Volunteers are as passionate about your mission as anyone. They not only believe in the work you do, but they actively engage by donating their time and skills to your nonprofit. Speaking of donating, the vast majority of volunteers – 70-80 percent according to various studies – are also donors!
Without volunteers, small nonprofits would struggle to host successful fundraising events. Their support is desperately needed for everything from planning and organizing, to marketing and promotion, to setup and cleanup.
The key is to create a positive environment that inspires volunteers and reinforces their passion and energy for your mission. Here are a few ways to empower volunteers to make your next fundraising event a hit!
Set Volunteers Up for Success
Volunteers are doers. But they can also be leaders!
Remember, volunteers, including board members, are perhaps the most powerful ambassadors for your organization and events. They network. They promote. They get word-of-mouth going. They recruit more volunteers. Why not provide volunteers will the tools and responsibilities they need to make your event successful?
Train your staff to work with volunteers on how to communicate your mission and the importance of your events. Find out if certain volunteers are interested in learning about your donor database so they can assist with marketing and fundraising.
When you empower volunteers to be leaders who can manage high-value tasks, and not just provide an extra set of hands, you create a more rewarding volunteer experience. And a positive volunteer experience leads to higher volunteer retention rates!
Include New Volunteers on Your Event Committees
An inclusive committee allows new volunteers to learn from experienced volunteers and share fresh ideas. You can match new volunteers with tasks that match their interests. This also creates positive energy in your committee, brings people closer together, and makes volunteers feel like they have a vested interest in the success of your event.
Again, think about increasing volunteer retention rates by engaging and involving new volunteers as much as possible!
Expand Your Volunteer Pool
Every organization has a small group of people who are highly engaged and support virtually everything you do. However, this can cause problems for your core group of volunteers and your nonprofit as a whole.
When the same group does everything, they can eventually burn out. If one person leaves, a huge void will need to be filled. Also, if other volunteers just assume the core group will do everything, complacency could set in.
Every fundraising event is an opportunity to expand your volunteer pool. Consider hosting volunteer open houses once or twice a year to allow people to meet volunteers and learn how they can make a difference!
Celebrate Your Volunteers
Don’t wait until after your event to announce fundraising totals and attendance. Recognize the small wins and milestones made possible by volunteers along the way, like when the first sponsorship is secured or a certain number of tickets are sold.
Build committee meetings around fun gatherings that rally the troops, whether you meet at a coffee shop or go bowling. And make sure you hold a volunteer appreciation event at least once a year to show volunteers how important they are!
In addition to making fundraising events more successful, empowering your volunteers makes them feel heard, included, and appreciated. This will only strengthen their relationship with your nonprofit and motivate them to bring more people into the fold!
