Volunteer

As a volunteer-based organization, CEF relies on the commitment and resources of our volunteers to provide all services. To join our volunteer team, read about our opportunities below – all of which have differing time commitments, training requirements, and related skill sets. However, no experience is necessary to volunteer with CEF as we provide regular training opportunities for all volunteers.

Click Here to View the Volunteer Calendar


We always need more volunteers, which means it is never too late to get started. For more information, or to get involved, please email us at thecef@gmail.com or call us at (919) 240-8440.



Volunteer opportunities include:

CEF Loan Officer
Volunteer as a loan officer to work with CEF borrowers on an individual and weekly basis. Of all volunteer opportunities, this position requires the largest and longer-term time commitment. Every applicant to CEF’s program is assigned two loan officers, whose job is to then assist individuals through the application process, present the application to the full committee and schedule a follow-up interview. If the loan application is approved, loan officers:

  • work with the borrower throughout the term of their loan
  • act as the borrowers’ constant point of contact and source of information for CEF
  • ensure that borrowers can attend weekly group meetings, make repayments on time, and follow their personal savings plan
  • work together with borrowers to set goals for their involvement in the program and plan for sustainable personal finances and advancement
  • connect borrowers to supportive services and supplemental programs

To volunteer as a loan officer, you must first attend an orientation session. To see a calendar of our upcoming sessions, please click here. Once you have attended one of these trainings, you will be paired with a Senior Loan Officer, who will work alongside you with your first borrowers and continue to train you in the structure of the program and available resources.

Outreach Team
Volunteer at our regular outreach events, which include resume-building workshops at local shelters and community centers, personal finance and budgeting workshops, and more. Volunteers work with attendees one-on-one to assist in these activities.


Resource Development Team
CEF works hard to connect borrowers with available resources to supplement the value of the loaned funds and ensure that all applicants have access to the many services provided by area organizations.

Volunteer with this team to assist in: producing manuals for loan officers, compiling information on area services, developing materials for workshops, researching local services and funding opportunities, and connecting loan officers and borrowers alike to these resources.

Workshop Planning Committee
CEF hosts a wide range of workshops, including outreach events to potential applicants, workshops for borrowers’ group meetings, trainings for loan officers. Volunteer with this committee to assist in organizing these workshops, connecting to organizations and professionals for workshop presentations, and planning community and campus outreach events.

Small Business Counseling and Employer Mentors Program
As a number of CEF borrowers apply for loans to pursue entrepreneurial interests, these individuals benefit from contacts within the local business community, accounting and managerial assistance, and business counseling.

If you have skills in business planning or management – whether through personal experience, business school training, past or current business involvment, knowledge of a particular industry, or other means – many of CEF’s borrowers would benefit greatly from the opportunity to work with you on an individual basis as they strive to build their own micro-enterprise.

Additionally, many borrowers are interested in participating in an apprenticeship or mentor relationship with businessowners in their vocational field. CEF borrowers are highly-skilled, and would be an asset as an intern or apprentice to a wide range of related businesses. If you or a business you know may be interested in this program, please contact us for more information.

Fundraising and Box-Out Planning
Our biggest annual event and our main source of funding, the Box-Out is a large organizational endeavor. During the Box-Out, hundreds of students get sponsored to sleep in cardboard boxes in the Pit for a night to raise money for CEF. The Box-Out is held every year in the last week of March. We begin planning in the fall semester and need volunteers to assist in:

  • gathering boxes and donations
  • publicity
  • event planning
  • musician and entertainment recruitment
  • and much more

Please email the HOPE co-chairs to join the Box-Out committee :

To sign up to Box-Out, email uncboxout@gmail.com.

Volunteer Calendar