How to get better results recruiting volunteers
September 5, 1994; Canadian FundRaiser
With the skills and energy that they offer, volunteers are extremely important to nonprofits today, and recruiting them is more important than ever. Here are some tips that can help:
- Contact a local volunteer centre. Corporate employees who want to volunteer often register in these centres.
- Survey area companies. Not all corporations register with volunteer centres. Companies will often be willing to advertise the volunteer requirements of local nonprofits in their newsletter or on their bulletin boards.
- Ask current volunteers to help. Most companies will respond favourably when one of their employees suggests that a local charity deserves help in finding more volunteers.
- Make a business-like approach. Some companies can receive many requests for volunteers. Asking must be formal and business-like in order to be heard. Requests should be written and clearly state what kind of help, and how much of it, the nonprofit needs.
- Make it easy for the company to follow up. A corporation will want to know exactly what services the charity provides, how long it has been established, and what type of clients it serves. This information will help the company decide whether a charity's mission fits its own community service goals.
- Tailor your appeal to a company's self-interest. Find out what a company's motives are, and then prepare your pitch to respond to them. For example, some companies want to show they care about improving the neighbourhoods where their customers live. Others may want to use volunteer programs to improve relationships among employees and foster teamwork. Or perhaps your initiative can be tied into a complimentary program being launched by the company..
- Find out what employees want. Many employees like volunteer jobs that give them a chance to get to know top executives at their companies. Others find satisfaction in knowing how they will make a difference, or in being part of a team with other employees.
- Organize volunteer events carefully. Be prepared prior to the arrival of the volunteers. All brainstorming and planning should be finished, and you should be ready to assign specific tasks. A well-organized program is more likely to attract their repeat support.
- Involve employees' families and friends. Private and family time is at a premium in today's pressurized working environment. Workers are more likely to volunteer if the activity can be part of the time they set aside for their family.
