OF301

Volunteer Service Application - Natural and Cultural Resources

Agency
GSA
Revision
Rev. 10/2021
Fillable fields
120
Pages
2
Official source
GSA form page
Checked
October 20, 2026
Fill OF301 online
Page 1 of form OF301

Optional Form 301 (OF 301): Volunteer Service Application - Natural & Cultural Resources

Optional Form 301 (OF 301), Volunteer Service Application - Natural & Cultural Resources, is a two-page application for volunteer positions. The form's footer names the U.S. Department of the Interior (USDOI), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Department of Commerce (USDOC) and the U.S. Department of Defense (USDOD), and it carries OMB Control Number 1093-0006 with an expiration date printed as 10/31/2024. GSA hosts a copy in its forms library.

The form says this optional application helps federal land and water management agencies identify interested and qualified candidates for available volunteer positions, and that applications are submitted and processed locally for each position. It asks about the volunteer categories you are interested in, your skills and languages, your availability, where you would like to volunteer and your lodging needs. The form says a volunteer who commits to a specific volunteer activity completes an OF-301a Volunteer Service Agreement.

The burden statement estimates an average of 15 minutes per response. You can fill it out free in your browser on this page and download the result without an account.

Top of page 1 of Optional Form 301 (OF 301): Volunteer Service Application - Natural & Cultural Resources, as printed by GSA

What's on OF 301

Items 1 to 8: contact details

Name, date of birth, telephone number, email address, street address, city, state and ZIP code.

Items 9 to 11: interests, skills and languages

Checklists of general volunteer categories, such as archaeology, trail maintenance and visitor information, then qualifications and skills, then languages you are proficient in. Each list has an Other box to specify.

Items 12 to 15: background

Qualifications for a specific volunteer interest, U.S. citizenship or permanent residence, earlier volunteer work with a contact name, and whether you would like to supervise other volunteers.

Items 16 to 18: objectives and availability

Your objectives for volunteering (optional), any physical limitations that may impact your volunteer activities, the months you are available, hours per week and days of the week.

Items 19 to 22: location, lodging and referral

States or locations where you would like to volunteer, whether you will furnish your own lodging or need help finding it, consent to forward the application, and how you heard about the opportunity.

Items 23 and 24: signature and date

The back of the form carries a burden statement, a notice to volunteer and a Privacy Act statement, followed by the signature and date.

The form has 24 numbered items over two pages.

How to complete OF 301

  1. 1

    Mark boxes and print or type

    The form says to mark X in the appropriate boxes and print or type all responses.

  2. 2

    Check all that apply

    Items 9, 10, 11, 18a, 18c and 22 say to check all that apply. Use the Other boxes to specify anything the lists do not name.

  3. 3

    Describe your experience

    Item 12 is for qualifications that apply to a specific interest. If you have volunteered before, item 14b asks for the organization, a contact name and phone number or email address, and a short description of what you did.

  4. 4

    Give your availability and limits

    Item 17 asks for physical limitations that may impact your volunteer activities. Items 18a to 18c ask for the months, hours per week and days you are available.

  5. 5

    Read the notices and sign

    The form says that by signing, the volunteer understands they may be subject to a reference check, background check and/or criminal history inquiry. Sign item 23 and date item 24.

  6. 6

    Submit it for the position

    The PDF gives no mailing address. It says applications are submitted and processed locally for each position.

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Where it goes and what the form says

Where it goes

The PDF gives no filing address. It says applications are submitted and processed locally for each position.

Time to complete

The burden statement estimates an average of 15 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions and gathering the data.

Volunteer status

The form says volunteers are NOT considered Federal employees except as otherwise provided by law, and that volunteer service is not creditable for leave accrual or any other benefit but is creditable work experience.

Privacy

Collection and use are covered by Privacy Act System of Records INTERIOR/DOI-05 Interior Volunteer Services File System and OPM/GOVT-1 General Personnel Records, under 5 USC 552a. The form says completing it is voluntary, but failure to provide the information will prevent program participation.

Accessibility contacts

The form says to contact the volunteer program you are applying to for alternative means of communication. Section 508 complaints go to the DOI Section 508 Program at [email protected] or (202) 208-1530.

Related forms

Who uses OF 301?

  • Prospective volunteers

    People interested in an available volunteer position with a federal land or water management agency fill in the application, then sign item 23 and date item 24.

  • The local volunteer program

    The form says applications are submitted and processed locally for each position. It says people with disabilities who need other means of communication should contact the volunteer program they are applying to.

  • Other federal offices, if you agree

    Item 21 asks whether your application may be forwarded to other federal offices or agencies if no opportunity exists at the location you applied to and there are known alternatives suited to your interests.

  • Citizens and non-citizens

    Item 13 asks whether you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. If you are not, it asks you to list your visa type if applicable.

  • Volunteers who commit to an activity

    The form says a volunteer who commits to a specific volunteer activity is required to complete an OF-301a Volunteer Service Agreement.

The form describes who fills it in and where it goes.

Official sources and the blank

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Questions about Form OF301

Who issues OF 301?

The form's footer names USDOI, USDA, USDOC and USDOD, and the burden statement names the same four departments. It carries OMB Control Number 1093-0006. GSA hosts a copy in its forms library.

Where do I send OF 301?

The PDF gives no address. It says applications are submitted and processed locally for each position.

What is the difference between OF 301 and OF 301A?

OF 301 is the application. The form says a volunteer who commits to a specific volunteer activity completes an OF-301a Volunteer Service Agreement.

Are volunteers federal employees?

The form says volunteers are NOT considered Federal employees except as otherwise provided by law. It says volunteer service is not creditable for leave accrual or any other benefit, but is creditable work experience.

Does signing OF 301 allow a background check?

The form says that by signing the application, the volunteer understands they may be subject to a reference check, background check and/or criminal history inquiry.

Is OF 301 available in other languages?

GSA's forms library also hosts a Spanish version, OF 301-S, and a Mandarin version, OF 301-M, both Rev. 10/2021.

How long does OF 301 take to fill out?

The burden statement estimates an average of 15 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions and gathering the data.