Many organisations have policies and procedures in place about reimbursement so that both volunteers and organisational representatives understand what can be recovered. In general terms, if the purchase or payment is appropriate and has been or would be approved, the organisation will take responsibility for the expense and reimburse the volunteer.
There may be circumstances where a volunteer incurs out-of-pocket expenses – ie as part of their volunteer activities they purchase equipment or pay for goods with their own money. The broad areas where volunteers may incur these costs and seek a reimbursement include:
- transport - petrol, vehicle, public transport, parking
- phone calls
- safety equipment and clothing including uniforms and their maintenance
- training
- stationery.