Know your volunteer

Post volunteer shifts to a scheduling calendar in less than 5 minutes. Boost volunteer sign ups, reduce busy work, and quickly log hours. Get Started Now • Show submenu for Features • Volunteer Management • • • • • • • • • Volunteer Engagement • • • • • • • • • Volunteer Communication • • • • • • • Volunteer Reporting • • • • Show submenu for Who We Serve • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Show submenu for Top Articles • Leading Volunteers The skills + practices volunteer managers use to be successful! • Volunteer Program Benefits Empower + activate volunteers to take your organization to the next level. • Volunteer Recruitment Get the volunteers you need with strategies that work! • Volunteer Engagement Create an active community of volunteers! • Volunteer Appreciation The foundation of a strong volunteer retention strategy begins here. • Volunteer Hours Tracking Accurately measure + report your program's impact. • Supervising Volunteers Everything for onsite + remote volunteer shift management. • Volunteer Management Software Vital tools for saving time + growing your program! • Growing Your Volunteer Program Make a greater impact for your cause with a thriving program! • • Show submenu for Free Tools • Quiz: Your Volunteer Management Tech • Buyer's Guide: Volunteer Management Software • Calculator: Volunteer Program ROI • eBook: Recruiting the Volunteers You Need • Mini-Class: Solve challenges to volunteer sign-up In addition to gathering feedback, there ar...

Volunteers are the backbone of any nonprofit organization. They take care of your facility, give tours of your museum, welcome attendees to your annual gala, and pass out medals at fundraising races. They walk dogs at your animal shelter, ask for donations on your behalf, and spend their Saturday afternoons tutoring students. Clearly, volunteers are essential to your nonprofit’s ability to move its mission forward. But volunteers don’t just appear out of thin air. Your organization needs a solid plan for finding and holding onto dedicated volunteers. That’s where volunteer recruitment comes in. In this guide, we’ll introduce you to volunteer recruitment and its importance. Then we’ll give you the strategies you need to find volunteers who can truly make a difference to your organization’s work. Here’s what we’ll cover: • • • As you implement the strategies given in this guide, you’ll be able to find and recruit people who want to dedicate their time and talent to helping your organization. Request a Demo Why are volunteers important to nonprofit organizations? It’s no secret that nonprofits rely on volunteer work. But do you know the value that volunteers bring to your organization? Let’s look at some reasons why volunteers are so essential to nonprofits: • Volunteers help nonprofits reduce operating costs. According to an • Volunteers help nonprofits connect with the community. There are likely a number of interested parties in your community that want to make the world a...

Want to provide a great volunteer experience? Get to know your volunteers better! Here are four questions that will help your organization improve your volunteer program and get members more involved. By Tirrah Switzer, Product Marketing Manager , Community Brands The opportunity to get your members more involved as volunteers is big. One of the best ways to get more members to volunteer, and to retain volunteers, is to get to know your volunteers better so you can provide them with more A volunteer survey is simply a questionnaire that asks individuals about their recent volunteer experience with your association. Ideally, you would send the survey shortly after they volunteer to get feedback while the experience is fresh in their minds. Then, distribute the responses across your team to provide insights that help improve the volunteer experience. TECH TIP: You can survey volunteers and track volunteer hours using You might ask a variety of questions in your volunteer survey. You might also have a slightly different set of questions for each type of volunteer opportunity. But no matter what, here are four questions your association’s volunteer surveys should include: 1. What is the organization doing well? This is a chance for volunteers to express what’s working with your organization’s volunteer program. Prompt volunteers to think about their entire volunteer experience – from sign-up and orientation to training and support – and ask what aspects were the most helpful a...

Taking a few simple steps can help craft an effective volunteer program Taking measures to optimize and create an effective volunteer program helps you increase your nonprofit’s reach in the community. A strong volunteer program attracts top-performing volunteers – not to mention community support, grants, and quality staff members. Want to create an effective volunteer program? Do volunteers continue to serve after their initial volunteering experience? What can you do to build relationships and boost the effectiveness of your volunteer program? Below are a few tips for increasing effectiveness and impact. Ask the Right Questions to Create an Effective Volunteer Program Get to know your volunteers and their interests. Why are they volunteering? Are volunteers feeling fulfilled by their experiences with your organization? What do your volunteers hope to gain from their experiences with your nonprofit? To answer these questions, you may consider updating your screening and evaluation processes to begin gathering this data. If you never ask, volunteers are less likely to share their innermost thoughts with you. Take, for example, a volunteer who desires to meet new people while serving the community. Sticking this person behind a desk or stamping envelopes is not going to result in a positive experience for either party. Remember, volunteers who feel like their work is important will continue to volunteer. Those who don’t feel that their work makes a difference will seek oth...

