Nonprofits are wonderfully resourceful and creative when it comes to stretching their budgets and saving money. For nearly 80% of them, this involves working with volunteers. In fact, some nonprofits are run entirely by volunteers. According to the Corporation for National & Community Service, nearly 25% of people 16 or older- or 63 million people- in the U.S. volunteer. In one year alone, this group contributes nearly 8 BILLION hours of service valued at roughly $193 BILLION. For most organizations, this means an ample supply of volunteers. The challenge then, is not finding volunteers, but instead finding ones who are a good fit for your mission and then retaining them.
In addition to all this work and time, volunteers are valuable in other important ways. In many cases, they become donors and/or connect other donors to your organization. Additionally, they help tell your story and in the process become your strongest ambassadors. They may even work for you some day. Their impact and importance cannot be overstated, but unfortunately they are often overlooked and underappreciated.
The challenge with nonprofits being wonderfully resourceful and creative when it comes to stretching their budgets and saving money is that often our vision is short-sighted. In the name of busyness and budget, we often fail to invest in processes and systems that would save us far more time and money on the back end. This is as true with volunteers as it is with staff, technology and other resources we too often neglect in the name of the bottom dollar.
For volunteers, there is no shortage of opportunities to give of their time. Organizations of all sizes serving populations of all types are seeking and recruiting volunteers at this very moment. With 1.5 million nonprofits in the U.S. alone, volunteers have the ability and opportunity to find one that meets their needs and satisfies their reasons for volunteering. Although most volunteer for unselfish and magnanimous reasons, this does not mean they will (or should) continue to offer their services to an organization that does not fully support or appreciate these services.
Currently, the average nonprofit maintains a 66% volunteer retention rate. Like with staff, this high rate of turnover causes great investments in time and energy to constantly recruit, orient, train and manage new volunteers. Of course, some level of turnover is inevitable but the rate can be mitigated through effective processes, systems and mindset.
CURRENT ISSUE: Lack of Effective Communication
As a volunteer and as someone who has managed volunteers, I have been on both ends of poor communication, and I cannot honestly say which is worse. They are both just terrible. As a volunteer myself, I cannot tell you how many times I have sent emails, filled out online forms or left voicemails expressing interest in volunteering only to never hear back. Or showed up to volunteer only to find out that the office was closed that day or that staff was coming in late and no one had bothered to tell me. As a manager I am guilty of neglecting to let volunteers know when I would be out only for them to show up and not have anything to do. What an absolute surefire way to drive volunteers away. Worse still, when the volunteer shares that experience with others- and she undoubtedly will- imagine the ripples of damage this will do to your organization’s reputation.
HOW TO FIX IT: Communicate Effectively
Simple, right? Yes. It is that simple. No excuses. No exceptions. Communicate with your volunteers when the office is closed, when staffing changes, when major items occur within the organization, when goals are met. Include them, involve them. You never know who they know and who they can introduce you to. In order to tell your story well, they need to understand your mission- really understand it- and be able to effectively articulate the impact of what you do. They cannot be expected to do this if they are not included in the discussion. It works best when one person is assigned this very important role so it does not become a constant game of ping pong throughout the office- “Is James volunteering today? Did anyone tell Tasha not to come in? Do we have anything for that high school kid to do this afternoon?” Sigh.
CURRENT ISSUE: Not Appreciating the Volunteer’s Motivation
Much like staff, volunteers are driven by unique motivations. Some want to give back to a cause they care about. Others are looking to grow their skills. Others still are looking to explore a new field. Some may be required to complete community service hours for any number of reasons. Treating all volunteers the same, regardless of skill or motivation is as damaging as it is when you do it with your staff. Nothing will make you lose volunteers faster than treating them like replaceable, one-dimensional means to an end.
HOW TO FIX IT: Appreciate the Volunteer’s Motivation
In your earliest communication with a prospective volunteer, one of the very first questions you should ask is why he wants to volunteer. Never assume and always clarify until you fully understand. Depending on his motivation, you can cater his volunteer experience to satisfy what he is looking for. Yes, working with volunteers helps your organizations but nothing should ever be a one-way street. Even the most giving person is driven by a personal motivation. Sometimes that will be the feeling of having done something good. Other times it will be a letter of recommendation. There is nothing wrong with a reciprocal arrangement. When managed correctly, it is the most effective kind.
CURRENT ISSUE: Not Matching for Mission
As you well know, mission is at the heart of any nonprofit. In order for that nonprofit to do its best work, everyone needs to be driven by the mission. From staff to the board to volunteers, mission must always be at the center of the work. Taking on volunteers who are uninterested in your mission is a recipe for disaster. If you are simply trying to fill a one-time volunteer need (stuffing envelopes for one afternoon) and someone needs community service hours for whatever reason, you may choose to make an exception. Otherwise, you are nearly guaranteeing turnover when choosing to work with a volunteer who deep down does not want to work with you. Even if there is a desperate need, filling a vacancy poorly causes more work and headache than leaving the vacancy open.
