Almost 61 million people formally volunteered with nonprofits in 2021 (Source: BLS, Americorps). These volunteers provided $123 billion in economic value by donating >4 billion hours of their time. However, volunteering in the US declined during the pandemic and is yet to return to its 2019 high.
There are a number of reasons why nonprofits rely on volunteers for critical parts of their mission. Volunteers can:
Help save money and increase impact
Donate and fundraise
Boost visibility and become advocates
Bring needed skills to the nonprofit
For many nonprofits, volunteers are the face of the organization, and are the people actually delivering the mission.
However, many nonprofits struggle with an operating strategy that gets the most out of their volunteers.
Here are some tips for how nonprofits can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their volunteers. For many nonprofits, it is helpful to manage their lifecycles similar to paid employees. You need to consider:
Attracting and hiring the right volunteers
On average, volunteers stay with a nonprofit for 2.9 years. That means the average nonprofit is replacing a third of their volunteer workforce every year. High-performing organizations have developed pipelines to attract and vet potential volunteers, so they have a stable base to draw talent from. Consider:
Program participants, alumni, or their families, e.g., parent coaches of youth athletic leagues, helpers around community centers, etc.
Partnerships with professional associations, corporations, schools, religious organizations, other charitable organizations, e.g., employee volunteer programs, pro bono consultants from groups like the Taproot Foundation, etc.
Consider the skills required for the volunteer role when choosing a channel. For example, roles requiring specialized skillsets, such as financial reporting, IT, and regulatory expertise may require corporate partnerships or reaching out to your stakeholders (e.g., donors).
During the on-boarding process, nonprofits should provide volunteers with the necessary training and support to ensure they are equipped to perform their roles effectively. This can include orientation sessions or one-on-one training.
Roles and Responsibilities
Similar to any paid employee, volunteers should have a clear understanding of what each role entails, what tasks they are expected to perform, and what outcomes are expected of them. A mature volunteer program will also have a volunteer handbook that outlines expectations, policies, and procedures that volunteers are required to follow.
Management and Support
Again, similar to any paid employee, someone must be responsible for scheduling, coordination, communication, reviewing effectiveness, regular check-ins and feedback, etc. In some cases, an organizational structure may contain several layers of volunteers before it reports into a paid employee; in other cases, volunteers may be imbedded in different groups of paid employees throughout the organization.
A mature volunteer organization may utilize volunteer management software to improve efficiency.
Recognition, Evaluation, & Reward
Though financial reward is not a driver for volunteers, most human beings require recognition and appreciation to maintain their motivations. Celebrate successes and thank volunteers with public recognition, certificates, social events, etc.
A high-performing volunteer organization will have “promotion” tracks, providing opportunities to mentor others, serve in leadership roles, or be considered for a Board position.
Provide Opportunities to Donate and Fundraise
Americorps estimates that volunteers donate to charity at twice the rate as non-volunteers: 80%, compared to 40%. Since volunteers have already demonstrated commitment to the mission, nonprofits should not be shy about offering clear opportunities to donate.
A nonprofit with a mature volunteer program will also give them the opportunity, tools, and support to fundraise on their behalf. In fact, over one-third of volunteers are involved in fundraising activities. Examples would be to ask volunteers to fill a table at the annual gala, running a peer-to-peer fundraiser on social media, or signing-up friends and family for fun-run sponsorships.
Peer-to-peer fundraising topped $1 Billion in 2022, according to the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum
Continuously Improve Volunteer Programs
Periodically, review the efficiency and effectiveness of your nonprofit’s volunteer program to drive greater impact. How might processes be improved? Where else could volunteers be utilized? Could volunteers be more effectively managed? What tools or technologies would help?
Volunteers can provide many benefits to nonprofits and their missions, but organizing and managing them can be challenging. By taking some of these steps, nonprofits can bolster the contribution their volunteers have on the overall mission and impact.
To learn more about how your nonprofit can utilize volunteers more efficiently and effectively, contact Focus Strategy Advisors at info@FocusStrategyAdvisors.com
Comments