Scottsdale offers over 600 volunteer positions across 50+ organizations, from stewarding desert preserves to ushering at world-class cultural events. Whether you're a retiree with time to spare, a busy professional wanting to give back on weekends, or a family looking to serve together, this guide cuts through the noise to help you find meaningful ways to make a difference. The hardest part isn't finding opportunities… it's choosing which ones to pursue first.
Where to start your volunteer journey
Let's be honest: diving into volunteering can feel overwhelming when you're staring at dozens of organizations and hundreds of opportunities. The smart move? Start with the big players who can point you in the right direction.
The City of Scottsdale serves as volunteer central command, coordinating everything from library help to senior services to desert preserve work. Call 480-312-2331 and they'll walk you through options based on your interests and schedule. They handle background checks for positions involving kids or seniors, and yes, they provide training so you won't be thrown into the deep end.
For those who like variety, HandsOn Greater Phoenix connects 26,000 volunteers with 400 nonprofits across the valley. You'll pay a one-time $25 fee (think of it as your membership to the do-good club), then gain access to 60+ monthly projects. Perfect if you're the type who gets bored easily or wants to sample different causes before committing.
VolunteerMatch offers the modern approach with free profile creation and customized opportunity alerts. It's like dating apps, but for volunteering and way less awkward. Create your profile, set your preferences, and let the matches come to you.
If you need help right now and don't want to navigate websites, dial 2-1-1 for United Way's volunteer referral service. They're available 24/7 with multilingual support, which is pretty impressive for a free service.
Desert conservation and environmental work
Scottsdale's crown jewel for environmental volunteering is the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, which maintains America's largest urban preserve. We're talking 30,500 acres and 235+ miles of trails that serve over a million visitors annually. Their 650+ volunteers are the reason this place stays pristine despite the crowds.
The conservancy operates like a well-oiled machine with opportunities for every commitment level. Their comprehensive steward program requires a 15-week training course starting each September, but don't let that scare you off. These folks know their stuff, and you'll emerge as a desert ecology expert. For those wanting to test the waters first, they offer drop-in community volunteer days that require zero commitment beyond showing up.
McDowell Sonoran Conservancy opportunities
Located at 15300 N 90th Street, Suite 400, contact them at 480-998-7971 or info@mcdowellsonoran.org for the following roles:
- Trail maintenance and restoration
- Citizen science data collection
- Interpretive hike leadership
- Invasive species removal
- Wildlife monitoring projects
Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center takes desert conservation to the next level by rehabilitating native species like javelinas, bobcats, and desert tortoises. Fair warning: this isn't casual volunteering. They require a six-month minimum commitment with at least five hours weekly, and you'll need to handle 50-pound lifting and year-round outdoor work in desert conditions. But if you've ever wanted to help a baby javelina get back to the wild, this is your chance.
Healthcare and senior services
Healthcare volunteering in Scottsdale centers around HonorHealth's facilities, including Shea Medical Center and Thompson Peak Medical Center. These positions require some serious commitment (six months minimum with 100 hours of service), but they provide excellent training and genuine healthcare experience.
You'll go through background checks and health screenings, which makes sense when you're working around patients. The roles include guest services, patient escorts, and administrative support. Contact their volunteer services at 480-587-5097 or volunteers@honorhealth.com to get started.
Senior services through the city offer more flexibility with daytime scheduling that works perfectly for retirees or those with non-traditional work schedules. Ana Valadez at 480-312-2314 coordinates programs including meal delivery, computer lab assistance, and peer support programs.
The success stories here are pretty inspiring. Take Gil Gifford, a 90-year-old volunteer who leads the Friendship Group at Granite Reef Senior Center. His philosophy that "happy people live longer" earned him the city's William P. Schraeder Volunteer Award and proves that volunteering keeps you young at heart.
Arts, culture, and special events
Scottsdale's cultural scene provides some of the most enjoyable volunteering opportunities in the valley. Scottsdale Arts manages multiple venues including the Center for the Performing Arts and Museum of Contemporary Art, and their volunteers get front-row seats to world-class entertainment.
The training sessions happen each fall with mandatory attendance (they're serious about this), but once you're in, you'll help with ushering, box office operations, and signature events like Canal Convergence in November and the Arizona Concours d'Elegance in January. Contact them at 480-874-4666 or volunteers@scottsdalearts.org.
Major seasonal events needing volunteers
Scottsdale's event calendar offers exciting one-time opportunities that let you be part of something big:
- WM Phoenix Open (February 3-9, 2025)
- Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show (February 13-23, 2025)
- Canal Convergence art festival (November)
- Arizona Concours d'Elegance (January)
- Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction (January)
The WM Phoenix Open alone needs 700+ volunteers for gallery management, scoring, and concessions. Register through trusteventsolutions.com, and yes, you'll get to witness the chaos of the 16th hole up close.
Animal welfare opportunities
Animal lovers have solid options in Scottsdale, though most require you to be 18 or older for direct animal contact. The Arizona Animal Welfare League operates a no-kill shelter at 25 North 40th Street in Phoenix and provides training for all volunteers.
Foothills Animal Rescue in North Scottsdale (10197 E Bell Road, 480-488-9890) focuses on local animal welfare with opportunities in cleaning, feeding, adoption support, and administrative help. Both organizations understand that working with animals requires patience and reliability, so they take their volunteer programs seriously.
