Group of people working together to clean and water landscaped area outside under sunny sky, with trees, benches, and a building in the background.

Join the WAVE

Whether you're a seasoned professional or just beginning your journey, there's a place for you at The WAVE Coalition. We believe that experience starts with opportunity, and we are proud to offer hands-on roles where you can grow, learn, and make a difference for animals, science, and our planet.

Volunteering

Gain hands-on experience in education, conservation, event planning, research, nonprofit operations, and outreach. Whether you're looking to boost your resume, explore new fields, or simply give back, your work with us will leave a lasting impact.

Volunteering Levels

At WAVE, we offer three different volunteer paths designed to meet every individual's interests, goals, and availability. Our Wave Makers, Wave Builders, and Wave Leaders. To ensure a positive and productive experience for everyone, all volunteers sign a contract outlining expectations, protections, and a term limit tailored to their availability and goals. At the end of each term, volunteers have the option to renew their commitment or conclude their service with WAVE, ensuring flexibility and growth for both the volunteer and the organization.

Group of people cleaning up a beach filled with debris and skeletons, under a cloudy sky, with hills in the background.

If you are interested please fill out this form and we will get back to you at our earliest conveniece.

  • Supports: Day-to-day nonprofit operations

    What You’ll Do

    • Assist with scheduling, data entry, and organization

    • Support CRM updates and documentation

    • Help streamline systems and processes

    Tier Options

    • Wave Maker: Short-term admin tasks

    • Wave Builder: Ongoing operations support

    • Wave Leader: Coordinate volunteers or manage systems

    Great Fit For
    Detail-oriented volunteers who enjoy behind-the-scenes impact.

  • Supports: Educational programs, workshops, and teach-ins

    What You’ll Do

    • Assist with lesson prep and materials

    • Support workshops, classrooms, or virtual sessions

    • Help engage learners of all ages

    Tier Options

    • Wave Maker: Prep materials or assist at a single event

    • Wave Builder: Ongoing education support

    • Wave Leader: Help lead sessions or coordinate volunteers

    Great Fit For
    Educators, students, or anyone passionate about environmental learning.

  • Supports: Community events, fundraisers, workshops, and outreach

    What You’ll Do

    • Assist with event setup, breakdown, and logistics

    • Support registration, tabling, and guest engagement

    • Help distribute educational materials

    • Represent WAVE at community events

    Tier Options

    • Wave Maker: One-time or occasional events

    • Wave Builder: Regular event support throughout the year

    • Wave Leader: Coordinate volunteers or assist with event planning

    Great Fit For
    People who enjoy hands-on work, community engagement, and in-person experiences.

  • Supports: Marketing, education, and public engagement

    What You’ll Do

    • Create and schedule social media content

    • Assist with campaign promotion and storytelling

    • Engage with followers and support outreach

    • Prepping monthly Newsletters

    Tier Options

    • Wave Maker: Create individual posts or graphics

    • Wave Builder: Ongoing content creation and/or prepping monthly newsletters.

    • Wave Leader: Coordinate content calendars or manage platforms

    Great Fit For
    Creative volunteers interested in marketing, communications, or digital media.

  • Supports: Conservation, animal welfare, and environmental research initiatives
    Format: Remote, in-person, or hybrid (project-dependent)

    What You’ll Do

    • Assist with conservation, animal welfare, or environmental research projects

    • Conduct literature reviews, data collection, and basic analysis

    • Support species monitoring, habitat research, or citizen science efforts

    • Help document findings and translate research into educational materials

    • Uphold ethical research standards and WAVE’s animal welfare guidelines

    Tier Options

    • Wave Maker: Support short-term research tasks, literature reviews, or data entry

    • Wave Builder: Participate in ongoing research projects and data collection

    • Wave Leader: Help lead research initiatives, mentor volunteers, and support coordination

    Great Fit For

    Students, early-career professionals, or experienced scientists interested in applied conservation, animal welfare, and research-informed education.

  • Supports: Digital systems, technology projects, and innovation initiatives

    What You’ll Do

    • Assist with website updates, digital tools, and internal systems

    • Support data management, CRM tools, or workflow optimization

    • Help develop, test, or research digital learning or VR education concepts

    • Assist with troubleshooting and technology improvements

    • Support data visualization and impact tracking tools

    • Editing Podcasts, videos, and photos (photography/videography)

    Tier Options

    • Wave Maker: Assist with small tech tasks, testing, or research

    • Wave Builder: Provide ongoing support for technology or digital projects

    • Wave Leader: Help lead tech initiatives and coordinate tech volunteers

    Great Fit For

    Volunteers with interests or experience in technology, IT, UX/UI, data, digital media, or tech-for-good initiatives.

  • Supports: Fundraising campaigns, donor outreach, and sustainability

    What You’ll Do

    • Assist with fundraising campaigns and events

    • Help with donor outreach and stewardship

    • Support peer-to-peer or online fundraising efforts

    • Research sponsorship or donor opportunities

    Tier Options

    • Wave Maker: Assist with campaigns or events

    • Wave Builder: Ongoing fundraising support

    • Wave Leader: Help coordinate fundraising efforts or campaigns

    Great Fit For
    Volunteers interested in nonprofit sustainability, development, or relationship-building.

  • Supports: Grant funding and reporting

    What You’ll Do

    • Research grant opportunities aligned with WAVE’s mission

    • Assist with drafting proposals and gathering materials

    • Support grant tracking and reporting

    Tier Options

    • Wave Maker: Grant research or editing support

    • Wave Builder: Regular proposal support

    • Wave Leader: Manage grant pipelines or mentor other volunteers

    Great Fit For
    Strong writers, researchers, students, or professionals interested in nonprofit funding.

  • Supports: Partnerships and public awareness

    What You’ll Do

    • Represent WAVE at events and tabling opportunities

    • Share information about programs and impact

    • Help build community partnerships

    Tier Options

    • Wave Maker: Occasional outreach events

    • Wave Builder: Regular representation

    • Wave Leader: Coordinate ambassadors or partnerships

    Great Fit For
    Outgoing volunteers who enjoy networking and public engagement.

  • Casual volunteers who help occasionally at events, outreach activities, and assists with backend stuff with limited direction, such as graphic design, social media graphics, and blog writing. Perfect for those with limited schedules.

  • More regular projects, gaining deeper hands-on experience in areas like conservation, education, and nonprofit operations. Assist in important documentation like grant writing, balancing books, and more.

  • Take on leadership roles, helping to manage programs or mentor newer volunteers. Perfect for those who believe in the mission and want to be involved for long periods of time.