HOW TO FIX IT: Match for Mission
Similar to appreciating the volunteer’s motivation, it is important to determine the volunteer’s interest in the mission. Is there already a draw there? Is it more of a curiosity? Is there a personal connection? The more closely the volunteer is connected to your mission the more likely she is to stick around. If she’s already connected, that is the best-case scenario. If she is not and you want to work with her anyway, it is your job to sell the mission as you do with funders and other stakeholders. If you just do not think it is a good fit, have other organizations available to offer as referrals. It may not seem like a direct benefit to you but leaving a good impression with anyone can benefit your organization in any number of ways. And it is always nice to do something nice for someone just for the simple sake of doing something nice.
CURRENT ISSUE: Not Effectively Orientating, Training & Supporting Volunteers
Nearly 40% of volunteers have stopped volunteering for an organization because of one or more poor volunteer management practices, including not making good use of a volunteer’s time or talents, or assigning tasks that were not clearly defined. Much like staff, volunteers need to be welcomed and oriented to the organization and their role in it. They need to understand what is expected of them and they must have the necessary resources to meet those expectations. Like staff, they need feedback in order to know what they are doing well and what they need to do differently. Too often volunteers go through the trouble to seek out opportunities, complete all the paperwork, and show up only to stand around not knowing what they are supposed to be doing. Why in the world would they stay? Why should they?
HOW TO FIX IT: Effectively Orient, Train and Support Your Volunteers
Much like staff, retention is an important component in effectively working with volunteers. And much like staff, the way you orient, train and support your volunteers will determine how long they stick around. Yes, time is a valuable commodity and it may feel like you just do not have enough of it to accomplish this effectively, but I promise you that if you invest on the front end, it will save you time on the back end. It just requires a shift in mindset and some longer-term vision. If your organization is big enough to warrant a staff position to manage volunteers, this is ideal. If this is not possible, assign the role to whichever staff will do it best and make it a central part of that person’s role, not an afterthought. Make the volunteer feel important- because they are!- and they are far more likely to stick around.
CURRENT ISSUE: Lack of Growth Opportunities
Not every volunteer will be interested in growth opportunities but many of them will. For those who do, be sure to honor their needs which will increase retention. Too often, we have highly-educated, highly-competent people stuffing envelopes when they are capable of (and longing for) so much more.
HOW TO FIX IT: Provide Growth Opportunities
Whenever possible, include volunteers in training opportunities that are also available to staff. These may occur inside or outside of the office and may or may not be directly related to their current role. Even if the opportunity does not seem like a perfect match, making that opportunity available shows the volunteer that you are invested in him and his growth. On the job training is always the most effective way. Expose the volunteer to multiple opportunities to work on multiple projects on multiple teams. Give them the opportunity to lead a project. Allow them to work on something you have been wanting to work on for ages but have not had the time. When they are ready, have volunteers train one another. There are multiple ways to make this happen. Just make it happen.
CURRENT ISSUE: Lack of Appreciation
In the hustle and bustle of nonprofit life it can be all too easy to get caught up in the day to day and forget to focus on the bigger picture. Often volunteers are given the least amount of attention and are all too frequently taken for granted. Though most volunteers do not give their time solely for the recognition, most want their efforts to matter. This is both for the benefit of the clients and the benefit of the organization serving those clients. Failing to recognize and appreciate the contribution will be enough to turn many volunteers away.
HOW TO FIX IT: Appreciate Your Volunteers
Like staff, not every volunteer will want to be appreciated in the same way, and like with staff, thank you is often enough. There are also countless other ways- inclusion in newsletters, social media and websites; awards; tokens of appreciation; cards and letters; invitations to organizational events and board meetings…
Be creative, be intentional and be committed to making this a priority. Most importantly, show your volunteers you appreciate them but listening to their needs and maximizing their contribution to your organization.
CURRENT ISSUE: Using the Same Old Channels
Many organizations find a website they like to recruit volunteers from and that is all they ever use. It seems to have served them well in the past and they do not see any reason to try anything different. They let volunteers come to them instead of going after volunteers
HOW TO FIX IT: Stop Using the Same Old Channels
There are countless ways to attract and recruit volunteers. Websites are a great way but they are not the only way. You can tap into college and high school classes and organizations that require students to donate time. You can request referrals from current volunteers. You can partner with fraternities and sororities or with corporations who want to give back. Convert your board members. Recruit former clients. When going about your day and talking with people about what you do, gauge their interest in helping out. Recruiting through different channels increases your chances of diversifying your volunteer base as well as the skills they will bring.
