To fill out a volunteer recommendation form well, gather the applicant’s details and a couple of concrete examples before you open the form, rate honestly on the scales provided, back those ratings with specific stories in the narrative sections, and submit on time through whatever portal or format the organization requires. Non-profits, schools, faith-based groups, and federal service programs like the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps all use some version of this form to screen candidates before placing them in roles that often involve vulnerable populations. If you were listed as a reference, the organization will send the form directly to you with a deadline attached.
Get Your Information Together First
Most forms ask for the same core details, and having them ready prevents mistakes that can bounce the submission back or delay the applicant’s placement.
- The applicant’s full legal name, spelled exactly as it appears on their application. A mismatch can flag the form for manual review.
- Your relationship to the applicant. Forms typically give you a dropdown. The AmeriCorps reference form lists options including Job Supervisor, College Instructor, Volunteer Supervisor, Clergy, Coach, and Other. The Peace Corps form distinguishes between supervisors, coworkers, teachers, and friends.1AmeriCorps. Create Reference Response – My AmeriCorps2Peace Corps. Confidential Reference Form
- Rough dates of your association. Even when exact dates aren’t required, knowing the timeframe keeps your narrative credible.
- One or two specific situations where you observed the person being reliable, taking initiative, or working with others. Vague praise carries almost no weight with reviewers.
- Your own contact details: name, title, organization, phone, and email. Coordinators sometimes call to verify the submission is genuine.
Rating the Applicant on the Scale
Most forms use a Likert-style scale. The Peace Corps form asks you to rate behaviors such as “provided leadership/supervision,” “worked under minimal supervision,” “been a self-starter,” and “worked with limited resources and equipment,” on a four-point scale running from “Poorly” to “Very Well,” with a “Not Applicable” option.2Peace Corps. Confidential Reference Form The AmeriCorps form takes a broader approach, asking you to rate overall competency as Outstanding, Above Average, Satisfactory, Below Average, or Unsatisfactory.1AmeriCorps. Create Reference Response – My AmeriCorps
Pick “Not Applicable” when you genuinely have no basis to judge a trait. Guessing to fill the box is worse than skipping it, and coordinators notice when every category is marked at the top of the scale but the written sections are thin. If you supervised the applicant in a work setting, your leadership and self-direction ratings carry real weight. If you know them socially, your strongest input will be on interpersonal skills and emotional maturity. Rate what you’ve actually seen.
Writing the Narrative Sections
The written responses are what differentiate one candidate from another. Ratings give coordinators a quick comparison; narrative gives them something to evaluate. Federal service forms are specific about what they want. The Peace Corps form dedicates separate sections to motivation and commitment, work skills, social sensitivity, and emotional maturity, asking in each one how the applicant demonstrated the rated behaviors and whether you have any concerns.2Peace Corps. Confidential Reference Form
Anchor each answer in a specific incident. Instead of writing “she is very dedicated,” describe the time she stayed late to reorganize a food drive after a delivery mix-up left the team short-staffed. Two or three well-chosen examples spread across the narrative sections are enough. You don’t have to fill every line.
If the form asks whether you have concerns, a simple “No” is fine when you genuinely have none. The Peace Corps form asks explicitly whether you are aware of any problems the applicant might be trying to avoid by going overseas. The AmeriCorps form asks for an overall recommendation with three choices: recommend, recommend with reservations, or do not recommend.1AmeriCorps. Create Reference Response – My AmeriCorps Be honest. Coordinators take a candid “recommend with reservations” more seriously than a glowing form that reads like the recommender didn’t think about it.
What to Keep Out of Your Response
Focus on character, skills, and suitability for the role. Avoid commenting on protected characteristics. Federal anti-discrimination law prohibits employment decisions based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.3U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Prohibited Employment Policies/Practices Unpaid volunteers generally fall outside EEOC jurisdiction unless their service leads to paid employment or they receive significant benefits, but many organizations apply the same screening standards to volunteers as to employees.4MAVA. Does the Equal Employment Apply to Volunteers Mentioning an applicant’s religion, health condition, or family situation can create legal exposure for the organization and undermine your credibility.
Stick to observable behavior and job-relevant traits. If the form asks about the applicant’s ability to work with diverse groups, describe what you have seen them do, not assumptions based on their background.
Be Honest, Especially About Problems You Know About
Write a recommendation you can stand behind. If you know the applicant has a history of misconduct relevant to the volunteer role and you leave it out, you could face questions later under a negligent-referral theory. Most negligent-referral case law has developed in the employment context rather than volunteer screening, but the principle is the same: when you choose to give a reference, you have a duty not to make it misleading. Courts in several states have found that a recommender who knows about serious problems and says nothing can share responsibility if the person later causes harm in the new role.
If you can’t give the person a positive recommendation, the cleaner choice is to decline the request. Most applicants can find another reference, and you avoid attaching your name to a form you don’t believe in.
Confidentiality Options on the Form
Some forms ask whether you consent to being identified as the source. The AmeriCorps reference form presents this directly: you can authorize the program and the Corporation for National and Community Service to identify you and release a copy of the reference to the applicant, or you can decline both.1AmeriCorps. Create Reference Response – My AmeriCorps Either choice is legitimate. Choosing confidentiality doesn’t weaken the recommendation in the coordinator’s eyes, and it can make you more comfortable being candid about reservations.
Submitting the Form on Time
How you submit depends on the organization, but most have moved to online portals. The AmeriCorps reference form must be completed and submitted in a single session; the portal does not let you save a draft and come back.1AmeriCorps. Create Reference Response – My AmeriCorps Draft your narrative answers in a separate document first, then paste them in.
Peace Corps references receive an email with a link to an online form, and that link expires after five business days. If a Peace Corps reference misses that window, the applicant’s placement officer may ask the applicant to supply a new reference entirely.5Peace Corps. Ready to Apply to the Peace Corps? Let’s Talk References Smaller organizations and local programs sometimes still use paper forms or emailed PDFs. If a physical copy is required, ask whether they need an original signature or will accept a scan.
After submitting, save or screenshot any confirmation screen or email receipt. If no confirmation appears, send a short email to the contact person on the form to verify they received it. A coordinator may follow up by phone or email to clarify something you wrote or confirm your identity, and these calls are usually brief. If you rated the applicant highly in one area but noted a concern in writing, expect the coordinator to ask you to elaborate.