African Professionals Network (APNET)
Four hours a year changes what we can do
Lend your time and your skills. Get a community, a network, and a full APNET membership back.
volunteer@myapnet.org
Tell us you're interested and we'll take it from there
Every APNET event runs on people who chose to show up
We are looking for people who care about Greater Cincinnati and are willing to give a few hours to it, whether your strength is event planning, looking after guests, mentoring a young person, or getting the word out.
APNET runs festivals, youth programs, business mixers and an annual gala across the year. None of it happens without volunteers at the registration table, in the marketplace, backstage, and alongside students. You do not need a background in nonprofits. You need a few free hours and a willingness to be useful.
What you get back is not abstract: a wider professional network, hands-on experience you can point to, and a genuine stake in an organization that has been building here since 2010.
Service Membership
Volunteering is a route into APNET membership. Give at least four hours a year to APNET events, programs or related initiatives, report your hours, and you become eligible for a one-year APNET membership.
Pick the job that suits you
Tell us which of these sounds like you and we will match you to it.
Event planning & logistics
Help shape the run of show, coordinate suppliers, and keep the schedule honest on the day.
Registration & guest care
Front of house: welcome guests, run check-in, answer the questions everyone asks.
Youth mentoring
Work alongside students in the summer program: career talks, small-group support, or simply being a steady adult in the room.
Vendor & marketplace support
Help vendors load in, find their booth, and get through the day. The backbone of AfriFest and the gala marketplace.
Photography & storytelling
Capture the day, write it up, or help run social channels so the work reaches people who have not found us yet.
Community outreach
Represent APNET at partner events, distribute materials, and bring new people and businesses into the network.
Setup & teardown
Two hours before, two hours after. Unglamorous, enormously appreciated, and the easiest way to hit your four.
Skills-based help
Accounting, design, legal, IT, grant writing, translation: if you have a professional skill, we almost certainly have a use for it.
Four places we always need hands
AfriFest
Our largest public event, drawing thousands of attendees and dozens of vendors. Needs the most volunteers of anything we run.
APNET Summer Program
Youth programming in leadership, financial literacy, career readiness and wellness. More than 40 volunteers supported it last year.
The Annual Gala
Registration, marketplace, silent auction, setup and teardown across one evening. A single shift covers your yearly minimum.
Business Mixers
Smaller evening gatherings. Light lift: greeting, name badges, introductions and the friendliest way to start.
From email to first shift
No lengthy application. It starts with one message.
Email us
Send a note to volunteer@myapnet.org saying you are interested. Tell us your name, what you would enjoy helping with, and roughly when you are free.
We reply and talk it through
A member of the team gets back to you to understand your interests, skills and availability. No commitment at this stage.
We match you to a role
You are placed with an event or program that fits what you told us, and briefed on what the day involves before you arrive.
You serve your shift
You show up, you are shown the ropes, and you work alongside people who have done it before. Nobody is thrown in cold.
You report your hours
Log what you gave. Once you pass four hours in the year, you become eligible for your one-year APNET membership.
Before you email
The questions people ask first. Tap any to open.
Do I have to be of African descent to volunteer?
No. APNET centers the African diaspora experience, but our programs, membership and volunteer roles are open to people of all backgrounds who share the commitment to this community.
How much time does it actually take?
Four hours across a whole year is the minimum that qualifies you for membership, that is a single event shift. Plenty of volunteers give more, and some help with one thing a year. Both are genuinely welcome.
Do I need experience or a specific skill?
No. Most roles are learned on the day. If you do have a professional skill: design, accounting, photography, legal, IT, translation, say so in your email, because those are the hardest gaps for us to fill.
Can students volunteer, and can I get service hours signed off?
Students are welcome and volunteering is a good fit for service-hour requirements. Mention your school and what your form needs when you email, so we can confirm what we are able to sign before you commit.
Can I volunteer as a group, a family or a company team?
Yes, group volunteering works particularly well for setup, teardown and the marketplace. Email with your approximate numbers and the date you have in mind so we can plan properly.
What should I bring or wear?
It depends on the role, so we will tell you in your briefing before the day. As a rule: comfortable shoes for event shifts, and business casual for anything front of house.
Is there an age minimum?
This varies by role, particularly for anything involving young people. Tell us your age or your child’s age when you email and we will point you to what is open.
How do I report the hours I have given?
The team will confirm how to log your hours when you are placed, so nothing gets lost between your shift and your membership.
One email is the whole first step
No application form. No interview. A short note is enough, and a person replies to every one.