Volunteers

Separating mission work from fundraising work is a deeply rooted practice in nonprofit. I challenge that. I challenge the idea that there is any scenario where a complete separation is necessary or more productive than collaboration. Here is a good illustration of what could be....

It’s no secret: Donors are a nonprofit’s lifeline. But money isn’t the only thing worth giving ... or getting. Yes, cash keeps the cause funded (and the office lights on), but the contributions of volunteers are worth their weight in gold. When volunteers give their time, they take an active role in the organization’s mission and pledge their support to the cause. Clearly, volunteers are valuable. But they aren’t always easy to come by...

Relay for Life sprang from nothing in 1985 to more than $400 million per year at its height. In spite of that gargantuan success, no other nonprofit has been able to put the volunteer-driven model to work in the same way. Why is that? Why have no other organizations been able to get volunteers to handle events in the same way or fundraise at the same levels?...

Volunteers are not fundraising professionals. You have to show strong leadership in guiding and coaching them to success. Paint a picture of the outcomes you will achieve. Show them how the right strategy will work. Make them feel comfortable with their roles...

According to a recent Gallup study of 230,000 full-time and part-time workers in 142 countries, only 13 percent of people feel engaged and fulfilled by their jobs. In other words, nearly nine out of 10 adults spend half their waking lives doing things they would rather not be doing at places they would rather not be. It’s not rocket science to figure out what keeps them showing up (the paycheck) even though for them, work is more a source of frustration than fulfillment...

I was consulting with an executive with a major health-care nonprofit. She mentioned a concern about the way that organization’s staff interacted with volunteers. She felt like staff members were being too prescriptive in their instructions about fundraising, and that was probably a bad thing, although she couldn’t tell me exactly why...

“You have a fashion publication in Indianapolis? Really? That you’re staffing mainly with ... volunteers?” That’s the sort of thing Polina Osherov often hears while speaking in larger cities about Pattern Magazine. Until the person actually sees the fashion publication—and hears her story. Then it’s instant respect.

Kudos to those dedicated nonprofit development professionals who celebrate their volunteers. Those who know — and believe — that it's about people, not money.

"We pay volunteers to fundraise." Even as I write this sentence I realize that the words themselves sound ludicrous. And yet, I see my nonprofit clients try to do it over and over.

Volunteers want you to succeed. These true believers will be more than happy to provide financial resources if you ask them. They do so at a rate 50 percent higher than non-volunteers and in amounts 50 percent higher than those who don't give their time.