COVC2026 – Connect Central Oregon

Central Oregon Volunteer Connect Platform Transition

Connect Central Oregon will transition Central Oregon Volunteer Connect to an upgraded volunteer management system and updated participation structure this spring. The current volunteer platform will conclude on April 30, 2026.

We encourage all organizations to bookmark this transition page, which will be updated regularly as details are finalized, dates are confirmed, and resources become available.

Twenty-two years ago, Central Oregon Volunteer Connect launched with a simple idea: that the organizations serving this region should be visible, connected, and supported.

What you have built since then — the relationships, the programs, the thousands of volunteer hours directed where they are needed most — is the ecosystem we always believed Central Oregon deserved.

That ecosystem has matured. And with that maturity comes both an opportunity and a responsibility to strengthen the infrastructure beneath it.

I am writing to you directly because what comes next requires your partnership. The organizations in this network are not just participants — you are the reason this work has meaning. We are grateful you are here, and we look forward to what we build together.

Scot Brees
Founder, Connect Central Oregon

TL;dr

Connect Central Oregon is more than a volunteer platform. It is a regional infrastructure — built over more than two decades — connecting organizations, volunteers, emerging leaders, and community energy across Central Oregon. Central Oregon Volunteer Connect is one expression of that.

Since 2004, Central Oregon Volunteer Connect has been community-driven and individually supported. As our regional volunteer ecosystem has matured, this transition aligns our infrastructure with the shared investment required to strengthen measurable community impact.

This transition reflects our continued commitment to strengthening volunteer engagement across Central Oregon and increasing measurable community impact. We look forward to working with you in this next phase.

We encourage all organizations to bookmark this transition page, which will be updated regularly as details are finalized, dates are confirmed, and resources become available.

Participation Moving Forward

Moving forward, all organizations will be included in the directory in one of two ways:

Community Listing

All organizations will maintain a Community Listing within the Central Oregon Volunteer Connect directory. Community Listings are fully managed by Connect Central Oregon and ensure continued public visibility within the regional volunteer ecosystem.

A Community Listing will:

Provide basic information about an organization event where volunteer opportunities exist.
Refer to organization’s off-platform website or other resources such as email or phone.

Community Listing $0

Managed Profile

Organizations that wish to actively manage volunteer opportunities within the Connect Central Oregon system will activate a Managed Profile.

A Managed Profile allows organizations to:

Post and manage volunteer opportunities
Communicate directly with volunteers through the platform
Track engagement and participation
Represent their organization with expanded content, logo, and visual presence
Contribute to shared regional impact reporting

Managed Profiles require a service agreement outlining shared standards, expectations, and platform responsibilities. Details on the annual participation contribution are included in the agreement and available during training and activation.

Participation is the right word for what we are asking. Not subscription. Not purchase. Participation — in something that is ours together.

The work Connect Central Oregon does — the platform, the connections, the relationships, the regional infrastructure — represents real and ongoing investment. Central Oregon Volunteer Connect is one part of that.

CCO’s work spans volunteerism, mentorship, and community leadership development across the region, and the organizations in this network are central to all of it. The participation framework we are building reflects that shared value. It is designed to be accessible, and there are multiple ways organizations can meet it.

We are building in support for organizations that need help getting there.

Training

Throughout March and April, Connect Central Oregon and our transition support team will offer in-person and online training sessions as well as online drop-in Q&A sessions.

Check back often as we’re adding sessions weekly.

Self-guided tutorials will be available in April.

In-Person: Redmond Library

(all sessions completed)

If you would like an additional session at this location, let us know.

Email
Participate in Online Q&A

Each session is approximately 45 minutes: 35 minutes of platform training followed by 10 minutes for questions.

Self-Guided

Self-guided tutorials are being reviewed and updated following the in-person and online trainings, and will be made available shortly.

Online: Weekday

Monday, March 23
- 6:00pm
Thursday, March 26
- 7:00am

Each session is approximately 45 minutes: 35 minutes of platform training followed by 10 minutes for questions.

Online: Drop-In Q&A

Friday, March 20th
- 12:00pm-2:00pm
Friday, March 27th
- 12:00pm-2:00pm

https://meet.google.com/qjh-fvuo-pxq

Our transition support team will be in touch throughout March and April with additional information, resources, and guidance to help your organization navigate this change.

Activation

Choose your path

The first and most important step in this transition is simply to choose how your organization will be included – either as a Community Listing or Managed Profile.

The default for ALL organizations is Community Listing.

Learn about the platform

Participate in the training and Q&A sessions.

Ask your questions. Give your feedback.

PARTICIPATE.

First Access

Organizations that activate a Managed Profile are designated as First Access Members and receive immediate access to the new platform upon activation.