The Top 6 Things Public Servants Need to Know about Volunteering

 

1. Public servants may volunteer for any not-for-profit organization if they have no formal role at the not-for-profit.

2. Public servants may serve in a formal volunteer role (like an unpaid board member, attorney, or consultant) with a not-for-profit that does not do business with the City.

3. A public servant may serve in a formal volunteer role with a not-for-profit that does business with the City if:

  • The public servant takes no part in the not-for-profit’s business with the City; and
  • The not-for-profit does no business with the public servant's City agency

4. It is the public servant's responsibility to determine if a not-for-profit has business dealings with his or her City agency. That can be found by checking the City Council’s discretionary funding search page or CheckbookNYC.com.

5. Public servants may not use any amount of City time or resources for volunteer work.

6. Public servants may not solicit funds for not-for-profits from their subordinates or from any vendor with which they interact as part of their City jobs.

 

Want advice? Click here or call (212) 442-1400 to speak to the Board’s Attorney of the Day. All calls are confidential.