Opportunities for different life stages
Youth volunteers (ages 14-17)
Teenagers aren't left out of Scottsdale's volunteer scene. The city's Teen Volunteer Program connects high schoolers with summer camps and recreation programs. Contact Paul Germinaro at 480-312-2456 to learn about counselor-in-training positions.
The Scottsdale Public Library's Teen Advisory Board develops programming and advocacy skills while giving teens a real voice in library services. Boys & Girls Clubs offers a Leader in Training program, though it requires an 11-hour safety certification.
Younger kids (ages 5+) can join family volunteer days at Feed My Starving Children or McDowell Preserve community events. These organizations understand that family volunteering builds lifelong service habits.
Seniors (55+) programs
RSVP Maricopa County (602-264-2255) specializes in connecting seniors with meaningful volunteer work across 50+ partner organizations. The perks include supplemental insurance and transportation reimbursement, which shows they understand the practical needs of older volunteers.
Via Linda and Granite Reef Senior Centers offer peer support programs where experienced seniors help others navigate challenges like technology, healthcare, or just combat loneliness. It's volunteering that directly benefits your peer group.
Skills-based and professional volunteering
If you have professional skills gathering dust, Scottsdale nonprofits want to put them to work. The Scottsdale Career Center needs career coaches to help job seekers navigate today's market. Contact Sheila Williams at 480-312-0058 if you have HR, recruiting, or career development experience.
VITA tax preparation offers IRS certification training for volunteers who help low-income residents file taxes. VITA Central AZ provides free training (480-215-4279), and you'll gain valuable tax knowledge while providing a crucial community service.
Technology volunteers teach digital literacy at libraries or help homebound seniors master smartphones and computers. Board service opportunities exist through various city commissions where Scottsdale residents can research policy issues and make recommendations. Contact Ben Lane at 480-312-2412 for commission openings.
Flexible scheduling options
Real talk: not everyone can commit to the same schedule. Scottsdale organizations get this and offer options for every lifestyle.
One-time and drop-in opportunities
- City's Adopt a Road program (Bruce Wall, 480-312-7898)
- Special events support (Dan Miller, 480-312-0205)
- Feed My Starving Children meal packing
- McDowell Preserve community volunteer days
- Holiday gift wrapping and meal programs
Weekly commitments for regular volunteers
The Adaptive Recreation program needs volunteer coaches for Special Olympics teams practicing bowling, basketball, swimming, and other sports year-round. Contact Stacy Yoder at 480-312-2214 for coaching opportunities that make a real difference in athletes' lives.
Seasonal programs
Holiday volunteering (October through December) includes Adopt a Family (Julia Bautista, 480-312-0063) and Adopt a Senior (Jessica Rapp, 480-312-1735) programs. These connect volunteers with families or seniors who need extra support during the holidays.
Winter tourism season (January through April) brings maximum opportunities with spring training, major golf tournaments, and cultural events all needing volunteer support.
The real impact of volunteering in Scottsdale
Here's where the numbers get impressive. The nonprofit sector ranks as Arizona's sixth-largest industry by economic impact, surpassing both construction and hospitality. Valley of the Sun United Way coordinates over 5,000 volunteers in the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale area, supporting programs that reached 15,764 students with tutoring and 5,084 youth with mentoring in recent years.
Fresh Start Women's Foundation helped 5,000+ women achieve self-sufficiency in fiscal year 2024, breaking generational poverty cycles through volunteer-supported job training. Corporate partners including APS, Edward Jones, and Freeport-McMoRan contribute over $1 million annually while encouraging employee volunteerism.
But the personal benefits might be even more compelling. Research consistently shows volunteering improves physical and mental health, particularly for seniors combating isolation. Skills development through volunteer training opens career advancement opportunities, and youth volunteers build stronger college applications and job readiness.
How to get started (the practical stuff)
Ready to jump in? Here's your action plan without the overwhelm:
Step 1: Assess yourself honestly. What actually interests you? Do you prefer working with kids, seniors, animals, or the environment? Can you handle outdoor desert work or do you need air conditioning? How much time can you realistically commit without creating stress in other areas of your life?
Step 2: Research using multiple sources. Start with HandsOn Greater Phoenix for variety, then explore VolunteerMatch for customized matching. Visit organization websites directly for detailed role descriptions. Don't be shy about calling volunteer coordinators with questions… they appreciate engaged inquiries.
Step 3: Apply professionally. Treat volunteer applications like job applications. Include relevant experience from other cities or states, highlight transferable skills from work or hobbies, and express genuine enthusiasm for the organization's mission.
Step 4: Start small and build up. Try one-time events before committing to weekly schedules. Communicate openly with coordinators about your experience and any concerns. Most organizations prefer volunteers who start conservatively and expand gradually over those who burn out from overcommitting.
The volunteer ecosystem in Scottsdale offers extraordinary diversity that can match virtually any interest, schedule, or skill level. From preserving pristine desert landscapes to supporting world-class cultural events to mentoring at-risk youth, opportunities exist to create lasting community impact while developing personally and professionally.
The hardest part really is just taking that first step. Pick an organization that caught your attention while reading this guide, visit their website or give them a call, and start the conversation. Scottsdale's community needs your unique contributions, and honestly, you'll probably get more out of volunteering than you give.
