History in 3 Lengths
Super-Short Version (140 characters)
Length: 138 characters
SAVMA has strengthened volunteer engagement in Southern Arizona for 30+ years, evolving from early United Way collaborations into a regional professional association.
Short Version (~300 characters)
Length: 292 characters
SAVMA began in the 1980s as a United Way collaboration of volunteer leaders, formally incorporated in 1997, and today supports Volunteer Engagement Professionals through training, recognition, advocacy, and community leadership across Southern Arizona.
Medium Version (~300 words)
Length: 299 words
SAVMA’s roots stretch back to the late 1980s, when volunteer leaders across Tucson collaborated through United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona’s Tucson Table Program to strengthen volunteerism across the region. These early gatherings laid the groundwork for the Tucson Association of Volunteer Administrators (TAVA) in the early 1990s under the Volunteer Center of Tucson and Southern Arizona. As the field grew more specialized, TAVA members recognized the need for a standalone professional association, incorporating the Southern Arizona Volunteer Management Association (SAVMA) in January 1997.
Through the late 1990s and early 2000s, SAVMA expanded learning opportunities, launched an Internship Program, partnered with ASTD to offer certified workshops, and built regional partnerships to elevate the practice of volunteer engagement. SAVMA hosted growing National Volunteer Week celebrations, launched savma.org, revised its bylaws, and secured nonprofit status in 2004.
The late 2000s brought significant disruption when the Volunteer Center collapsed, leading to a decline in SAVMA membership and capacity. Core leaders preserved the organization through this challenging period. In 2013, the Volunteer Center returned under United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, re-stabilizing the region’s volunteer infrastructure and renewing opportunities for collaboration.
In recent years, SAVMA has entered a new phase of growth and sector leadership. Membership has surpassed 100 and remained above that threshold for three consecutive years. SAVMA has hosted the SAVMA Awards recognition breakfast at the Tucson Convention Center, served as a host site for nearly a decade of the Volunteer Management Hybrid Conference (VMHC), and expanded its digital presence through its blog and YouTube channel, including early contributions by Ken Charvoz.
Today, SAVMA continues advancing volunteer engagement as a profession through training, recognition, advocacy, and peer connection across Southern Arizona.
Full History
Advancing Volunteer Engagement in Southern Arizona for More Than Three Decades
The Southern Arizona Volunteer Management Association (SAVMA) is the result of more than thirty years of collaboration among leaders committed to strengthening volunteer engagement practices across the region.
Origins in the Late 1980s: United Way’s Tucson Table Program
The earliest roots of SAVMA trace to the late 1980s, when Directors of Volunteers across Tucson gathered through United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona’s Tucson Table Program. These meetings created one of the first structured spaces in Southern Arizona for volunteer-engagement leaders to compare challenges, share strategies, and build a professional network.
Early 1990s: Formation of TAVA
Out of this collaboration, the Tucson Association of Volunteer Administrators (TAVA) formed within the newly established Volunteer Center of Tucson and Southern Arizona. TAVA offered early professional development, peer support, and a central hub for volunteer leadership.
1996–1997: SAVMA Incorporates
By 1996, TAVA leaders recognized that the field needed its own independent, member-driven professional association with dedicated governance, strategy, and training. In January 1997, the Southern Arizona Volunteer Management Association (SAVMA) was formally incorporated. Founding leaders—including Gail Hodder (first President), Emily Morrison, Dan Gregory, Doris Carlson, Maryann Hueston, Mary Harvey, and Holly Reck—created the foundation for SAVMA’s identity and mission.
Late 1990s–Early 2000s: Professional Growth and Recognition Traditions
SAVMA launched an Internship Program, expanded regional training (including ASTD-certified workshops), developed its first strategic plan, and hosted increasingly popular National Volunteer Week celebrations—from Ft. Lowell Park to the Reid Park Zoo and Pima Air & Space Museum—with attendance ranging from hundreds to more than 1,700 volunteers. SAVMA formalized bylaws, launched savma.org, and secured IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in 2004.
Late 2000s: Volunteer Center Collapse and Membership Decline
When the Volunteer Center of Tucson and Southern Arizona collapsed in the late 2000s, the region’s volunteer infrastructure fractured. SAVMA, closely connected to the Center, experienced significant membership loss. Despite these challenges, core members continued to keep the association active.
2013: Re-Integration Under United Way
The Volunteer Center was re-established under United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona in 2013, restoring stability to regional volunteer coordination and providing new alignment opportunities for SAVMA.
Recent Years: Modernization, Growth, and Sector Leadership
SAVMA has experienced renewed growth and impact in the past decade, including:
- Membership surpassing 100 and remaining above that level for three consecutive years
- Hosting the SAVMA Awards recognition breakfast at the Tucson Convention Center
- Serving as a host site for nearly a decade of the Volunteer Management Hybrid Conference (VMHC)
- Launching a modern digital presence, including a blog and YouTube channel, with early video contributions by Ken Charvoz
SAVMA Today
Today, SAVMA is the regional home for Volunteer Engagement Professionals and continues its mission of strengthening volunteerism through training, advocacy, recognition, and community leadership across Southern Arizona.
Timeline
- Late 1980s — Directors of Volunteers collaborate through United Way of Tucson & Southern Arizona’s Tucson Table Program.
- Early 1990s — Tucson Association of Volunteer Administrators (TAVA) forms under the Volunteer Center.
- 1996 — TAVA leaders begin planning a standalone professional association.
- 1997 — Southern Arizona Volunteer Management Association (SAVMA) is incorporated; Internship Program launches with 18 organizations.
- 1999 — First strategic plan; first National Volunteer Week event at Ft. Lowell Park.
- 2000 — Reid Park Zoo Volunteer Recognition Event draws approximately 1,700 volunteers.
- 2001 — Holly Reck Award for Outstanding Volunteer Administration established.
- 2002 — Scholarship program created to support member learning.
- 2003 — savma.org website launched; bylaws and Articles of Incorporation updated.
- 2004 — SAVMA receives IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.
- 2005–2006 — National Volunteer Week events held at the Pima Air & Space Museum.
- Late 2000s — Volunteer Center collapse contributes to significant SAVMA membership contraction.
- 2013 — Volunteer Center becomes a program of United Way of Tucson & Southern Arizona.
- 2015 — SAVMA launches refreshed blog and YouTube channel featuring leaders such as Ken Charvoz.
- Late 2010s–2020s — SAVMA hosts the Volunteer Management Hybrid Conference (VMHC) as a local site for nearly a decade.
- Recent Years — Membership surpasses 100 and remains above that level for three consecutive years.
- Recent Years — SAVMA Awards recognition breakfast held at the Tucson Convention Center.