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  • Writer's pictureNonprofit Learning Lab

20+ Ideas to Recruit and Retain Nonprofit Volunteers

Updated: Sep 17

Recruiting passionate, talented volunteers is essential. Volunteers power your nonprofit’s mission and allow you to work toward your goals more effectively. They also serve as your organization’s future leaders, gaining skills that empower them to support your organization at a higher level over time. 


However, according to VolunteerPro’s most recent Volunteer Management Progress Report survey, 33% of volunteer managers said recruitment is their top challenge. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of over 20 volunteer recruitment ideas to help your nonprofit find more incredible volunteers who are excited to serve your community. 

Two female volunteers pick up trash in a park

1. Use volunteer management software. Volunteer management software is a digital tool that helps volunteer coordinators organize every aspect of their programs, including tracking supporter information, scheduling volunteer shifts, communicating with volunteers, and more. These solutions also facilitate recruitment by making it easy to identify existing volunteers who can support your recruitment efforts, create branded signup pages, and collect waivers. 


2. Create detailed volunteer role descriptions. A volunteer position description helps potential volunteers understand their roles, tasks, and the impact of their work. A well-written role description enables prospective volunteers to imagine themselves in the role. Some items to include in a volunteer position description include key responsibilities, training requirements, time commitment, skills, and qualifications required. Kindful’s volunteer management guide also recommends including any benefits volunteers will receive from participating, such as networking opportunities, social events, or free merchandise. 


3. Attend a community fair. Recruit potential volunteers at relevant community events aligned with your nonprofit's mission. Many communities host fairs or events related to family resources, the environment, arts, housing, and education. If your mission aligns with the event, find out if you can host a booth to recruit potential volunteers. Bring a signup sheet, flyers, and branded items such as stickers, bookmarks, or magnets so that people remember your organization. Additionally, invite current volunteers to attend and share their experiences with prospective new supporters. 


4. Tap into your local university or college. College students often seek volunteer opportunities to enhance their job market readiness. Reach out to the volunteer or community engagement department at your local university or community college. Volunteer centers on campus often feature volunteer opportunities on community boards, so ask if they can include a flyer or QR code to your registration form. 

Grateful for Our Volunteers graphic

5. Organize recurring volunteer information sessions. Organize a volunteer info session to introduce prospective participants to your organization. Share practical information about what it’s like to work with your nonprofit, such as supplies volunteers need to bring or specific activities they will complete. Ask current volunteers to help promote the info session to their networks and share details with folks who have indicated an interest in volunteering. Promote the session via your email list, social media, and website to get the word out. Share a link to your onboarding forms at the session so interested attendees can immediately sign up. 



6. Get your peer-to-peer fundraisers on board. Your organization may have hosted peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns in the past where supporters raised funds for your nonprofit from their family members and friends. The individuals who participated in these initiatives would likely be great candidates for getting involved with your volunteer program. Gather the email addresses of past peer-to-peer participants using your nonprofit’s constituent relationship management platform (CRM), and send them information about upcoming volunteer opportunities. 


7. Recruit social media ambassadors. Use your current volunteers to recruit prospective volunteers through the social media channels they use the most, whether TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Create social posts that your volunteers can share, and provide them with marketing materials like images, links, and text to highlight upcoming volunteer events.


8. Offer flexible volunteering options to accommodate various schedules and commitments. Offer volunteer opportunities on multiple days of the week, at different start times, and with varying shift lengths. For example, you can offer short Saturday morning volunteer sessions for supporters who may be busy during the week with work or family commitments. You can even offer micro-volunteering opportunities that last for just an hour or so. Examples of micro-volunteering options include organizing supplies, setting up events, or driving puppies to an adoption event. 


9. Create a dedicated volunteer page on your organization's website with detailed information about available positions. Include a calendar of upcoming volunteer opportunities, testimonials, and photos of current and past volunteers to showcase volunteers’ impact. Provide contact information for your volunteer coordinator so prospective volunteers can easily ask any questions. 


10. Hold a “Bring a Friend” day or month. Pick a day or month to encourage your volunteers to bring a friend or colleague to volunteer. Offer incentives for doing so, such as a coffee shop gift card that volunteers can use after participating in your event. 


11. Post openings on VolunteerMatch and Idealist. Post open volunteer positions on online platforms such as Idealist.org, Volunteer.gov, or VolunteerMatch to connect with potential volunteers. These well-known volunteer recruitment sites can help you connect with prospective volunteers who you may not have been able to reach otherwise. 


