Track Volunteer Time with GivePulse!
Follow the steps below to learn how to enter volunteer hours through the state volunteer time tracking system GivePulse.
Learn how to Navigate GivePulse
- If you're just starting out in GivePulse: Watch a training recording on how to navigate the reporting site: GivePulse
- Review the PDF slides of the training
- Read through the GivePulse FAQ document
- If needed: Review How to Log In Video- updated 2025
- If needed: Review How to Log In- updated 2025
- If needed: Review How to Claim Account video
- If needed: Review How to Submit Impact Document- updated 2025
- If needed: Review How to Update Your Impact Document- updated 2025
- If needed: Review How to Download Impact Summary from GivePulse Dashboard Document- updated 2025
- If needed: Review How To Access Master Gardeners or Master Naturalists Group Page Document- updated 2025
- If needed: Search the GivePulse Help Articles
- If needed: Review the list of general event category descriptions
- For help-
If you local questions like which event to record a particular impact under, contact your local Extension staff
If you have technical questions or issues regarding the site, contact support@givepulse.com
For all other general questions contact Candice Anderson at mille116@illinois.edu
Additional help for pulling a report of your hours for the year:
- Watch a video on How to Pull a Report of Your Impacts
- Read through How to Determine Volunteer vs Continuing Education Impact Totals
Log your volunteer and continuing education hours on GivePulse
Volunteer Resources
To be an active Master Gardener, you must remain current in annual educational updates - a minimum of 10 hours, and volunteer service hours - a minimum of 20 hours, required by the local program. Thank you for all you do for your communities!
Policies and Guidelines
- Volunteer Handbook in English
- Volunteer Handbook in Spanish
- Pesticide Use in Demonstration Gardens 2024
Continuing Education
- Master Gardener Monthly Continuing Education Series
- Illinois Extension Horticulture YouTube and Forestry YouTube videos
- Four Seasons Webinar Series
- Good Growing Blog and Podcast
Advanced Training
Ecology, IPM, Local Foods, Sustainable Landscaping, and Urban Trees are all available for Advanced Training.
Newsletters
- Gardener's Corner
- From the Garden Roots, the State Volunteer Newsletter emailed monthly as of Oct. 2025
Resources
- Explore Extension's library of Infosheets
- University of Illinois Plant Clinic
- Morton Arboretum Weekly Plant Healthcare Report
- Soil Sampling Brochure
- Soil Sampling Brochure- Spanish
Merchandise
Education Opportunities
Four Seasons Webinar Series
Live and recorded webinars on a variety of horticulture topics perfect for expanding your knowledge base.
Community Tree Care Series
Understanding and providing proper and routine maintenance is essential to ensure a healthier urban forest. Master urban tree health and identification with research-backed training for individuals looking to develop their tree care knowledge.
Speaker's Bureau Training
Speaker's Bureau training offering a variety of topics that volunteers can become trained on and then present in their communities.
Advanced Master Gardener Training
Ecology, IPM, Local Foods, Sustainable Landscaping, and Urban Trees all available for advanced training.
Horticulture Fact Sheets
Concise, current, and designed to provide quick answers to common horticulture questions.
Extension Horticulture Group
Submit questions, network with other gardening enthusiasts and check in with Illinois Extension Horticulture Educators.