5 Tips for Engaging Nonprofit Volunteers on a Deeper Level
As a volunteer coordinator, you know that your volunteers are the foundation of your nonprofit. They offer their time, skills, and passion to help run successful programs and services for important causes. For your nonprofit organization to achieve its mission, goals, and objectives, it is important to build strong, genuine relationships with volunteers.
When volunteers see that your organization has taken the time to get to know them as individuals and appeal to their interests, they’ll be more likely to stick around long-term.
Whether you’re looking to recruit volunteers for your upcoming Giving Tuesday event, your weekly community dinner, or your annual river cleanup, it’s essential to approach volunteer engagement in an authentic, strategic way. Here are five tips for engaging volunteers on a deeper level:
Use your website to engage supporters.
Reach out to audience members on social media.
Remind volunteers of the benefits of their involvement.
Ask volunteers for their feedback.
Show volunteers the impact of their work.
Remember, your volunteer management software will be one of your greatest tools in the volunteer engagement process. You can use your volunteer database to get in touch with supporters, as well as review their preferences and skills so that you can match them with opportunities that align with their interests.
1. Use your website to engage supporters.
As Double the Donation’s volunteer management guide says, it’s important to promote your volunteer opportunities online, because that’s where your potential volunteers spend a good chunk of their time. To promote your opportunities effectively, design your site to be user-friendly and make it easy for volunteers to find the resources they need.
One of the most important resources on your nonprofit’s website is the volunteer recruitment or “Get Involved” page, so it’s important to design this page purposefully. A well-crafted page that has been properly thought out has the power to spark your desired action and convert website visitors into volunteers. Ensure your recruitment page offers detailed volunteer opportunities that prospective volunteers can easily review and sign up for.
Additionally, ensure that your nonprofit’s website includes compelling content, such as motivational imagery and testimonials, and communicates a clear mission statement and the goals of your volunteer program.
In today’s world, if you want to reach new volunteers, your website is one of the best places to do so. That’s why you must provide easily accessible information the moment visitors land on your page.
2. Reach out to audience members on social media.
Social media is a news resource, a place to promote products, services, and fundraising opportunities, and also a valuable volunteer recruitment tool!
Use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to conduct volunteer recruitment and engagement efforts such as:
Sharing detailed role descriptions - It’s important to be descriptive when you share information about volunteer opportunities because you want to attract the right volunteers who are suitable for each role. Describe the skills or qualifications needed for each position so your volunteers know what best matches their interests and strengths.
Extending personal invitations - Social media is the best place to connect and get a conversation started. Sending a personal invite to volunteers goes a long way in getting them excited to participate. Personalizing your messages is also essential for volunteer engagement and retention. It will help volunteers feel valued and recognized as individuals, united around a collective goal.
Posting volunteer shout-outs and thank you messages - At your most recent volunteer opportunity, did you have any outstanding volunteers that went above and beyond? Or, perhaps you surpassed your fundraising goal from previous years with the help of your hard-working team. Remember to show your appreciation, whether it’s through a certificate, letter, or a shout-out on social media.
Posting regular updates for current projects - If you’re looking to attract new volunteers, it’s a good idea to emphasize your nonprofit’s impact and the role of your volunteers. You want your supporters to stay updated on what your organization is working on, including any accomplishments that involved the help of volunteers.
Educating your audience - One of the keys to attracting and recruiting volunteers is by educating them on your cause. Social media is a great place to share your organization’s mission and background information about your work. When audience members have a greater understanding of the purpose of your nonprofit and your goals, they may feel more inclined to get involved in a hands-on capacity.
Including sign-up links in posts - Remember to share a link to your organization’s sign-up page to make it easier for people to reach out and get involved. You can also include the link in your organization’s bio or “About” page.
Be sure to adapt your social media content to best suit each platform. For instance, use quality, original photos on Instagram, concise posts on Twitter, and a combination of photos, videos, and text on Facebook. You can also use the unique tools offered on each platform, such as Instagram Stories or Facebook Live, to give audience members a behind-the-scenes look at your organization.