12. Connect with corporate partners. Many businesses are growing their corporate social responsibility programs because of the positive PR benefits and employee engagement opportunities they provide. Your organization may have pre-existing relationships with businesses from fundraising events or know of companies in your community looking to partner with nonprofits. Get in touch with these businesses to see if they’d like to participate in corporate volunteer opportunities hosted by your nonprofit. Consider offering team-building activities alongside volunteer opportunities to provide even greater value to corporate partners. 


Volunteers Get It Done graphic

13. Market your events as skill-building opportunities. People appreciate volunteer opportunities because they can gain new transferable skills for their personal or professional lives. Brainstorm a list of skills that volunteers may develop through recurring shifts, leadership opportunities, or by serving on committees. This could include public speaking, gardening, data entry, or social media advocacy. Incorporate this list of skills into your recruitment materials. 


14. Collaborate with local high schools. High school students often seek volunteer opportunities to fulfill club or graduation requirements. If your nonprofit can accommodate youth volunteers, this is a great opportunity to gain much-needed support while building beneficial partnerships with the local school system. 


15. Stay in touch with event volunteers. You may have recruited volunteers for one-time or infrequent events, like 5K races or silent auctions. Keep in touch with these volunteers by sending them information about your ongoing volunteer opportunities. Share the impact they had on your organization and events to keep their momentum high and inspire them to stay involved. 


16. Offer virtual volunteer opportunities to find prospective volunteers. Some supporters may be interested in supporting your organization but can’t come into your facility, whether because of transportation restrictions, physical disabilities, or scheduling reasons. Consider offering virtual opportunities if your nonprofit can accommodate them. Some virtual volunteer opportunities may include committee work, blog post editing, social media support, virtual volunteer recruitment, or event planning.


17. Connect with your local Chamber of Commerce and Rotary. Local Chambers of Commerce and Rotary Clubs often seek organizations to support and partner with for volunteer opportunities. Build a relationship with a Rotary Chapter or Chamber of Commerce by attending a meeting and presenting about your volunteer opportunities. 


18. Share testimonials. Interview current and past volunteers to gather testimonials about their volunteer experience. Collect direct quotes and photos demonstrating the relationships volunteers have built, skills they learned, and benefits they received from the volunteer experience. Share these testimonials on your website, social media, and recruitment materials. 


19. Design a promotional flyer. Create an eye-catching flyer to post in coffee shops, community centers, libraries, and local businesses. Include your organization’s name, logo, and one to two sentences about what the volunteer opportunity will entail. You can also incorporate an eye-catching photo of volunteers having fun, along with your contact information or a QR code leading to your registration form. 


Thank you volunteers graphic

20. Plan a volunteer recognition event. Organize a volunteer recognition event or awards ceremony to show appreciation for current volunteers. Encourage volunteers to invite their families and friends to the event to introduce your organization to a wider audience. Offer food, drinks, and live entertainment such as a DJ to make the event memorable. An engaging, fulfilling event will help retain current volunteers and encourage their family members and friends to look into your volunteer opportunities. 


21. Partner with faith-based organizations. Collaborate with local faith-based organizations to promote volunteer opportunities to their members. Generate a list of synagogues, churches, mosques, and other religious centers in your local community, and connect with their staff members. Ask if you can post your volunteer recruitment flyers in their community centers or include links to your registration form in their email newsletters. 


22. Develop a mentorship program. A mentorship program can help volunteers build relationships with one another and reduce the training and orientation load on staff members. Plus, when prospective volunteers see that you offer a mentorship program, they might feel more comfortable signing up because they know you have a clear training process in place to help them get started. The program may include shadowing, phone calls, or once-a-month meetings. 


23. Offer prizes or incentives to volunteers. Provide incentives for first-time volunteers to encourage them to register, such as a complimentary t-shirt or water bottle. You can also host raffles at certain volunteer events to give supporters the chance to win a bigger prize. Bloomerang’s raffle ideas guide recommends prizes like a spa package, theme park passes, or concert tickets. 


24. Collaborate with youth organizations. If your nonprofit can accommodate young volunteers in middle school or high school, consider connecting with youth organizations in your community. This includes Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, 4-H clubs, and local YMCA chapters. 



Inclusive and far-reaching volunteer recruitment efforts will allow your organization to foster a reliable pool of qualified, passionate volunteers. Plus, offering a positive, welcoming recruitment and onboarding process makes it easier to retain volunteers for the long term. Use these ideas to reach out to different areas of your community and introduce new volunteers to your mission.



Are you looking for additional volunteer recruitment strategies? Check out our upcoming trainings on volunteer management:




 

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