How to engage volunteers: 5 tips

By Laurie Frees

Volunteers are more than helping hands. They make up one-third of the nonprofit workforce and are essential to many organizations. Yet recruiting and retaining volunteers has its challenges. That’s why having a well-defined and effective volunteer engagement strategy can be a game-changer. A volunteer engagement strategy is a plan for recruiting, supporting, motivating and retaining volunteers. It helps them stay interested and active in carrying out your mission without burning out. Let’s look at five key strategies to strengthen volunteer engagement and secure a bright future for your organization.

Create clear roles and expectations

People want to know how their time and effort will make a difference. By providing clear role descriptions that outline responsibilities, time commitments and required skills, volunteers will understand their purpose from the start and see precisely how they can and will help the mission.

During onboarding, provide a thorough education about your organization, as well as staff and volunteer roles and expectations. Provide a job description so they know what their roles and responsibilities will be. When onboarding wraps, give bucket hats or beanies to welcome new helpers to the team.

Practice strong communication

Good communication is fundamental to volunteer engagement. Volunteers want to feel informed, included and part of the team. Be consistent with your messaging—whether through email, social media, calls, texts or monthly meetings—to keep everyone connected and in the know. Create opportunities for feedback, questions and concerns, and use regular check-ins to help address issues before volunteers begin to drift away. When valuable feedback is given, show appreciation. Give candles or fleece throws as thank-you gifts for their input.

Recognize and celebrate success

Small gestures can go a long way in keeping volunteers engaged. Highlight the contributions of your team using thank-you letters, volunteer impact reports and appreciation events. Include volunteer spotlights in newsletters, social media posts or on your website. Tailor each shoutout to the individual, understanding some might prefer a private note over a Facebook^® or Instagram^® post. When volunteers go above and beyond, give embroidered backpacks or Bluetooth^® speakers as appreciation gifts.

Provide growth pathways

Like a career, volunteering should come with opportunities to learn, grow and take on more responsibility. While some volunteers might be happy to repeat the same work, others may prefer variety to stay engaged. Offer training or mentoring opportunities where experienced volunteers and newcomers are paired together. Celebrate the seizing of opportunities. When someone debuts in a new role, provide branded apparel, like flannel shirts or quarter-zip jackets.

Foster a sense of community

While many volunteers give their time to support a cause, togetherness is another driving factor. In fact, 35% of people say they volunteer to socialize. By creating a closely connected community, your team can build relationships that may, in the long run, help them stay engaged with your organization. Coordinate team projects, group events and social gatherings for planning and collaboration. When building committees or teams, match volunteers based on similar interests, backgrounds or skills. Encourage supporters to bring friends or family members to generate even more involvement.

35%

of people say they volunteer
to socialize

A volunteer engagement strategy for recruitment and retention

A loyal and growing volunteer base is critical for the sustainability of many nonprofits. By creating clear roles and expectations, practicing strong communication, celebrating success, providing growth pathways and fostering a sense of community, you can keep your team engaged, inspired and dedicated to your cause.

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