Volunteer Management System (VMS)
User Credentials
Your username is the “user” part of your email address. For example, if your email is gardener@gmail.com, your username will be “gardener” without the quotes, of course.
Your temporary password to access the VMS for the first time will be given to you and is already loaded into the VMS along with your username.
How to Submit Hours
Log on to the VMS with your email address and password.
Recording Your Hours
Recording your hours in a timely manner is important for funding allocations for Dallas County AgriLife and the Dallas County Master Gardener Program.
Report your DCMG hours no later than the 5th day of the month following the month of the volunteer/education event (example: January hours should be reported no later than February 5th). Hours reported after that time should still be reported but will be credited as Extension hours. Please continue to report hours after your certification/graduation requirements have been met to provide a true measure of the value of the Dallas County Master Gardener Program to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
Timely reporting recommended best practice: Report hours soon after the event!
For questions about documenting hours, please contact Tig Thompson, DCMG Leader Statistics, tigr1@sbcglobal.net.
Save time! Enter only one of the bulleted descriptors for each category in the Description box:
ADMINISTRATION
- Awards & Recognition
- Class Captains
- Communications & Website (admin functions)
- Community Projects (admin functions)
- Continuing Education (admin functions)
- DCMGA Board
- Fundraising
- Garden Consultation Team (admin functions)
- Garden Tour (admin functions)
- Help Desk (admin functions)
- Intern Graduation
- Marketing & Promotion for DCMGA
AGRILIFE SUPPORT
- Agent Assistance (admin)
- 4H
- JMG
- Judging for MG or Extension event
- LGEG
CONTINUING EDUCATION
- Monthly Meetings
- Presentations
- Research for Help Desk or Speaker’s Bureau (can also be entered as PKS)
- TAMU approved online
- Webinars
- Workshops
GARDEN MAINTENANCE: COMMUNITY & DEMONSTRATION GARDENS
- Farmers Branch
- Juliette Fowler
- Oak Cliff Parks
- Raincatcher’s Garden
- R&B1(Urban County Farm)
- Sacred Spaces Garden @ FUMC
- Salvation Army
- Temple Emanu-El
- Texas Discovery Gardens
- White Rock Lake
GARDEN MAINTENANCE: SCHOOL GARDENS
- Anne Frank Elementary
- Armstrong Elementary
- Lakewood Elementary
MG SCHOOL & MG PROGRAM
- Homework Committee
- Hospitality
- Intern Mentors
- School Committee
- Teaching and mentoring other MGs
PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE SHARING (PKS)*
- Agent Programming
- At Home Botanist
- Booths with PKS at events: Dallas Zoo, DIGS, Earth Day, State Fair, TDG, etc.
- Garden Consultation Team
- Garden Tour
- Help Desk
- Marketing & Promotion for specific PKS events or activities
- PKS at Approved Education Opportunities (for example, Dallas Arboretum, Rowlett Pollinator Gardens)
- PKS at MG Gardens
- Short-term Consultations
- Speaker’s Bureau
- Written Materials
*Includes time volunteering at an event advertised for the public, even if only MGs attend.
**PKS includes private discussions with non-MGs if sharing horticulture information. Enter time in intervals of 15min. (15min is the minimum.)
TRAVEL FOR PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE SHARING (PKS)
- Hours traveled to and from your PKS destination (counts towards MG certification, not toward 6-hour PKS requirement).
Video Demos
This video will demonstrate what to expect the first time you log in:
Directions for Changing Your Password
Member Roster
VMS is the place to find the most up-to-date contact information for both certified and intern Master Gardeners. Click on General Information on the black title bar, then click on Member Roster.
Opportunities for Volunteer and Continuing Education Hours
Approved DCMG volunteer opportunities and continuing education opportunities are listed on the DCMGA Website Calendar as well as on the List of CEU Opportunities , which is updated monthly by Cindy Large, Continuing Education Leader. The information on how many hours to record are provided in the details for each event.
Travel time to and from a project may be included when associated with volunteer opportunities. Travel time may not be included when associated with continuing education opportunities.
Recording your travel mileage is optional.
Continuing Education
Monthly meetings provide one hour of education when an education speaker is on the DCMGA meeting program no matter the actual length of the presentation.
To log approved education events, include the speaker’s name or program title in the event description (example: Jeff Raska, Lawn Care).
Help Desk hours may count as either volunteer hours or continuing education.
