Join us as a volunteer

Ready to join our community of volunteers? Sign up here!

It takes a community to protect our coastal waters. Share your skills—and learn new ones—by donating your time. We’d love to partner with you in our work to protect the Bay we all love and enjoy. We have many ways folks volunteer with us. They fall into two categories: Group Volunteer Opportunities and Opportunities for Individuals.

Opportunities for Individuals

Water Reporters

Water Reporters help our scientists track the health of Casco Bay and the watershed by taking photos of algal blooms, eelgrass, pollution, and more. Learn more about this program.

Coastal Cleanups

Volunteers help clean up trash along our coastal parks, streets, and public spaces. These efforts help reduce pollution and microplastics, protect wildlife, collect data for marine debris research and advocacy efforts, support the local economy, and keep our shores cleaner and safer.

Event Volunteers

Volunteers help make our community events a success with set-up, registration, parking, ushering, serving snacks, and more.

Office Volunteers

Volunteers help our office staff with mailings, data entry, archiving, and more.

Sign up to volunteer with us today!

Use the form below to sign up to be a volunteer today! Once your application is accepted, you will be placed on the email list to be notified of future volunteer activities. We will also provide you with details about our Water Reporter program, a great way to make a big impact.

Please know that much of our Science work is done aboard our Casco Baykeeper boat. While volunteers sometimes express interest in doing water testing, it is rare that we have opportunities to volunteer to collect water quality data. Instead, volunteers collect critical observational data through our Water Reporter program.

Questions? Email us at volunteer@cascobay.org

Group Volunteer Opportunities

Community service project with your group: Gather your coworkers or group to volunteer with us at Friends of Casco Bay through a Coastal Cleanup or Storm Drain Stenciling event. We make it easy for your group of 8 or more to take part. Learn more here.

Internships

If you are interested in an internship with us, please read this page.

Volunteer Sign Up

It takes a community to protect our coastal waters. Share your skills—and learn new ones—by donating your time. Volunteering is a great way to show that you are a true Friend of Casco Bay. You will be notified of future volunteer opportunities via email based on the interests you check below. Many of the volunteer opportunities are infrequent. You may not hear from us often, but we will notify you each time we can use your help.

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Opportunities for volunteering at Friends of Casco Bay

Water Reporter

I am interested in becoming a Water Reporter

Want to get outside, take photos that may help protect the health of Casco Bay, and connect with other community members? We invite you to join Water Reporter. It is an exciting way to share what you see around the Bay using a smartphone app to document, organize, and share your observations of the Bay.

Public Cleanups

I am interested in Coastal Cleanups

Litter and marine debris that wind up on our shores can pollute our water, hurt marine life, and reduce the quality of life of those who live, work, and play on Casco Bay. From May through September, we host a series of public coastal cleanups at locations across the Bay and along rivers in the watershed. By signing up, you’ll get reminders about these events. Registration for individual events is recommended.

Storm Drain Stenciling

I am interested in Storm Drain Stenciling

Storm Drain Stenciling is a hands‐on way for volunteers to “take to the streets” and create a greater awareness for reducing stormwater pollution. We loan storm drain stenciling kits to local groups or families. The kits provide you with all the instructions and materials needed to host a stenciling effort in your community. Kits are available from May to September. By signing up, you’ll get reminders about the program.

Events

I am interested in Special Events

Some of our events include fundraising house parties, our Annual Meeting, and a storytelling event. We often need logistical support for these events such as: set up and clean up, food prep, photo documentation, ushering, etc.

Office Help

I am interested in Data Entry

These tasks include entering detailed information into customized databases for our fundraising programs or other admin tasks such as organizing and shredding. These tasks are completed during the times our office is open, 9 AM-5 PM Monday – Friday.

Mailings

I am interested in Mailings

The tasks include stuffing, stamping, and sealing envelopes for fundraising mailings. We also often need help with hand addressing envelopes. These can be a good way to connect with other volunteers. These tasks are complete during time our office is open, 9 AM-5 PM Monday – Friday.

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Tell us about yourself*

Why are you interested in volunteering with us? If you have photography skills, boat skills, or legal skills please list that here. Other things you can include: Relevant work & volunteer experience, educational background, and skills.

How did you hear about Friends of Casco Bay?*

Volunteer Release and Waiver of Liability Form This Release and Waiver of Liability (the “release”) executed on the date this form is completed by the volunteer (“Volunteer”) who completes this form releases Friends of Casco Bay, a nonprofit corporation existing under the laws of the State of Maine, and each of their directors, officers, employees, and agents. The Volunteer desires to provide volunteer services for Friends of Casco Bay and engage in activities relating to serving as a volunteer to protect the environmental health of Casco Bay. Volunteer understands that the scope of Volunteer’s relationship with Friends of Casco Bay is limited to a volunteer position and that no compensation is expected in return for services provided by Volunteer; that Friends of Casco Bay will not provide any benefits traditionally associated with employment to Volunteer; and that Volunteer is responsible for his/her own insurance coverage in the event of personal injury or illness as a result of Volunteer’s service to Friends of Casco Bay.

Waiver and Release: I, the Volunteer, release and forever discharge and hold harmless Friends of Casco Bay and their successors and assigns from any and all liability, claims, and demands of whatever kind of nature, either in law or in equity, which arise or may hereafter arise from the services I provide to Friends of Casco Bay. I understand and acknowledge that this Release discharges Friends of Casco Bay from any liability or claim that I may have against Friends of Casco Bay with respect to bodily injury, personal injury, illness, death, or property damage that may result from the services I provide to Friends of Casco Bay and occurring while I am providing volunteer services.
Insurance: Further, I understand that Friends of Casco Bay does not assume any responsibility for or obligation to provide me with financial or other assistance, including but not limited to medical, health, or disability benefits or insurance of any nature in the event of my injury, illness, death, or damage to my property. I expressly waive any such claim for compensation or liability on the part of Friends of Casco Bay beyond what may be offered freely by Friends of Casco Bay in the event of such injury or medical expenses incurred by me.
Medical Treatment: I hereby Release and forever discharge Friends of Casco Bay from any claim whatsoever which arises or may hereafter arise on account of any first-aid treatment or other medical services rendered in connection with an emergency during my tenure as a volunteer with Friends of Casco Bay.
Assumption of Risk: I understand that the services I provide to Friends of Casco Bay may include inherently dangerous activities that may be hazardous to me, including but not limited to, water sampling and/or attending events that are near or on the ocean, slippery docks, rocks, piers, wharves, and boats. As a volunteer, I hereby expressly assume the risk of injury or harm from these activities and release Friends of Casco Bay from all liability for injury, illness, death, or property damage resulting from the services I provide as a volunteer and occurring while I am providing volunteer services.
Photographic Release: I grant and convey to Friends of Casco Bay and their collaborators all rights, title, and interests in any and all photographs, images, video, or audio recordings of me or my likeness or voice made by Friends of Casco Bay and their collaborators in connection with my providing volunteer services to Friends of Casco Bay.
Email Signup: We would like to contact you from time to time to tell you about important updates about the health of Casco Bay, special events, and how you can support our mission. Please opt-in to receive these updates by sharing your email address below. You can opt-out at any time by clicking the unsubscribe links at the bottom of each email.
Water Reporter posts: By sharing observations on Water Reporter, I retain my rights to any photographs I submit while granting Friends of Casco Bay and their partners non-exclusive rights to use these photographs for their work. I authorize Friends of Casco Bay to update my post’s categories, details, and location information to ensure accuracy, and I understand that Friends of Casco Bay may use the photographs without requiring my review or approval of their final use.
Other: As a volunteer, I expressly agree that this Release is intended to be as broad and inclusive as permitted by the laws of the State of Maine and that this Release shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Maine. I agree that in the event that any clause or provision of this Release is deemed invalid, the enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Release shall not be affected.

I express my understanding and intent to enter into this Release and Waiver of Liability willingly and voluntarily.

Volunteer Release and Waiver of Liability*

I am over the age of 18 and by checking this box, I express my understanding and intent to enter into this Release and Waiver of Liability willingly and voluntarily.

I am under the age of 18 and my parent/guardian will sign a release and waiver.

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What do volunteers do?

More than 300 people volunteer their time with us every year, and these volunteers help us protect the Bay in a variety of ways, from cleaning up shorelines to stuffing envelopes.

Ongoing volunteer opportunities include: