Appeals

Did you submit service hours that did not get approved?

• Students may appeal if hours were not accepted.  

1. Check your final approved hours on the "Check your CIS hours" page.

2. If you were not credited with all the hours you submitted, review the common situations below. You may recognize a similar situation and understand why hours were denied.

Appeals will be accepted in the following situations:

What you CAN appeal:

• more information was needed regarding the organization, event, or service performed, including missing paperwork such as camp or mission itineraries
• clarification was needed regarding the signature verification, or no signature verification was provided per unique calendar date and time.
• a calculation mistake was made when adding your hours, or a data entry mistake was made. 

If hours were not accepted for the following reasons, you CANNOT appeal:

What you CANNOT appeal (see How Cavs in Service Works and CIS GUIDELINES):

• Ineligible dates or ineligible hours will not be accepted, such as:
  • work performed during an official school day 8:50-4:10,
  • hours in excess of 8 hours per day for single or dual day events like hosting public school Debate and Art Competitions, Eagle Scout Projects, etc.
  • hours in excess of 4 hours a day for Day Camps (at any camp, event, or activity, being a leader in such activities in lieu of paying to attend will not be accepted)  
  • hours in excess of the annual 15 hour caps for the following categories-- 
    • Overnight Camps and Overnight Volunteering Trips (at any camp, event, or activity, being a leader in camps and activities in lieu of paying to attend will not qualify as unpaid volunteering)
    • Pet Fostering (30 minutes a day are allowed with a cap at 15 hours total accepted per year),
    • Remote Service (online tutoring, or any other activity that is not in-person working with the community)
    • Making Crafts (blankets, paracord bracelets, baking, valentine cards for the elderly, etc.)
    • Service associated with fundraising (like Pet Shot Clinic, Orchestra & Band flag assembly & delivery, Concessions, Poinsettia delivery, setting up events like LTEF, Elementary School Festivals, etc.) This service must be related to events benefiting the public – not meeting/soliciting of donors, or benefiting private businesses or private schools. Service involving money handling is not allowed.
    • These 15 hour annual caps create wholesome service boundaries to encourage a legacy of authentic service, and avoiding scenarios where a week of an overnight camp experience is submitted for 100 hours of credit. Small measures of approved service supervised by approved organizations add up to life-long community volunteering, which is the goal of CAVS in Service.

Activities in service REQUIRED for academic credit, or an LTHS extracurricular (club, organization, sport, booster, etc.) will not be accepted

Fundraising - specifically, asking for money overtly--will not be accepted. Service - not planning, training, or managing - for a non-profit that does fundraising may be accepted up to 15 hours a calendar year.

Internships, training, or unpaid labor performed for for-profit camps or businesses will not be accepted

No volunteer activities in proximity to the consumption or distribution of alcoholic beverages is allowed (galas, bingo nights, speaker series, fundraisers, etc.)

For any camp, event, or activity, being a leader in such in lieu of paying to attend, will not be accepted

Incorrect math submitted in the submission packet

Service​ ​hours​ ​for​ ​hospitals​ ​and​ ​nursing​ ​homes​ ​may​ ​be​ ​approved​ ​if​ ​the​ ​service​ ​is​ ​part​ ​of​ ​an official​ ​volunteer​ ​program​ ​with​ ​the​ ​organization.​ ​These​ ​official​ ​programs​ ​provide​ ​opportunities for​ ​teen​ ​volunteers​ ​in​ ​the​ ​form​ ​of​ ​meaningful​ ​work​ ​assisting​ ​and​ ​interacting​ ​with​ ​patients​ ​and families, as well as through community outreach programs.