Your nonprofit needs volunteers to reach its mission and goals. Increasing your volunteer attendance can help your organization meet demand and provide the most support possible to the community that you serve.
Finding the right volunteers to fill organizational roles can be a challenge for all nonprofits. Chances are, your organization has struggled in the past with finding qualified volunteers to register for opportunities and/or show-up on the event day. The importance of recruiting qualified volunteers cannot be overstated because your mission and goals are unattainable without them. Volunteers make it possible for your nonprofit to initiate programs that positively impact the community and drive awareness. What is your nonprofit doing to increase volunteer attendance at events? How is your organization developing a sustainable program that focuses on the retention of top volunteer talent?
If your organization is looking for ways to increase volunteer attendance at events you may want to consider the following 4 strategic tips.
Remind Volunteers of Upcoming Commitments/ New Opportunities to Serve
One of the best ways to increase volunteer attendance at events is by reminding volunteers of their registration. It may seem like a simple tip but without a process/solution in place, for communicating with volunteers, it can quickly become a challenge for your nonprofit. Some organizations spend hundreds of hours each year sending volunteers reminders, thanking them for participating and introducing them to new ways to give. Sending notification texts and emails is a great way to make sure volunteers remember to fulfill their commitment to your organization’s cause. Volunteer management software, like VolunteerHub, can provide your organization the communication features needed to reduce management time and ensure engagement.
Make it Easy for Volunteers to Register
Your organization’s registration system should make it easy for volunteers to commit to opportunities and not cause a barrier to entry. If your nonprofit’s volunteer program has not evolved to include an online option for registration, your organization is missing out on an opportunity. Volunteers want to quickly and efficiently register to fill roles and participate in events. A study by Pew Research found that over 90% of Americans use the internet on a daily basis. This number will continue to grow in the future. A volunteer management solution, like VolunteerHub, can offer your nonprofit the functionality needed to allow volunteers to find and register for volunteer opportunities online that interest them.
Invest in Finding the Best Talent for Volunteer Roles
Your nonprofit should spend time finding the right volunteer for each of your opportunities. Finding a qualified volunteer who possesses the skills necessary to be successful will impact retention rates. Volunteers will feel more comfortable if they can successfully fulfill the duties of the opportunity that they are committing too. With comfort, convenience, and confidence comes the desire to continue to give. Make sure that you carefully select volunteers for roles, provide them ongoing training, and invest in their future growth with your nonprofit. Volunteer management software, like VolunteerHub, can help your organization keep track of volunteer behavior and recognize top-performers.
Provide Volunteers Incentives to Fulfill and Stay
What incentives are you providing volunteers to fulfill opportunities and continue to give? What are the internal benefits for volunteers to show up on event day? Even with the emotional benefits/community impact, many volunteers still expect benefits in exchange for their time. Your organization should consider the motivation behind your volunteer’s opportunity fulfillment. There may be opportunities to provide supporters with low-cost incentives such as career development training, merchant discounts, and networking events.
Takeaways
If your organization is struggling to increase volunteer attendance at events, you are not alone. Many nonprofits struggle with recruiting and retaining top volunteer talent. If you want to impact the number of volunteers fulfilling opportunities make sure you are actively reminding volunteers of commitments, enhancing the registration process, finding the best volunteer for a specific role, and providing supporters with the right incentives to give.
Looking to Reach More Qualified Volunteers?
Your nonprofits ability to reach, recruit, and manage volunteers starts with your process. VolunteerHub’s volunteer management software can help you identify, register, and communicate with volunteers strategically. Check out this short video to learn how VolunteerHub works.
