2020 brought us a lot of things–a pandemic and resulting economic hardship to name a few. But for all the challenges that communities faced, some good emerged. The resilience of communities. The selfless work that healthcare professionals, essential workers, volunteer programs, and other community organizations put in to help strangers and friends alike.
While we mustn’t forget about (nor do we intend to minimize) the hardships many faced, we can cautiously choose to find solace in, even grow from, the good that came out of 2020. Because we believe reflection should also lead to action, we also provide tips for harnessing the good to secure the future of your volunteer program.
According to the Nonprofit Institute at the University of San Diego, more than 60% of nonprofits experienced a decrease in capacity due to COVID-19. Yet, despite the year’s precariousness, and strapped for resources, volunteer programs found ways to engage their volunteers to drive incredible change.
And the proof is in the thousands of stories of people doing good, from small acts of kindness to incredible demonstrations of altruism. Take the incredible efforts of local food banks nationwide, which distributed an estimated 4.2 billion meals between March and October of 2020 with the help of volunteers. Or this New York nonprofit received a swell of volunteers to help students in special education programs get the support they need during COVID-19.
The lesson? We like to think that, more often than not, humanity steps up. Even though a new year has begun, the work for volunteer programs doesn’t end. So, as you move forward, how can your organization continue to stay connected and engaged to your volunteers?
Keep reading for our top tips.
If you’re like us, you believe there’s a lot of good people out there. Sometimes you just need to ask for their support! Harness the good in people by considering these strategies for keeping well-intentioned individuals engaged with your cause.
According to the Urban Institute’s most recent data, volunteers contribute about 8.8 billion hours annually. And they continue to fill critical gaps in services when COVID-19 hit our communities, even risking personal safety to help others.
Volunteer programs should continue to show their appreciation for volunteers’ dedication to your cause, especially after last year’s challenges. But your program can also benefit by implementing a documented volunteer recognition strategy.
Why? Simply put, volunteer recognition is key to better engagement and retention. Long-term volunteers are more likely to donate to your organization, they’ve bought into your cause, and you’ll have a pool of trained volunteers you can rely on.
Do you have a volunteer recognition strategy? Here are some impactful ways to recognize your volunteers:
Nearly 80% of volunteers donate to charity. The value of a volunteer who also donates to your program is about ten times greater than the value of donors alone (even before you account for volunteer time)!
Your organization can harness the philanthropic spirit of your volunteer pool by creating a strategy for turning volunteers into donors (and vice versa!).
Here are our top tips for converting volunteers into donors:
Times of collective hardship can bring out the best in people. But even if we begin to feel fatigued, you’ll need to continue to inspire your supporters. First and foremost, thank your volunteers and donors for uplifting your program throughout COVID-19. Then, let your volunteers know how they can continue to help secure a brighter future for your community.
In June 2020, the Independent Sector released a rather discouraging survey, “The Impact of COVID-19 on Large and Mid-Size Nonprofits.” The report highlights the challenges that many organizations faced in the first half of 2020. For instance, 83% of community-based organizations received a reduction in revenue–and that’s on top of the industry’s notoriously restricted resources.
However, despite these setbacks, many community organizations found themselves called upon to help respond. We saw, and continue to see, volunteer programs at the forefront of COVID-19 response and recovery, with some even helping address vaccine distribution challenges.
How did volunteer programs adapt to smaller budgets and even more pressing community needs?
Community organizations had to find ways to become more efficient. With fewer staff and tighter budgets, many programs found that adapting time-saving technology was a cost-effective way to “get stuff done.”
While we are still in the throes of the pandemic, now is not the time to rewind progress. With this in mind, how can your organization continue to leverage technology?
With the help of web-based volunteer management systems and new communication methods, volunteer programs delivered many of their usual services safely. While human-power can’t be replaced, technology can help volunteer professionals re-prioritize management activities.
Here’s how your program can leverage technology to maintain forward momentum:
Intuitive communication tools were crucial for mobilizing volunteers fast in 2020. Take the time to review the tools that worked for you in 2020. Were you able to communicate with volunteers proactively, or were you inundated with questions from lost volunteers? If you think it’s time for a communications upgrade, consider these tools:
Text Messaging
With remote volunteerism and rapidly changing circumstances, 2020 introduced new communication challenges. That’s where text messaging comes in. Mass text messaging (or SMS) enables volunteer managers to get the word out quickly. And because SMS boasts a 99% open rate, text messaging also becomes a powerful marketing tool for any organization.
Consider adopting a mass text messaging tool. Use text messaging to:
Check out this list of SMS tools specifically curated for nonprofits. Note that a robust volunteer management system can integrate text messaging!
CRM
A CRM system is more than just a database. It uses data analysis about contacts’ history with your organization (like which emails contacts are reading and who is interacting with your donation page) to help users create more impactful experiences for their contacts. In other words, you can make sure you’re tailoring your communications to each volunteer without sending thousands of individual emails!
Bonus: CRM can compile data from various communication channels, like your website, email, and even social media channels, giving you a more comprehensive picture of engagement.
You’re no stranger to the many moving parts that make up volunteer management. From team scheduling to tracking volunteer time, there’s a lot that goes into keeping your program running. But 2020 taught us that volunteer managers need the tools to mobilize volunteers efficiently.
Many volunteer programs that successfully navigated 2020 were aided by time-saving technology, like a volunteer management system. With its help, they could quickly shift opportunities online, engage remote volunteers, and easily communicate with community partners and volunteers.
But what system should volunteer professionals look for? There are various volunteer management tools for all budgets, but generally speaking, you get what you pay for. In fact, it may actually be more cost-effective to look for a system that has multiple functions.
