Volunteering is the lifeblood of many nonprofit organizations. Recent declines in volunteer retention, however, are endangering nonprofits’ missions. In this article, we’ll unpack innovative strategies, ideas, and tips for engaging your volunteers with better communication and more meaningful work opportunities, which will lead to building a stronger sense of community within your organization.
Volunteers are critical to your cause. Most nonprofits rely on volunteers in one way or another – whether that’s board membership, event committees, or program volunteers. The most recent U.S. Census Bureau and AmeriCorps survey, however, showed a drop in volunteer participation from 30% to 23.2% between 2019 and 2021.
Nonprofit volunteer retention has struggled to improve since the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has never been more important. High staff turnover rates make it increasingly difficult – yet all the more critical – to connect with and form long-term relationships with volunteers.
This article breaks down the three main reasons for volunteer turnover and offers strategies and tips to increase your volunteer retention rate. Let’s get started!
Volunteer retention should be a primary concern for nonprofits that rely on volunteers. High volunteer turnover rates can have far-reaching consequences, such as losses in event revenue and programming limitations.
Let’s take a look at some of the common reasons behind high volunteer turnover.
Volunteer burnout is a significant challenge that stems from dedicated people becoming overwhelmed by the demands of their commitments, especially when they are putting hours of work in for no pay.
Your organization can address this by taking a multifaceted approach. First, brainstorm ways to prioritize clear communication regarding expectations and responsibilities, and ensure your volunteers have realistic workloads. Then, strive to create an environment where your volunteers can openly discuss challenges and receive guidance and support to help prevent feelings of isolation and burnout.
Pro tip: By prioritizing volunteer well-being and creating a culture of support and appreciation, you can mitigate burnout and sustain a motivated and effective volunteer base.
Sudden changes to policy or programs are sometimes necessary. But if you don’t share timely updates and provide volunteers with reasons for these changes, you have a greater chance of developing mistrust, which in turn will lead to volunteer turnover.
Bonus: Here are nine fresh ways to engage and motivate your volunteer base!
We all appreciate our volunteers, but time and money constraints can limit the options for showing them just how much. Remember – your volunteers are taking precious time away from their families, friends, careers, and other commitments to help your nonprofit!
When your nonprofit volunteer programs aren’t focused on creating an enjoyable experience and developing a solid team, it’s time to create or update your volunteer appreciation strategy.
Resource: If your organization needs some help with volunteer appreciation, we’ve got you covered with these creative ideas!
Effective communication and volunteer engagement is the key to strengthening your volunteer programs. The following strategies can improve your volunteer program in these and other areas.
The last thing your volunteers want is a job that doesn’t make a difference. Not every volunteer opportunity is going to be fun, but every role should have an impact!
During your volunteer onboarding process, clearly explain how every volunteer directly impacts your mission. Highlighting the importance of each role, no matter how small, will positively impact your volunteer retention.
Pro tip: Share regular updates and impact reports on how volunteer hours save your organization money and improve your programs.
Developing a successful volunteer program begins with your descriptions of volunteer roles. Start with a list of expectations you have for each volunteer role. Use this list to create job descriptions and digital, anonymous feedback forms to be distributed on a regular basis.
The level of volunteer training and onboarding needed will vary based on your needs and the roles, but there are ways to build a sense of community and belonging for all volunteers. In addition to training booklets or videos, allow volunteers to connect and network with each other while learning how to do their jobs. When volunteers know what they’re doing, your nonprofit volunteer retention rates will increase.
Your volunteers are busy individuals with lives of their own. Volunteer programs with strict schedules may not work long-term for most. Thankfully, technological advancements make it easier to add flexibility to your volunteer programs.
Consider how your organization structures its volunteer sign-up form. Adding a field where prospective volunteers may indicate how many hours a month they are able to work will make it easier to segment your pool of volunteers. Those who have less time could be offered specific, time-bound engagements like assisting with specific events or fundraising through peer-to-peer campaigns.
You may only need volunteers for an annual event or two, but that shouldn’t be the only time you contact these supporters. Your volunteers are integral to your team and must be treated as such. Hold a volunteer appreciation event, send personal notes, recognize their birthdays, or call throughout the year to show your appreciation.
The success of your volunteer program relies on involvement from all sectors of your organization. Volunteer retention best practices include leadership buy-in from the board and high-level staff members. Find ways to get these individuals excited about changes to your volunteer program by inviting them to interact with new and long-term volunteers throughout the year.
