How to Value Volunteer Time for Grant Applications

Why Grant Assessors Want a Number

Every major government and philanthropic grant program allows — and most encourage — applicants to include the value of in-kind contributions. For community organisations, volunteer labour is almost always the largest in-kind contribution.

But there is a difference between writing "our volunteers contribute significantly to this project" and writing "this project will require 840 volunteer hours valued at $39,480 (ABS replacement cost methodology)."

The first tells the assessor you have volunteers. The second tells them three things: you know how much labour the project needs, you understand the economic methodology, and you have the organisational maturity to plan and track contributions at that level. That last point often matters as much as the number itself.

The Accepted Methodology

The standard approach is the replacement cost method. It answers a simple question: what would it cost to hire someone to do this work?

The calculation uses Australian Bureau of Statistics Average Weekly Earnings data:

1. Take the ABS average ordinary-time weekly earnings (currently around $1,924 for full-time adults)
2. Divide by standard weekly hours (38) to get an hourly rate
3. Add 15% for employer on-costs (superannuation, payroll tax, WorkCover, administration)

The resulting all-ages national average is approximately $47 per hour.

This methodology was developed by Associate Professor Dr Lisel O'Dwyer at the University of Adelaide and is endorsed by Volunteering Australia, Volunteering SA&NT, and state peak volunteering bodies across the country.

Age and state variations

If your volunteers skew younger or older, or if you want state-specific figures, the rates vary:

| Age group | Approximate hourly rate | |---|---| | 15-24 years | $20-22 | | 25-34 years | $43-46 | | 35-44 years | $53-56 | | 45-54 years | $55-59 | | 55-64 years | $50-53 | | 65+ years | $40-42 | | All ages average | $47-48 |

Rates also vary by state. Western Australia and the mining states tend to be higher. Tasmania and South Australia tend to be lower. If precision matters for your application, use state-specific ABS data.

For most club grant applications, using the national all-ages average of $47/hr is appropriate and accepted.

Step-by-Step: Calculating Your In-Kind Contribution

Step 1: List the volunteer roles involved

Do not lump all volunteer time together. Break it down by role. This shows the assessor you have thought about what labour the project actually requires.

Step 2: Estimate hours per role

Be realistic. Assessors know the difference between a credible estimate and an inflated one. Round to the nearest reasonable figure.

Step 3: Apply the hourly rate

Use $47/hr for the all-ages national average, or age-specific rates if you have that data.

Step 4: Present it clearly

Here is a template you can use directly in a grant application:

In-Kind Contribution: Volunteer Labour

| Role | Number of volunteers | Hours per person | Total hours | Rate (ABS replacement cost) | Value | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Event coordination | 2 | 40 | 80 | $47/hr | $3,760 | | Setup and pack-down | 8 | 12 | 96 | $47/hr | $4,512 | | Coaching delivery | 3 | 60 | 180 | $47/hr | $8,460 | | Administration | 1 | 100 | 100 | $47/hr | $4,700 | | Committee oversight | 4 | 20 | 80 | $47/hr | $3,760 | | Total | | | 536 | | $25,192 |

Volunteer labour valued using the ABS replacement cost methodology (average ordinary-time earnings + 15% employer on-costs). Source: ABS Cat. 6302.0.

Step 5: Include your source

Always cite the methodology. One sentence is enough:

"Volunteer labour is valued at $47/hr using the Australian Bureau of Statistics average weekly earnings replacement cost methodology, including 15% employer on-costs, as recommended by Volunteering Australia."

Common Mistakes

Inflating hours. If your grant is for a 6-month project and you claim 5,000 volunteer hours, the assessor will do the maths. That is roughly 20 volunteers each contributing 10 hours per week for 26 weeks. If your club has 8 active volunteers, your numbers do not add up.

Using a random hourly rate. Some applications use $25/hr. Some use $60/hr. Neither is wrong per se, but neither is cited. Using the ABS methodology with a citation gives your figure institutional credibility.

Forgetting to track actual hours. If you receive the grant, you will likely need to acquit it — including demonstrating that the in-kind contributions were actually delivered. If you estimated 536 volunteer hours and cannot show evidence of hours contributed, your acquittal will be weak.

Only counting event-day volunteering. The hours that go into committee meetings, planning sessions, phone calls, emails, and administrative tasks are all volunteer labour. A committee member who spends 2 hours per week on club business for 48 weeks contributes 96 hours per year. That is $4,512 in volunteer labour from a single person.

Which Grants Accept Volunteer Labour Valuations?

Most do. Specific examples:

• Sport Australia — Participation, High Performance, and Community Sport Infrastructure grants all accept in-kind contributions including volunteer labour
• State government active communities programs — Victoria (Active Victoria), Queensland (Active Clubs), NSW (Stronger Country Communities), WA (Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund)
• Local government grants — most council community grants accept volunteer labour as co-contribution
• Philanthropic trusts — many foundations recognise volunteer labour, though some cap the percentage of total project value that can be in-kind

Check your specific grant guidelines. The phrase to look for is "in-kind contributions" or "non-cash contributions."

Recording Volunteer Hours

The weakest link in most grant applications is evidence. You can calculate the value perfectly, but if you cannot demonstrate that the hours were actually contributed, your application and acquittal are both undermined.

There are several ways to track volunteer hours:

Sign-in sheets — simple but manual. Works for event-day volunteering. Does not capture committee or admin time.

Timesheets — more detailed but relies on volunteers remembering to fill them in. Compliance drops off after the first month.

Activity-based tracking — instead of asking volunteers to log hours separately, use a system where their hours accumulate as they work. When a volunteer checks in attendees at an event via a QR scanner, those hours are recorded. When they complete a task assigned to them, the time is logged. When they attend a committee meeting that is minuted in the system, their attendance is captured.

A Final Note on Proportionality

Volunteer labour valuation should be proportional to your grant ask. If you are applying for a $2,000 council grant, a simple one-line estimate is sufficient: "In-kind volunteer contribution: approximately 120 hours valued at $5,640."

If you are applying for a $50,000 state government grant, the detailed table format above is appropriate, and you should be prepared to provide evidence during acquittal.

Match the rigour of your valuation to the scale of the opportunity.