The best volunteer management solution will fulfill many of your technology needs in one system (again, we’re striving for efficiency). Not to mention, it should be easy to use for volunteers and their managers.
We recommend you look for a web-based volunteer management software with integrated volunteer management, engagement, and communication features, including:
2020 forced many volunteer programs to implement new systems that allowed people to volunteer virtually and from home. Organizations made creative adaptations to the usual volunteer process–like adding a virtual volunteer program–to boost engagement even when physically distanced.
Virtual volunteerism allowed organizations to maintain their programs, even during stay-at-home orders and physical distancing. Another positive outcome? Virtual volunteering unlocked opportunities for people who were traditionally restricted by on-location volunteerism.
Consider these ways for supporting your efforts to make volunteerism more accessible.
Your organization capitalized on virtual volunteering in 2020. Now take your program a step further by making volunteerism even more accessible. The result? You’ll grow your volunteer pool in an impactful way.
Do you still require all volunteers to attend in-person training? Is your training carried out only in English? It may be time to reconsider how you deliver your volunteer training. Here are a few suggestions for making sure all your volunteers are getting the most out of training:
By the way, you can check out our guide on virtual volunteering if your online program is still in the works!
If you haven’t already, now is the time to make your volunteer opportunities more accessible so that everyone can get involved! Here are some considerations for creating opportunities for all abilities and availability:
A year as unprecedented as 2020 taught us that there is enormous value in adaptability. That’s because, in many cases, adaptability meant sustainability. The need for an immediate response, plus a little more time for reflection, forced organizations to review the efficacy of their existing processes and strategies.
As we move forward collectively, take the time to review your processes for securing a more sustainable future.
How can your organization continue to grow while mitigating future risk? Reflect on your program’s response to the events of 2020. Review the systems and strategies that worked for your organization and those that fell short. The more you can plan, the better prepared you are for an unpredictable tomorrow.
Your program may have shifted your mission to respond to immediate needs after COVID-19 reached your community. But as your organization begins to recover, you’ll want to reassess your mission and get back on track.
Your assessment should include some of the following questions:
After reviewing your mission, develop a strategy for regularly communicating your mission to stakeholders. Visit this article for more on how to make a plan for reviewing and communicating your mission.
While you can’t foresee every disaster (like a once-in-a-century pandemic), you can have a plan in place for safeguarding your volunteers and employees. That’s why every organization should evaluate their risk management and mitigation strategy.
How do organizations mitigate risk? The key is to anticipate the likelihood of a hazard or risk and the scale of the consequence should an event occur. Understanding risk will help you prioritize planning and mitigation efforts. Check out these EPA resources and risk management tools to help organizations mitigate the harmful outcomes.
2020 taught us that positive leadership was imperative to the sustainability of nonprofits. No matter how many you manage or lead, take the time to review your leadership style. Consider these leadership questions for a more meaningful introspective evaluation:
It may not be easy to evaluate yourself honestly, but this inward-looking activity can help you grow both professionally and personally.
Successful programs make informed decisions based on insights from actual data. One of the keys to creating a sustainable volunteer program is ensuring your volunteers are happy and regularly engaged. Here are some data insights that can help you make better decisions about the future of your program:
How can you collect volunteer data?
The challenge with data collection is that you have to store it somewhere. You also want easy access to your data without combing through pages of spreadsheets.
A volunteer management software stores and centralizes all your volunteer data, from contact information to skills and interests to impact data. Look for a system that automates the tracking and reporting process to save time on manual data entry.
In 2020, we learned (or relearned) that relationships matter. For many communities, addressing its most pressing needs required a collaborative effort.
When resources were tight, community organizations, leaders, and stakeholders relied on each other to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. Your organization may also have developed new partnerships in 2020 to respond to your community’s immediate needs. Now is the time to nurture your network and continue to grow for good.
It’ll take some effort on your part, but nurturing your partnerships leads to better outcomes.
Why nurture your network? Whether you’re a small single-cause organization or a county-wide volunteer center, partnerships help your organization to have more impact.
The Benefits of Well-Nurtured Community Partnerships:
Here are some ways to maintain mutually-beneficial partnerships:
Of course, if you want to nurture your network, you need to remind them that you still exist. Just as you regularly engage volunteers, you also need to engage community partners regularly.
But nurturing these partnerships requires more than a generic email. Put time aside each week to engage with your partners by reaching out in a way that feels more personal. For example, if you’re working with a corporate partner, share their employee impact data each quarter (which becomes much easier to collect using a robust volunteer management system). Or feature a partner organization on your social media channel. Show stakeholders that you’re invested in their ideas by inviting them to participate in a virtual symposium.
There are plenty of creative ways to keep your network engaged. Whichever way you choose to communicate with your stakeholders, make sure you do so regularly and genuinely.
Partnerships should benefit both parties. When you first establish a new relationship, whether it’s with a corporate partner or volunteer, you’ll want to communicate the benefits of working with your organization. Outline these benefits in writing and, most importantly, make sure you deliver on your promises.
Forming long-term partnerships requires mutual trust, and you need to establish a foundation of understanding between parties for the partnership to proceed successfully. One of the best ways to foster trust is by listening. Invite dialogue within your network; what do community members want to see in terms of change and progress? What motivates them to volunteer? What can your organization offer in return?
You’ll get more out of your relationships when you establish an environment of mutual trust and communication.
Why focus on the good? It would be appropriate to continue to report on the challenges that many faced in 2020. But as we start planning for the future, let’s also review the things that were actually good. That is, the adaptations your volunteer program made, the resilience of your community, and the new partnerships you formed. We can all use “the good stuff” as learning experiences–and motivation–for planning a better tomorrow.