A culture of growth is especially critical for new and younger volunteers. Develop a structural system for volunteers to rise in the ranks of your organization.
Finding new board members is a complex and tricky process. They must understand and care about your nonprofit’s mission and have the skills and background to help you grow – many of your existing volunteers may fit this description.
Create a volunteer succession plan that evolves volunteers into board members, helping you build a successful board for years to come.
Not all volunteers are the same. The best way to build a succession plan is to understand their potential from the beginning. Segment your volunteers based on their interests and involvement. Create communication, growth, and retention plans for each volunteer type.
Offer training sessions and workshops to develop your volunteers’ knowledge and skills. These training sessions can focus on volunteer roles and responsibilities as well as your organization’s mission and cause.
An advisory board allows volunteers with specific skill sets to advise your organization on a myriad of topics. They can also help create events and fundraising activities that appeal to new audiences.
For example, forming a young professional group is an excellent way to appeal to younger donors. It also offers them something to add to their professional resumes!
Mentorship programs pair new volunteers with those who are more established and can offer guidance and support. This frees up staff time for other tasks while ensuring all volunteers feel prepared.
Adding mentorship responsibilities to board member duties can also increase volunteer’s long-term interest in your program. Continuous feedback and involvement from your board of directors will also play a huge role in engaging volunteers and improving your organization’s culture.
Nonprofit organizations that offer meaningful roles and experiences to help individuals grow professionally and personally will have better volunteer retention rates.
As you develop a solid volunteer program focusing on growth, use these tips to help you engage and inspire volunteers.
Volunteer certificates and thank-you notes are affordable ways to show appreciation to volunteers. Programs like Volunteer of the Month or Year can also excite volunteers and your community.
Pro tip: Share pictures of your Volunteer of the Month and other volunteers hard at work on your website and social media profiles with hashtags like #Volunteer, #VolunteerOpportunities, and #VolunteerOfTheMonth.
Communication with your volunteers is essential. Gather feedback from them on their experiences, preferably quarterly or annually, or even after each major event. Ask for their ideas for improvement and – better still – ensure you put their ideas into action whenever possible.
Luckily, volunteer retention does not have to be the responsibility of nonprofits alone. Corporations are more aware and appreciative of staff volunteers and may offer their employees benefits for volunteering. Partnering with these businesses can help increase recruitment and retention rates and may increase your nonprofit’s revenue.
Networking opportunities significantly appeal to adult volunteers. Offering in-person and online team-building activities and networking events can help your organization recruit and retain long-term support.
You may be surprised to know that your volunteers can become your biggest financial supporters. Sharing targeted stories, testimonials, and data about the effects of their efforts increases their interest in your programs and may increase their physical involvement as well as financial gifts.
With Donorbox + POINT, you can embed your customized donation form directly into your volunteer management system, enabling volunteers to quickly give without leaving the platform.
An easy way to build a sense of community within your organization is with branded t-shirts, hats, tote bags, etc. Design unique items for your volunteers to make them stand out and feel like part of the team.
Most corporations hold exit interviews with staff to analyze their reason for leaving. These organizations understand the cost of losing quality staff members and consistently search for ways to eliminate high turnover rates and save money.
The average volunteer hourly rate of $32 in the United States shows nonprofits can’t afford to lose volunteers, either. Volunteer exit interviews allow your organization to collect feedback from unhappy volunteers and give you insight into any internal issues you may need to address.
High volunteer turnover costs nonprofits millions of dollars every year. You can blame it on volunteer burnout, miscommunication, and underappreciation, but, regardless of the cause, there are strategies you can use to address these issues. Meaningful work experiences, clear expectations, flexibility, and constant communication can help you build a solid volunteer base.
Your board’s hands-on involvement in your volunteer program is vital to its health. Developing a growth structure, succession plan, and mentorship program will encourage all members of your community to play meaningful roles.
Tools like Donorbox can help you segment volunteers to create unique communication and retention plans for different volunteer levels and the Donorbox + POINT integration can help you turn these volunteers into donors. Learn more about all of our features and how our system can help your nonprofit increase your fundraising, build better relationships with supporters and volunteers, and ensure long-term growth.
Check out the rest of the Nonprofit Blog for more nonprofit and fundraising tips. Subscribe to our e-newsletter to receive the latest articles, news, and more in your inbox.
Kristine Ensor is a freelance writer with over a decade of experience working with local and international nonprofits. As a nonprofit professional she has specialized in fundraising, marketing, event planning, volunteer management, and board development.
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Kristine Ensor