

Q. Can I withdraw my interest in a project?

A. Yes. Click on My Projects (green  tab). Under the section “Projects I’ve Expressed Interest In,” click on the project name and then click on Remove Interest.

Project Managers

Q. How do I post a project?

A. Posting a project from beginning to end is a three-step process.

1.         If you have not done so, register as a user. Click on the blue registration button on the home page and fill out the form.

2.         Click on My Memberships (red tab). Click on Add a New Ministry and fill out the form.

3.         Click on My Projects (green tab). Click on Add New Project and fill out the form.        Click on Submit.

Q. What happens when I submit a project?

A. If you are a ministry or a church, your profile is e-mailed to your association or state convention office for verification.  They have 10 days to verify.  Only one level of verification is required. Once verified your project is viewable on The Bridge.

Q. Why must I mark my project as current every 30 days?

A. One of the core values built into The Bridge is that projects viewable by volunteers are current. To this end, the system requires the project manager to mark the project as current once every 30 days.

Q. What happens if I don’t mark my project as current?

A. If you fail to click the Mark as Current button every 30 days, your project will be placed “on hold.” As such it will not be viewable by volunteers who are searching for a project.

Q. My project is on hold.  How do I make it “live” again?

A. If you project is on hold, open the project and click on the Mark as Current button.  This will return the project to the current and live status, which will make it viewable by volunteers.

Q.What do I do when a volunteer expresses interest in my project?

A. When a volunteer expresses interest in your project, contact the volunteer by phone or e-mail. Discuss the project with the volunteer. If they are still interested, click the Accept Volunteer button.  If not, click the Decline Volunteer button  If you or the volunteer are uncertain, click the Pending Volunteer button. This gives you a 14-day window in which to make the final decision.

Q. What can I do if volunteers are not expressing interest in my project?

A. First, make sure that you have given enough information about the project and that it is “volunteer friendly.” Some projects may be too difficult or too costly.  Keep your needs and the skills required within reason.  Be creative with lodging and meal options.  Second, be proactive in inviting volunteers. The Bridge has a volunteer search engine which allows you to search for volunteers by location and skills. You can get volunteer contact information. Give them a call or send an e-mail expressing your interest!

Q. I’ve got more volunteers than I need. What should I do?

A. Open your project and click the Project Filled button.  This will prevent more volunteers from expressing interest.  If you need more volunteers at a later date, you can turn off the Project Filled button, and volunteers will again be able to express interest in your project.

Q. My project is finished. What should I do?

A. Open your project and click the Project Completed button.