Volunteer Director

Thank you for your interest in being an HRS chapter manager. Applications will only be considered from HRS volunteers who have been licensed for at least six months. If you are not yet a licensed HRS volunteer, the first step is to apply to be an educator. The application for this position can be found at www.rabbit.org/hrs-info The guidelines for operating a chapter as well the chapter contract can be found at http://www.rabbit.org/hrs-info/chapter-contract.doc

If you feel you meet the qualifications, please fill out this application and email a copy to application. Please also send a printed and signed version of the application to our headquarters at 148 Broadway, Richmond, CA 94804.

A House Rabbit Society chapter begins with a fostering and educational program, and is involved as well with providing a network for local HRS members, fundraising, offering telephone and written educational services, helping local animal shelters and organizing educational seminars. To start a House Rabbit Society chapter, you must have a pre-existing 501c3 organization. (If you have not yet done this, be sure, when incorporating your new organization, to incorporate with a name that does not include House Rabbit Society in it.)

The HRS Board of Directors define philosophy, set policies, and appoint a staff to conduct HRS business. Chapter managers automatically become staff members who conduct HRS business at the local level in accordance with HRS philosophy and policies. Duties usually include:

Coordinating state or regional fostering and educational programs.
Providing a network for local members.
Educating local members through mailings or local newsletters.
Solving urgent problems with a telephone hotline.
Organizing educational seminars.
Expanding membership.
Making financial and fundraising decisions for the area.
Allocating donations to support local programs and national HRS's special health projects.
Helping local animal shelters with rescue and education programs.
Participating in HRS activities such as participation on email lists and in training programs.
Helping National HRS with volunteer duties as assigned.

To become an HRS chapter manager, you must have already fulfilled the following requirements:

1. The applicant must already be an HRS educator.
2. A chapter application has been filed with the Volunteer Director.
3. The applicant has already been carrying out purposes stated in HRS bylaws Article 2, Section 1: a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h (in the Operations Manual).
4. The applicant must already have a 501c3 rabbit rescue organization in good standing with the IRS.
5. The applicant must have fostered & adopted out at least 10 rabbits, and must still be an active fosterer.
6. The applicant has been working with local animal shelters.
7. The foster home(s) has been operating in accordance with HRS guidelines (defined in the Fosterer's Manual), and can certify that all sanctuary rabbits get at least 4 hours per day or 30 hours per week of exercise time, and all foster rabbits get at least 1/2 hour per day but should aim for 2 hours per day of exercise time (unless cage/pen time is large enough to provide for exercise).
8. The organization has generated local support and has some method of communicating with its local members.
9. The organization has filed state and federal taxes (if applicable).
10. The applicant has a cordial relationship other HRS chapters and has not inany way undermined a licensed chapter manager; the proposed chapter is notin the exact same area as an existing chapter.

When the application is accepted, the Chapter Manager will receive a packet that contains the Chapter Pledge. When the Pledge is returned, the Chapter Manager will receive a probationary license that will expire in one year, and can be renewed every year upon receipt of a new Chapter Pledge. Additionally, new Chapter Managers will receive the name and contact information of a new mentor, and a welcome letter that outlines the online location of the items that you will need to get started:

1. The Operations Manual-this is the single most important document you will need. Download and print it out as soon as you can.

2. Fostering & Sanctuary Registries (to be replaced by the health database)
3. The Educator Manual, Fostering Manual, Sanctuary Manual and Satellite Fostering Manual (for your own volunteers)
4. The Volunteer Directory
5. Information on email lists
6. Logos for letterhead, business cards, etc.
7. Licensing materials for licensing your own volunteers

Chapter Benefits include the chapter grant program, liability insurance, sharing membership lists, receiving a portion of membership fees raised, use of the logo and name, and national publicity.

The Board reserves the sole right to determine the status of any organization applying to be a chapter or an ally. No such status should be considered to be automatically conferred. The Board will inform any applicants of its decision.



HRS CHAPTER MANAGER APPLICATION

Date:

Name:

Group Name:

Address:

Day Phone:

Evening Phone:

Email address:

Website:



1. Have you started a rescue program on your own? Please provide your federal Tax ID number, and a copy of your Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation.



2. How many rabbits have you fostered and adopted so far?



3. Are you working with a local shelter or shelters? Which ones?



4. Have you been accepted as, or applied to be, both Educator and Fosterer?



5. How many foster rabbits do you currently have in your home?



6. Being a chapter manager requires leadership (giving direction to volunteers), management (coordinating foster homes, relationships with shelters, volunteer disputes) and financial skills (calculating sales tax, filling out IRS forms). Can you give us a brief examples of these skills, or if you don't yet have them how you plan on getting the training needed to handle these areas, and your willingness to learn?



I would hereby like to be considered for an HRS chapter-in-training.



Signed: