Volunteering with CORAL at our San Francisco headquarters is a wonderful way to support the protection of coral reefs and to learn more about marine conservation efforts worldwide. In exchange for contributing your time and sharing your talents, you'll learn new skills, interact with conservation specialists, make a real difference for our planet, and have fun in the process.

The CORAL Volunteer Community
We're always looking for volunteers who can pitch in with short notice when we need extra hands in our San Francisco office or at a nearby event. If you live locally, join the CORAL Volunteer Community, and we'll send you an email when opportunities to help out arise. Many of our volunteer projects will involve typical nonprofit tasks like stuffing envelopes and collating mailings, but we also often need volunteers to help us staff events, conduct research, or update our database. When we need help, we'll send everyone in the CORAL Volunteer Community an email describing the project and the schedule, so you can sign on if you're available.

To sign up, send us your contact information along with a brief description of your background and why you'd like to volunteer for CORAL. Please email this information to info@coral.org [1].

Long-Term Volunteer Projects
In addition to the CORAL Volunteer Community, we occasionally have long-term volunteer projects that may require a specific set of skills. Current long-term volunteer opportunities are listed below. Please check back frequently or join the Volunteer Community if you don't see a project that fits your skill set, as we update this page and inform the community whenever a new opportunity arises.

Our CORAL volunteers are dedicated and passionate supporters. Many have become long-term partners and even staff members. We hope you'll consider joining us!

Current Volunteer Opportunities

We currently have no long-term volunteer projects open. Please join our Volunteer Community to learn about short-term projects and to stay informed about other opportunities to get involved with CORAL. [2]

How to Volunteer

• To join the CORAL Volunteer Community, send your contact information and a little bit about yourself to info@coral.org [3].
• To apply for a long-term project, send your resume and a cover letter describing your interests and availability to the staff member listed in the posting.

Please Note:

• You must be at least 15 years old to volunteer at CORAL.
• At this time, CORAL is unable to accept volunteers for our program sites worldwide.
• At this time, CORAL is unable to assist with visa applications or to offer housing or stipends for international volunteers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time commitment will be expected of me?
Volunteers commit to different periods of time, depending on their interests, schedules, and availability. Some volunteers have been active with CORAL for many years; others join our team to see a specific project through to completion. Most long-term projects do require a weekly commitment of at least a few hours for three months or more. If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area and want to help with occasional short-term projects, join the CORAL Volunteer Community [4].

How will I be supervised?
A staff member in the department in which you are volunteering will manage your day-to-day activities. Depending on the project you are helping with, you may have the opportunity to interact with a variety of CORAL staff members.

What will I gain from volunteering at CORAL?
As a member-supported nonprofit conservation organization, CORAL relies on the goodwill and support of our volunteers to develop and maintain our programs and promote our efforts toward global coral reef conservation. By engaging in a wide variety of volunteer opportunities, volunteers gain technical knowledge and refine their work habits and management techniques. You may choose to enhance your resume by listing the experience and skills you've gained through your volunteer work at CORAL.

How are volunteer efforts rewarded at CORAL?

• After volunteers have worked at least 100 hours, they receive a one-year CORAL membership.
• Active volunteers are invited to participate in CORAL staff gatherings.
• Volunteers will receive a CORAL wall calendar.

Please Note: Though working as a CORAL volunteer doesn’t guarantee being hired for a paid position, volunteers with appropriate qualifications may apply for available paid staff positions.