Volunteers

The truly unsung heroes of nonprofits are the volunteers. These caring and generous souls do not get paid for their work. In fact, they often give not just time but money to the nonprofit. So why are volunteers taken for granted by so many nonprofits? Here is my answer, via my experience as a volunteer coordinator, and I hope that it creates an “Aha!” moment for those who are in a position to make a change for the good.

Volunteers and staff usually need warming so that they can effectively make a gift request. They need baby steps. We all need to understand what we are doing and why we are doing it. One step at a time. One win at a time. Building confidence and growing to even greater things. Here are some steps to warm up staff and volunteers to effectively secure gifts.

While we won’t solve all the problems volunteers face in 2014, there are things we can all do — for volunteers at our organization or if we want to volunteer — to make the experience more fulfilling for the volunteer and more beneficial for the organization. While there are many good resources available for learning the secrets of volunteer management, following are just a few that have been most elusive in my own experience.

Celebrate any opportunity that allows people to experience the joy and life-changing benefits of giving and to help meet vital needs! And let’s be sure to focus on nurturing giving as a way of life, not just an event!

Give me a list of 20 things to do and I might shut down. Give me list of five things to do, with clear instructions and a timeline, and I can excel.

Sadly, transitions in staff replacements in the nonprofit world typically do not lend themselves to smooth transitions of information.

Your job is to change the culture and mind-set in your organization that a special event is everyone’s responsibility. If you increase the importance of a special event in your organization, other positive results will follow!       

If you engage volunteer leadership in a campaign — and it dramatically increases your success if done correctly — you need the right strategy. This includes preparation, and it includes leadership that makes a leadership gift — whatever that means for your particular organization and effort.

By focusing on strong and sincere donor relationships, learning their needs and interests, and providing appropriate opportunities, you also help donors experience the joy of giving and leave a legacy.

Back in 2009, when current FS Editorial Advisory Board Co-Chair Jo Sullivan was senior vice president of development and communications for the ASPCA, she offered "Tips for Creating Cause Ambassadors."