Throughout Volunteer Alliance we refer to two different types of organizations. They are:

• Community Based Organization (CBO), and
• Volunteer Placement Organization (VPO)

There is an important distinction between CBOs and VPOs.  CBOs are the actual organizations that you will volunteer with (they can also be referred to as non-governmental organizations or NGOs), whereas VPOs are the organizations that you can volunteer through. When you volunteer through a VPO, you will still volunteer at a CBO, however it will be one of the VPOs partner CBOs. VPOs also often provide orientation and in country support for volunteers.

Neither CBOs or VPOs are better. Some volunteers prefer CBOs because they can connect with the organization directly, making it significantly cheaper to volunteer (more money to donate to the CBO). While other volunteers prefer VPOs because they handle in-country logistics and have program coordinators who assist volunteers with managing their experience.

We list both CBOs and VPOs to give volunteers the every option possible. If you've never volunteered internationally before, it may be a good idea to work with a VPO who can hold your hand through the process. If you're a volunteering veteran, you'll likely want to save the money and connect directly with a CBO.