Volunteers are the backbone of nonprofits ’ long-term health and sustainability. Without them, organizations likely wouldn’t be able to accomplish their fundraising goals. Learning how to source and retain consistent volunteers is essential to the success of your nonprofit. Frequently showing appreciation for these loyal supporters keeps them engaged and gives them purpose. Fortunately, you can show appreciation for your incredible volunteers without spending a fortune. Below, we’ve compiled our favorite volunteer appreciation ideas , and most of them cost little to nothing to implement. But before we dive in, let’s break down why volunteer appreciation matters and how to effectively budget for it. Why Volunteer Appreciation Matters Volunteers give their time and energy with little thought of reward, but a positive experience (and a bit of recognition) plays a significant part in getting them to return. Head nods, handshakes, and words of gratitude can go a long way. People don’t need payment to volunteer. However, they want to feel important and know that what they do makes a difference. This feeling of validation can come from the volunteering experiences themselves or when your nonprofit goes the extra mile to show sincere appreciation before, during, and after the experience has concluded. Show your volunteers that you value their contributions so they don’t leave to spend their time with a nonprofit that does. Appreciation can make a significant impact on your volunte...

Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes MURRAY — When it comes to retirement, there are a lot of things to consider. But for former Murray High School teacher and administrator Scott Bushnell, there was one thing he knew from the moment he retired. "I wanted to give back and I wanted to serve," he said. So, Bushnell started volunteering at the Intermountain Medical Center in Murray. Some days, Bushnell may be one of the greeters helping visitors make their way around the large campus. On other days, he delivers gifts or flowers to patients during their recovery. Those flowers may have come right from the gift shop where he volunteers several times a month. "Hopefully, we relieve a little of the burden of those seemingly small things that they need to do, in order to get to the most important thing: Family, friends, relatives and loved ones that are here at the hospital," he said. Studies show that volunteering after retirement benefits older adults' psychological well-being. And volunteering significantly helps provide a sense of purpose. Mike Rawlings is the director of Volunteer Services at Intermountain Health, and he hears time and again similar stories from volunteers: "Several have shared that it's the reason I get out of bed in the morning. It gives me purpose," Rawlings said. For former Murray High School teacher and administrator Scott Bushnell, right, there was one thing he knew from the moment he retired. (Photo: Ashley Moser, KSL-TV) Volunteering can result in plenty ...

Do your school parent group meetings consist of the same four people each month? Does your child’s classroom need a volunteer to take on a special project? Are you trying to recruit volunteers to help with the school festival? These tips will help you attract school volunteers and keep them coming back to help. Five things volunteers love “We’re so glad you’re here.” A warm welcome can win your volunteer’s heart. Introduce her to others. Show her where the restroom is and how to use the copy machine. Include her in conversations. If the work environment is pleasant, your volunteer is much more likely to participate again. “We’re doing this because…” Help your volunteer understand how her role relates to your overall goals or mission. Working on the assembly line is no fun if you can’t see the finished product. “Thank you so much.” Let your volunteer know you appreciate her help, whether she donated an hour or a week, whether she did the most difficult task or the easiest. She could have spent time with her family or at the gym or with the Girl Scouts. “Whatever works best for you.” People have different styles and abilities. Whenever possible, let volunteers take ownership of the process. Give them the goals of the project or the desired outcome, and let them choose their own way to get there. Don’t say “we do things this way,” especially if there’s no compelling reason to stick with the status quo. “Your hour’s up.” New volunteers are almost universally concerned that the...

• Making Good Friends • Finding the Right Career • Aging Well • Personality Types, Traits, and How it Affects Mental Health • The Benefits of Play for Adults • Building Better Mental Health • Cultivating Happiness • Laughter is the Best Medicine • Online Therapy: Is it Right for You? • Mental Health • Why volunteer? • Benefit 1: Volunteering connects you to others • Benefit 2: Volunteering is good for your mind and body • Benefit 3: Volunteering can advance your career • Benefit 4: Volunteering brings fun and fulfillment to your life • How to find the right volunteer opportunity • Getting the most out of volunteering By and • Why volunteer? • Benefit 1: Volunteering connects you to others • Benefit 2: Volunteering is good for your mind and body • Benefit 3: Volunteering can advance your career • Benefit 4: Volunteering brings fun and fulfillment to your life • How to find the right volunteer opportunity • Getting the most out of volunteering Why volunteer? With busy lives, it can be hard to find time to volunteer. However, the benefits of volunteering can be enormous. Volunteering offers vital help to people in need, worthwhile causes, and the community, but the benefits can be even greater for you, the volunteer. The right match can help you to find friends, connect with the community, learn new skills, and even advance your career. Giving to others can also help protect your mental and physical health. It can reduce stress, combat depression, keep you mentally stimulated...

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