Willing Hands, Strong Foundations: Effective Volunteer Management

Back in 1992 I started my nonprofit career as a volunteer manager for a small healthcare facility that served people with AIDS. I didn’t really know what I was doing but I had a lot of enthusiasm for the work. Fortunately, my predecessor had put a clear and complete volunteer management system in place. Plus, I worked for an experienced executive director who saw a lot of potential in me.

I learned a few vital lessons in my time there. The first was that self-care comes first. Only when my “tank” is full do I have energy to give to others. Another was that volunteer management takes intention, time, and effort. Like employees, volunteers need a clear job description, realistic expectations, and regular support. Lastly, it is vital that all volunteers are celebrated and appreciated by the organization. Here are a few of the many articles that are out there to help association and other nonprofit staff effectively manage their volunteers.

The ASAE article Create Better Volunteer Experiences Through Feedback | ASAE looks at an aspect of volunteer management that is usually overlooked – giving volunteers feedback on their work. It should come as no surprise that volunteers want to know how they are doing. However, a recent ASAE Research Foundation report revealed that most volunteers are unhappy that they don’t receive any feedback on their work.

Nonetheless, the same report reveals that volunteers are overall happy with their volunteer work, as explained in this ASAE article: Create a More Engaging Volunteer System | ASAE. Volunteers particularly appreciate having opportunities for deeper engagement within the organization. However, it is important that the organization make clear how volunteers can take advantage of those growth opportunities.

If you are interested in more robust material on volunteer management, try the 501 Commons Volunteer Management Guide | 501 Commons. Unfortunately, the training events linked on the page have come and gone, but the multiple volunteer management guides are well worth the time.

Next week we will look at some online training options that are available to help you build and maintain a robust volunteer workforce.

This article was written with the help of ChatGPT.