Twokin Consulting: Strategies for Engaging Nonprofit Volunteers

Twokin Consulting defined volunteer engagement as the level of involvement, commitment, and investment that a volunteer has to your nonprofit organization or cause. That is, their being actively involved supporting your organization's mission and activities and how invested they are in your success.

Engagement can be measured in various ways, such as the number of hours volunteers spend on activities, the number of volunteers participating in events, or the degree to which volunteers feel connected to your organization and its mission. In Twokin Consulting's experince, high levels of engagement among volunteers can lead to increased commitment, motivation, and retention, which can benefit your organization in achieving your goals.

Twokin Consulting strategies for supporting volunteer engagement with your nonprofit include:

• Clearly communicate the organization's mission and how a volunteer's work fits into that mission.

• Provide opportunities for volunteers to take on leadership roles and make decisions.

• Show appreciation and give recognition for their contributions.

• Provide training and resources to help volunteers do their work effectively.

• Build a sense of community among volunteers through social events and regular communication.

• Make sure the volunteer roles and responsibilities align with the individual's interest and skillset.

• Encourage open feedback and act on it to improve the volunteer experience.

• Offer flexibility in scheduling and location to a volunteer.

I previously serviced in numerous volunteer leadership roles with my local chapter of the American Red Cross in supporting their efforts for disaster services. I often comment that I only learned to be a good manager of others by managing volunteers who have the option of saying "no thanks, I am staying home." By ensuring high volunteer engagement, your organization can see cost savings, increase viability, and greater organization impact.

Twokin Consulting specializes in helping supporting colleges, universities, and nonprofit organizations in brainstorming strategies and ideas for improving operations.