Not-for-profit leaders are continually seeking new and innovative ways to increase organizational impact. In our current economic climate, that might sometimes feel like an uphill battle, especially given limited resources and an ongoing, national talent shortage.

According to research from the University of Maryland, in 2022, 64% of not-for-profits reported increased demand for their services; yet, 29% were operating with less funding and paid staff than before the pandemic.

Volunteers are a vital resource in helping not-for-profits achieve mission-driven initiatives despite resource shortages. Of course, recruiting volunteers isn't about simply finding people willing to complete processes or tasks — it's about finding people who are closely aligned with mission and goals, creating a positive volunteer experience and maintaining volunteer relationships to build a sustainable and forward-looking organizational structure.

Mastering volunteer recruitment provides not-for-profit leaders with the tools to improve performance and maximize long-term effectiveness and, importantly inspiring others to join the cause.

Understanding Your Not-for-Profit Organization

Understanding the skill sets needed to reach mission and goals is essential to identifying the types of volunteers that best fit within an organization. It helps you determine what qualities are required for volunteer roles, allowing you to target the right people who align with your mission.

Once you understand the roles you need to fill, work on creating clear and concise volunteer job descriptions, just as you would for a full-time or paid employee. Providing detailed information about the position, such as responsibilities and necessary skills, can help you target your volunteer recruitment efforts. In addition, providing this information in an organized and easy-to-understand format helps prospective volunteers better understand the commitment of each role, making them more likely to continue volunteering with you for the long-term.

Identifying Potential Volunteers

Recruiting volunteers starts with identifying the right audience. When you understand who your organization is trying to reach, you can target them accordingly.

Work with your marketing team to identify your target audience, select the proper outreach method and develop a compelling message to promote your volunteer opportunities, specifically crafted with your audience in mind.

For example, if you're looking for potential board members or fundraisers, you want people who have financial resources, are active in the community and are connected to others with other potential supporters. In that case, you might want to target Baby Boomers or Gen Xers by networking at local events or speaking to groups in which they are currently involved.

On the other hand, if you simply need to recruit a large number of volunteers for a short period of time or a specific event, you might create targeted ads on social media, post flyers in relevant locations or buying a booth at a local fair or community event. The demographic make-up of volunteers will be more diverse, and will likely yield faster staffing.

You might also partner with local businesses or schools to find potential volunteers. For example, many businesses hold company-wide volunteer days or give employees time off to volunteer, and many high school students need community service hours to receive their diplomas. This can be a great way to engage younger generations and help them learn essential skills while providing valuable assistance to your not-for-profit.

Finally, don't forget to leverage existing relationships and networks, such as past volunteers or board members, to spread the word about your organization's needs. These organizational representatives will be more readily equipped to speak to organizational priorities and the volunteer experience, making them especially well suited to recruitment.

Building a Strong Volunteer Program

Mastering volunteer recruitment doesn't end with capturing a commitment to volunteer responsibilities. Organizational leaders also need to create a positive volunteer experience so that volunteers want to continue working with your organization, and potentially investing in other ways, too.

Your volunteer program starts with onboarding and training to help them understand the responsibilities of their roles, creating policies that clearly outline what is expected of volunteers and providing ongoing support.

You should also provide opportunities for volunteers to give feedback on their experiences and use that feedback to improve your program. Establishing this strong communication loop helps build relationships and foster trust between the organization and its volunteers.

Recognizing volunteers is also vital for retention. While award ceremonies and gifts are nice, recognizing volunteers doesn't have to break the bank. Other recognition ideas include a handwritten thank you card or highlighting individual volunteers in your newsletter or on social media. Doing so shows appreciation and encourages volunteers to continue their involvement with the organization.

Drawing in volunteers, donors and community members is essential for any not-for-profit organization looking to fulfill its mission and improve performance. With the strategies discussed here, you can help ensure positive results from everyone involved, ultimately leading to better outcomes and higher volunteer satisfaction.

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