Volunteers provide countless benefits to nonprofits. In addition to their time and talent, many also contribute their treasure. Relationships are at the foundation of all we do and this includes volunteers. In order for the relationship to be authentic, it must be reciprocal. We cannot only take from our volunteers and expect them to continue wanting to work with us. Instead, we must create an environment that is mutually beneficial and where everyone feels connected to the mission and valued for their contribution to it. To do this, make a commitment to strengthening your volunteer program. Yes, this will require time that it seems you do not have. But once your volunteer program is stronger, you will see the benefit of your investment.
In addition to the above, the Urban Institute provides suggestions for strengthening your volunteer program. These include providing a culture that is welcoming to volunteers, allocating sufficient resources to support them, and enlisting volunteers in recruiting other volunteers. The Council of Nonprofits also is a wealth of information.
Once you legitimately invest in your volunteer program, you will finally get the results you have been hoping for. Please be sure to share them with the world (including us!) and help inspire others to do the same.
13 Responses
The article about how we treat volunteers struck a chord with me, as I am both the director and the producer working with a crew. I’m happy to see that you have given serious thought to how to best treat these folks and respect their motivation, their own personal calling, and the joy they bring to their work. I am always conscious of my dependency upon others to do my own job as it requires many hands to get just one stage of a production completed. It’s not that I am paying enough attention to all this myself, either. I do pay attention to what someone does well, what they struggle with and what seems to bring them the greatest joy. I’ve had a couple times also where a volunteer was causing problems for others resulting in bad feelings that I had to address. Working with volunteers can bring the same kinds of interpersonal issues as working with paid staff does. Part of the issue for me in leading volunteers is making sure that volunteers are respecting each other’s contributions, their feelings, and their humanity. To assure the entire group of a respectful, humane working environment it can be necessary to guide someone to a different project that is a better fit with their goals and needs.
Absolutely! There are differences between staff and volunteers, or course, and the way we manage them should reflect these differences. At the same time, there is a great deal of similarity as we are talking about working together with people which brings all the joys and challenges that people bring regardless of their role or title. I am so pleased to hear that you are taking your role seriously and honoring the work of those giving their time. What an inspiration. Thank you for sharing it with me!
A favorite charity does not track my current pledges and contributions very well. This results in annoying calls for contributions when I ‘ve already pledged, sometimes multiple calls in a single day from different callers. The need is critical, donors apparently are few, and coordination of solicitations is inadequate, and, to less committed donors, probably self-defeating.
I’m going to call this article to the charity’s point man and make a visit to this organization a stop on a future cross-country road trip.
You set an inspiring example. I appreciate your dedication to working with this organization to help them get more organized. Not all donors are so patient and it is costing these organizations dearly. They are lucky to have you as a supporter.
Good suggestions. I led a volunteer-based tutor/mentor program in Chicago from 1975 to 2011 (and for first 15 years I was a volunteer myself). We grew from 100 volunteers to 550 between 1975 and 1992 then started a new program in 1993 and grew from 7 volunteers to 100 by 1998. Could not have done this without engaging the talent of many volunteers who first joined us as volunteer tutors/mentors, and of others who found us through friends (before internet) and through sites like VolunteerMatch (in the 2000s).
One thing I’d like to add to this is to encourage programs to tell “how they do what they do” via blogs on their web sites, and for intermediaries to interview and collect stories showing “how” which could be archived on central library hubs. Many times a program needs help, but can’t visualize what that help might do for them. Looking at how volunteers have been helping similar programs could stimulate thinking of how other volunteers might help your own program.
Not sure who is collecting this type of information. I’ve been hosting a list of Chicago tutor/mentor programs on my web site for more than 20 years. It enables volunteers, donors and parents to “shop” and choose who to get involved with, based on what information a program shares. However, it could also enable programs to learn from each other, if more “how to” information were shared on web sites. I don’t see this happening much. Do you?
Daniel,
I also do not see this happening much, but what a brilliant idea! You make an important point about organizations not doing a great job of advertising what opportunities they have available. Often they have people with extensive experience and knowledge stuffing envelopes. In some cases, these volunteers want to stuff envelopes, in which case, stuff away. But in other cases, these volunteers want to contribute so much more but are never really offered that opportunity or even an initial conversation about it. Your suggestions would improve the volunteer world for volunteers, organizations and families. How do we continue to spread the word?
Great article. I would also suggest training staff to work with volunteers is just as important as training volunteers. Staff training in volunteer supervision should be a constant for all non-profits that have volunteer programs.
Great point, Lynn and definitely one I should add in version 2.0 of this post. Thanks for sharing~!
We have a non for profit organization we are managing based in a rural area in Uganda,its main focus is on environment management ,climate change,food and nutrition security,food sovereignty justice and at the same time running a school and a resource centre,we would like us to know how we can get volunteers to help us with our organization in various aspects,like helping us in fund raising,teaching and managing different projects in our organization,my email:[email protected]
John,
Thank you for reaching out and thank you for the work that you do. Please check your inbox.