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Volunteers are essential for nonprofits. In a sector where there’s usually more work to do than staff to do it, volunteers boost our power, lighten the load and exponentially increase our impact. Best of all, they do it because they believe in the cause and want to help.
But how do we find these superstars who freely give their time, energy and expertise? Where are they all hiding? Here are seven ways to hunt them down.
Ask
Although this first point may seem obvious, it is often overlooked. Getting people to volunteer requires actually asking them. While you may think your friends and family know your organization is searching, the community might not realize that you have a need.
Put out a call for volunteers on all of your public-facing communication channels:
• Place a section on your website for volunteer opportunities.
• Showcase volunteers and volunteer initiatives on your social media platforms.
Make sure to include information about future volunteer events:
• Have a media kit handy, one which mentions that your organization is always looking for volunteers.
• Include future volunteer opportunities in your organization’s newsletter.
• Encourage your current volunteers to invite their friends or relatives to a volunteer event.
There are also national websites that share opportunities or match volunteers and groups, like Create the Good and Idealist. These websites filter volunteer opportunities by location and interest, so it’s an excellent means to discover people in your region who already care about the work you do. Project Safe, a charity based in Athens, Georgia, that serves women and children survivors of domestic abuse, promotes volunteer opportunities on its website, social media, and a monthly newsletter.
“We have some volunteers who have supported us for 10-plus years and their dedication is amazing,” said Stephanie Molkentin, the organization’s community involvement and volunteer coordinator. “Our volunteers come from all over, including UGA or other universities, community groups, church groups, businesses, or individuals who just want to make a difference.”
For face-to-face recruiting, consider collaborating with local businesses, faith groups, local high schools or colleges, or community civic groups. Having a booth at craft fairs and participating in local community events can also be a great way to meet potential volunteers.
Get Superspecific About What Skills You Need
Asking for volunteers is too broad. And the term can mean different things to different people. For some people, volunteering means writing a check. For others, it means a once-a-week commitment. While many people say they are too busy if asked to volunteer, they might give a different answer if you ask for one hour on Saturday afternoon to stuff envelopes.
Instead of asking for volunteers, request that people in the community do specific jobs. Ask for help answering phones, packing lunches, distributing backpacks, or weeding a garden. This way, prospective volunteers will understand precisely what you need and can decide if the opportunity is in their wheelhouse.
Getting precise also serves to get around any misconceptions about volunteering that people may have. If someone’s only experience with volunteering is a team or corporate volunteer day, they may believe you’re only looking for someone to donate goods or help construct an outbuilding, which may make them want to volunteer (or run for the hills).
Don’t Discount The Importance Of Enthusiasm
“At A Kid Again, our volunteers are the stars that help make adventures come to life for the families we serve,” said Oyauma Garrison, President and CEO of A Kid Again, a nonprofit that provides adventures to children with life-threatening conditions and their families.
Volunteers can bring fresh energy to the heart of a nonprofit. “Because we work with families that have children facing critical conditions, we need volunteers that bring excitement, passion, and a heart for children,” Garrison says. “Much of the way we recruit our wonderful volunteers is through word of mouth and company engagement opportunities. Once someone experiences the joy they bring to our families through volunteering at one of our adventures, they are hooked! We are so fortunate to have many volunteers serving as long-term partners and advocates for A Kid Again.”
Get Superspecific About What Community You Serve
Sure, you can talk to civic groups about exactly what your organization offers to the community. And yes, in the last year, you may have raised $50,000 for school supplies. But how does that resonate with potential volunteers?
“Having a variety of volunteer positions and being able to perform many of them remotely, especially during Covid has been so helpful to our organization and those that want to serve. We have found that many women’s groups within larger organizations enjoy mobilizing together to support elevating younger girls,” Jody LaVoie, CEO of Female Strong, a nonprofit that empowers girls to learn about the business world.
Once you tell potential volunteers about the community you serve, make sure to keep them informed about your upcoming initiatives. “Since we are an organization that is growing and expanding our programming, it is important to us to have regular communications with our volunteers so that they can stay informed about the growth of our organization and new volunteer opportunities,” says LaVoie. “Being able to do that as often as possible with a human touch is invaluable.”
Volunteers love knowing their work is making a difference in the community. Instead of explaining what you do in broad terms, tell volunteers about what their work does to help others. Try telling people the number of schoolchildren who were able to get the materials they needed for school. Instead of asking for childcare volunteers, try telling potential volunteers that supervising the children allows parents to finish their degrees.
Asking for donations of household goods is fine, but reframing the request as helping a homeless mother furnish her first apartment is better. Putting out a call for lunchbox items is fantastic, but what if you told volunteers that by providing lunches for school kids, parents won’t have to decide between gas and food?
“We try to retain our volunteers by sharing our mission and how their work forwards that mission; we do our best to offer a welcoming environment and provide sufficient training as necessary,” says Molkentin. “We aim to provide meaningful work for volunteers. Everything our volunteers do truly does help us work towards our mission of ending domestic violence.”
Make Onboarding Easy
If your new volunteers get exhausted from filling out the paperwork, it might be time to make some changes. People often decide to volunteer on the spur of the moment — and they can just as easily change their minds if there are too many obstacles. Just make sure you tell people exactly where they are in the process and how long each process will take. If it takes three days for a background check to clear, tell people that. If your volunteer coordinator returns calls on Thursdays, put that on your website.
Let People Commit to Short Stints
Depending on the volunteer, some will be capable of committing to work full-time while others will be looking to volunteer once a month or a couple of times a year. The number of volunteers you can draw will expand if you are flexible.
Microvolunteering offers flexibility to volunteers and more opportunities for nonprofit organizations. It can include everything from sharing petitions to weeding a local community park to starting a load of laundry in a shelter, writing a small batch of thank you notes, decorating a bulletin board, proofreading an article for a newsletter, or sharing posts on social media.
If you’ll be experimenting with microvolunteering, make certain your jobs are quick and can be done in batches. It’s best if the work sessions are short — usually no more than 45 minutes — and, if possible, not tied to a specific location.
Cheer For Your Volunteers
Thank every volunteer who assists your organization in any form. Publicly acknowledge the work individuals do for your cause during speeches or other public events. It doesn’t need to cost a penny. Consider having a volunteer of the week (or month) program. Be sure to tell volunteers when they’re doing a great job — and ask their opinions on future improvements inside your organization.
Do something special for your volunteers’ birthdays, post about them on your social media, provide them training and invest in a couple of employee perks that they’ll have access to. Taking care to value them will make your volunteers feel appreciated and boost the odds that they’ll remain with your organization.
“At all of our events, we always mention how we welcome all volunteers,” says Stacey Wahlberg, president and co-founder of Cal’s Angels, a nonprofit that advocates for research in the fight against pediatric cancer. “ Depending on age and comfort level, in a normal year, volunteers are able to go on the front lines and work face-to-face with kids we serve. We’re a transparent organization and encourage all of our volunteers to see what we do on a daily basis by welcoming them in during business hours to see how everything works.”
