Frequently Asked Questions
Why volunteer?
Why do volunteers have to pay to work?
May I deduct the trip expenses on my taxes?
Who can volunteer? What type of person are you looking for?
Do I need to have experience planting vegetation or doing trail maintenance or restoration?
Are there age restrictions?
How hard do we work?
Do volunteers come on their own or with a partner?
May I join late or leave early?
What is the food like?
Can you accommodate vegetarians?
Do you provide transportation from/to the U.S. and the meeting point?
What is the relationship between Conservation VIP and REI Adventures?
Why volunteer?
Volunteering with Conservation VIP gives you the opportunity to help some of the world’s greatest landscapes and cultural sites. We get a great mix of people on our trips with a variety of motivations. Here are a few:
- Help the environment
- Travel with a group you can trust
- Travel inexpensively
- ‘Give back’ by repairing trails
- Meet people with similar interests
- Work with locals and understand the local culture in a way that may not occur when traveling through a country by yourself or with other tours
- Travel to a foreign country without having to speak the language
- Travel to a foreign country without having to make all the travel arrangements
- Bird-watch (condors in Torres del Paine!)
- Improve your fitness by working outdoors
- Have a fun adventure
Why do volunteers have to pay to work?
We work hard to keep expenses down. All of our staff, including trip leaders, volunteer their time.
We do not want to burden the park or the people who welcome us in any way. This is why we pay for food, lodging, and local transportation.
It costs money to arrange the trips. We pay for liability insurance, web hosting, and fees to the various agencies that regulate nonprofits.
As a nonprofit, we gratefully accept donations, which helps cover some of our expenses. The fees you pay covers the rest.
May I deduct the trip expenses on my taxes?
We are not allowed to give tax advice, but for tax guidance we direct our volunteers to Internal Revenue Service Publication 526 (Charitable Contributions), which says:
“Generally, you can claim a charitable contribution deduction for travel expenses necessarily incurred while you are away from home performing services for a charitable organization . . . The deduction for travel expenses will not be denied simply because you enjoy providing services to the charitable organization. Even if you enjoy the trip, you can take a charitable contribution deduction for your travel expenses if you are on duty in a genuine and substantial sense throughout the trip. . .”
Conservation Volunteers International Program is a 501 (c)(3) qualified charitable organization. We try to structure our trips to ensure that participants are given the opportunity to contribute in a genuine and substantial sense throughout the trip. Please see your tax advisor to confirm the appropriate tax treatment for your trip expenses.
Who can volunteer? What type of person are you looking for?
We need people who are physically fit, who want to volunteer.
Do I need to have experience planting vegetation or doing trail maintenance or restoration?
No prior experience is necessary. We provide training on each trip. As long as you are physically fit and are willing to learn, we welcome you!
Are there age restrictions?
You must be 18 or older. Your health and safety is very important to us. We work with sharp tools, and need to concentrate while using them. We’ve had volunteers in their late 70’s — some of whom worked harder than people half their age!
The bottom line is, you must determine whether your body — regardless of age — is up to the tasks. For more information about project tasks, check out the Project Details of the trip you’re interested in, or read the trip reports about past projects.
How hard do we work?
We want you to have happy memories of your trip, and return as fit and healthy as when you arrived — if not more so!
We all have different capacities for physical work, so we offer a variety of tasks. You choose the one(s) that suit you, and work at your own pace. We trust you to take a break whenever you need it.
Do volunteers come on their own or with a partner?
Most trips have one or more couples, but many people come on their own. It is easy to strike up new friendships on the trip.
May I join late or leave early?
No, unfortunately. The trips involve complex logistics. Trip leaders need to focus on organizing the work and handling logistics for the group. If you can’t stay for the entire trip this time, we hope you will sign up later when your schedule allows.
What is the food like?
Plentiful, nutritious, and delicious!
Food choices are dictated by the trip. The restaurants around Machu Picchu are able to take advantage of plentiful fresh fruits and vegetables, while the refugios in Torres del Paine do a remarkably good job of preparing food which must travel great distances to reach this end-of-the-world location.
Can you accommodate vegetarians?
Yes. Our trips generally offer non-meat options. If you are vegan or have food allergies, please talk to us about your restrictions before the trip.
Do you provide transportation from/to the U.S. and the meeting point?
No. Each trips begins and ends at the meeting place specified for the trip (Punta Arenas, Cuzco, . . . ) You are responsible for getting yourself to and from that meeting site. Our partner, REI Adventures, can help you with travel arrangements: call (800) 622-2236.
What is the relationship between Conservation VIP and REI Adventures?
Conservation Volunteers International Program and REI share similar values and missions. Like Conservation VIP, REI is committed to caring for our planet by protecting shared natural spaces and engaging others in making a difference. REI’s mission is to inspire, educate and outfit for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship.
Conservation VIP and REI Adventures have skills that complement each other. Under our agreement with REI, they advertise our stewardship trips on the REI Adventures website. REI Adventures handles the logistics of signing up volunteers for CVIP/REI Adventures trips. They can also assist volunteers with airline arrangements between the U.S. and the foreign meeting place for the trips.
Teaming up with REI Adventures enables Conservation VIP to focus our small volunteer staff on the activities where we have special skills and real passion, such as organizing and managing volunteer activities in the world’s greatest landscapes.
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