3. Remind volunteers of the benefits of their involvement.
Volunteering goes beyond just donating a couple of hours during the week to accomplish assigned tasks. It offers many benefits to those who decide to get involved. The advantages of participating in your volunteer program might include:
Opportunities for professional networking - Volunteering gives individuals the opportunity to develop meaningful connections with professionals in their field of interest. This is especially true of corporate volunteer opportunities. Plus, supporters can mention their volunteer experience on their resumes and use volunteer coordinators as professional references if needed.
Opportunities for socializing - Volunteering allows participants to meet new people from different backgrounds with unique experiences. This is a great way for those who may be new to your area to make friends or meet neighbors.
Possible tax deductions - If volunteers donate to your mission, they can write off these contributions on their taxes. Plus, they may be able to deduct volunteer-specific expenses, such as travel costs or supply expenses.
Ability to learn a new skill - Volunteering presents many learning opportunities, such as leadership practice, which naturally improves professional skills like public speaking, management, and communication.
Boost in physical and mental health - Volunteering offers real physical and mental health benefits, including a decreased risk of depression and a reduction in stress levels.
Use your communication channels to highlight the specific volunteer benefits that your organization offers. For instance, you might host happy hours after your Wednesday night greenway cleanups, or mentoring opportunities for younger volunteers to gain leadership experience. Whatever you offer, make sure volunteers know the many benefits of getting involved.
4. Ask volunteers for their feedback.
Collecting volunteer feedback is essential for empowering your volunteers, optimizing the volunteering experience, and keeping them engaged with your organization over the long-term. It also helps you determine areas of improvement. As stated in InitLive’s volunteer engagement guide, “collecting insight from your volunteers is vital to defining issues and finding ways to resolve them.”
Volunteer feedback is a crucial variable in helping you grow your nonprofit, so you must communicate effectively with your volunteers. Send your volunteers surveys via email or social media to ask for their feedback. Ask about their most and least favorite aspects of the experience and how they think it could be improved.
Also, consider hosting a video conference with volunteers after an opportunity and discuss what was successful and what needs improvement. You can also have one-on-one chats with your volunteers and ask if they think anything needs to be changed, whether it's your organization’s communication style or the variety of roles available.
5. Show volunteers the impact of their work.
Volunteers want and deserve to know how their efforts help your nonprofit work toward its mission. Studies show that 75% of working millennials said they would volunteer more if they had a better understanding of the impact they were making.
You can keep volunteers in the loop by publishing a thorough annual report. You already file an annual financial report called Form 990 to stay accountable to the government and maintain your tax-exempt status. Create a more comprehensive report based on this document that your donors, volunteers, and other supporters can review to see how your organization uses donations and volunteer support to complete its mission.
Remember to use statistics as impact indicators. For example, perhaps your volunteers donated 300 hours throughout a long-term project. It’s good to let them know this statistic, but you should also put it into context. If those hours were put towards cleaning up all of the garbage in a three-mile-long trail, be sure to mention how environmental health has improved due to their hard work!
Converting statistics into indicators of success will provide your volunteers with a better understanding of their impact. This helps boost engagement and retention.
There you have it! Now you know five essential steps to keeping your volunteers engaged on a deeper level. Your volunteers are there to support you and your mission, and as a volunteer manager, you want to ensure you are constantly inspiring them and treating them as integral members of your team!
Remember to stay transparent and genuine in your volunteer communications and engagement efforts. Keep them in the loop of any updates and make them a part of key decision-making processes. Good luck!
Shreya Tragad
Digital Marketing Specialist at InitLive
Shreya is a creative content creator focusing on delivering information about the importance of volunteerism for nonprofit organizations. She is passionate about creating engaging content, writing, and graphic design to help viewers easily retain information. You can find her work at www.initlive.com or on LinkedIn and Twitter.