Your nonprofit wouldn’t be able to make an impact without its volunteers. Building robust, sustainable volunteer recruitment strategies is key. Volunteers clearly see how they fit into your mission, and they meet like-minded people as they go through orientation and training. Camaraderie grows when volunteers are aligned with your organization’s cause and are well-informed about how to contribute.
Tap Into Existing Volunteers’ Networks
Start creating custom volunteer surveys with Polling.com today — it’s free to try and built for nonprofit impact. Keep it short (under 10 questions), mobile-friendly, and let volunteers know why their input matters. For example, share how past feedback led to changes in scheduling or training. A local after-school program used mid-engagement surveys to ask volunteers whether they felt informed about daily activities.
Other platforms like SurveyMonkey, Typeform, and Google Forms are also widely used. Having the right tools makes it easier to gather, analyze, and act on volunteer feedback. Depending on what you learn, you might refine training materials, provide better tools, or adjust schedules to reduce burnout.
Sustained engagement with volunteers
Understanding these motivations can help you create volunteer opportunities that appeal to a wide range of individuals and showcase the benefits of volunteering with your organization. Rosterfy exists to connect communities to events and causes they are passionate about through volunteer and paid workforce management technology. Volunteer contributions and achievements can be celebrated by hosting events or ceremonies. Events can be an effective way to bring volunteers together and show them that their work is appreciated. These events can include volunteer thank you events, recognition ceremonies, or volunteer of the year awards. Celebrating volunteers in this way can help create a positive and supportive environment and show volunteers that their contributions are valued and appreciated.
These partnerships can introduce your cause to new audiences and create a steady pipeline of willing and enthusiastic helpers. A recruitment 7 ways to recruit more volunteers for your nonprofit plan typically incorporates efficient tools and processes to consistently attract individuals to meet your volunteer needs while aligning with the ethos of your organization. An appealing program doesn’t just attract participants—it turns volunteers into passionate advocates for your cause, creating a cycle of engagement and growth. With a strong foundation, you can promote impactful volunteer experiences. Finally, for long-term sustainability, it’s recommended to have multiple revenue-generating activities and funding sources. Even if you run an incredibly successful volunteering program, online fundraising should be a part of your fundraising strategy, no matter the size or focus of your nonprofit.
Cities & Local Governments
An effective volunteer job description is crucial for attracting the right people to your cause. When potential volunteers clearly understand what they’re signing up for, they’re more likely to commit and stay engaged. However, volunteer programs only bring value to a nonprofit organization when they’re done “right”. Recruiting, engaging, and retaining nonprofit volunteers takes time and effort. Happy and engaged volunteers can become ambassadors for your cause, sharing their experiences and encouraging others to join.
Top 11 Ways to Recruit Volunteers
The nonprofit sector has become more competitive, with many organizations seeking volunteers from the same pool. On top of that, today’s volunteers expect a positive, streamlined onboarding experience—slow communication or cumbersome sign-up processes can turn them away. These factors make it essential to adopt smarter, more holistic approaches to volunteer recruitment. These solutions also facilitate recruitment by making it easy to identify existing volunteers who can support your recruitment efforts, create branded signup pages, and collect waivers. A referral program is a popular method for recruiting volunteers as it leverages the power of word-of-mouth recommendations.
However, qualified nonprofits can receive free credits to spend on Google Ads, making this recruitment method incredibly cost-effective. By leveraging Google Ads strategically, your nonprofit can connect with enthusiastic individuals eager to support your mission. Developing a volunteer network can boost your organization’s success immensely. Volunteers help save money and time and are also often the heart and soul of an organization.
- Instituting a formal incentive program can motivate active volunteers to bring in their network, while engaged, long-term volunteers can serve as passionate advocates for your organization’s mission.
- This will strengthen your brand as an organization that accepts volunteers and will help you both recruit and retain great volunteers for the long term.
- Volunteer recruitment and retention will only work if you use the right tools for the job.
- A well-written role description enables prospective volunteers to imagine themselves in the role.
- When volunteers have a rewarding and memorable experience, they’re more likely to share their stories and bring in new recruits.
It doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming to be effective. Sign up for our free training newsletter, Niche Notes, for actionable steps and insider tips on making training work for your team—no extra overhead required. Many organizations choose a pay-per-click (PPC) option, which means you only pay for your ad when people click on it. This type of ad relies on keywords, which means you’ll need to be intentional about choosing the right keywords for your volunteer opportunity or program. Choose a keyword that is specific to your organization or event so you don’t have to compete with other organizations for a high-volume keyword. This is a great way to find volunteers with skills that can benefit your organization in a variety of ways.
- Many young volunteers are likely to be motivated by the benefit of personal and professional development.
- These partnerships help build volunteer and organizational relationships while amplifying your nonprofit’s impact on the community.
- This saves time on both ends and often leads to higher volunteer satisfaction.
Create a dedicated volunteer page on your website.
With your team, go over your plans and strategies and review your progress so far. Identify the underperforming areas, projects, and programs and then consider recruiting volunteers to help out with those. Be sure to clearly identify the skills that are needed for that to happen and recruit volunteers for those specific roles. Inclusive and far-reaching volunteer recruitment efforts will allow your organization to foster a reliable pool of qualified, passionate volunteers.
Collaborate with local businesses.
This article will look at how to Recruit Volunteers for a Nonprofit Organization, but first, you need to understand what is a volunteer recruitment process. He also has years of experience in helping nonprofit organizations grow their supporter base. Be very clear about the tasks volunteers are expected to perform and the skills required.
Volunteer job boards are websites that list volunteer opportunities and allow individuals to search and apply for volunteer positions. These job boards are a great way for organisations to reach a large audience of potential volunteers and for individuals to find volunteer opportunities that align with their interests and skills. The golden rule of volunteer recruitment is, “If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.” Use these strategies to help ask potential volunteers to get involved with your cause. To tap into the value of volunteerism, your organization needs a concrete volunteer recruitment strategy.
In the same way, you would create a donor profile, your nonprofit also needs to create an ideal volunteer profile. Identify individuals or groups that will enjoy volunteering at your organization. According to Sterling Volunteers, 83% of volunteers contribute to a cause they care about. A volunteer participation survey for one-time event volunteers should look different from one for long-term mentors. To see how volunteer engagement surveys make a tangible difference, here are a couple of real-world examples from organizations that turned feedback into action. Compared to these, Polling.com balances simplicity, nonprofit-friendly pricing, and built-in analytics.