Ways to Recruit Volunteers of All Ages

Volunteers are one of the most valuable resources a community organization can have. They donate their time, talent, and often money to help ensure the success of a cause they find important. Research shows that nearly 100 million people volunteer their time each year, providing an estimated value to nonprofit organizations of $150 billion.

What can you do to increase your volunteer force and attract people of all ages and backgrounds to your organization? We have a few tips you might find helpful for volunteer recruiting.

How to Expand Your Volunteer Base

Let’s start with a few basics you’ll need to have in place before you head out to recruit more volunteers. Think about what tasks you need assistance with and how often you need help. Do you have volunteer job descriptions? What about a calendar if the work is time-bound? Knowing what types of volunteers you are looking for will give you ideas on where to find them.

A few easy strategies that may help you grow your talent pool fairly quickly include:

• Ask for referrals: Take a few minutes to talk with your current volunteers and let them know you could use additional help. They may have friends and family who would be interested.
• Take advantage of social media: Does your community organization or senior center have a Facebook page or other social media account? Create and schedule posts that explain what your organization needs, along with some of the benefits of volunteering. Don’t forget to add photos! It might also help to highlight current volunteers, especially those who are doing the tasks you need more assistance with. Another idea is to write an article for your blog. These tips for creating a quality blog post might be helpful.
• Reach out to businesses and groups: If your needs are project-based and intermittent, partnering with area businesses and civic groups can be a win-win for both of you. Some businesses give employees time off each month or quarter to complete service projects. They might be individual projects or those that a group of employees works together to complete. Likewise, local civic groups often host or participate in community service projects. You might find that people who join you for a one-time activity are interested in sticking around to help on a regular basis.

Because the competition for volunteers can be fierce, you might have to be a little more creative to capture attention. A few suggestions for standing out could include:

• Host a recruiting event: While it can be a lot more work and expense, hosting a special recruiting event will probably be worth it. An ice cream social, light lunch, or evening happy hour are a few ideas to try. It can be as simple or as elaborate as your budget allows. Promote the event to existing members and volunteers, and encourage them to share it with their own network. Send a news release to local media and ask for their help promoting it.
• Offer virtual volunteer options: Because of lingering COVID-19 concerns, many people might be interested in volunteering but fearful of in-person encounters. One solution is to think about what types of volunteer needs you have, and which ones might be completed virtually. It might also help to offer virtual volunteer recruiting calls using platforms many people are already comfortable with, such as FaceTime or Zoom.

One final suggestions are to develop an email strategy that incorporates volunteer opportunities on a regular basis and to frequently post volunteer job openings in your print and digital newsletter. Don't have a great newsletter yet? We can help you get started! Learn more about our free ad-supported newsletter services here!

Updated on 03-21-2024