How We Keep Blowing it With Volunteers (And How to Fix It)

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.