How to Recruit Volunteers for Your Nonprofit - Our Best Volunteer Recruitment Strategies 

If you’re already running a nonprofit, you understand the importance of volunteers and how important they are to your charity's success. Let’s face it, they are the people that actually roll up their sleeves and do a large part of the work. And often for nothing in return. At least nothing monetary. But here’s the catch, while passion and enthusiasm are fantastic, you need to actively recruit the right volunteers if your nonprofit’s going to continually be sustainable and grow. It’s not just about filling roles or getting certain tasks completed, it’s about finding people who believe in your cause and can help you move your mission forward.

Just think about it for a moment. Your nonprofit likely has some lofty goals in mind about how it’s going to change the world for the better. But you can’t reach those goals alone. Your volunteers are a necessary factor in almost any growth. And beyond just simply manpower, the unseen ripple effect these people can bring can even more benefits that you could have never foreseen as we will see later in this article. Whether you're planning a 5k fundraiser, need help with your accounting and bookkeeping, or you're organizing a local neighbourhood cleanup, having amazing volunteers is essential to making it all happen.

And here’s the trick, it's not just any volunteers you need. You’ll want skilled volunteers whenever possible, people who know what they’re doing and can take on specific tasks that might otherwise require paid professionals. Because that’s the entire point right, to have an unpaid staff of workers committed to your cause and helping your nonprofit grow and succeed in its mission? Securing a talented graphic designer or a pro at social media management can really make a world of difference.

But let's not forget event-based volunteer recruitment either. These folks pop in when it counts most, think marathon organizers or helpers at your annual gala. You may not need them year round or their schedules won’t allow it, but when they do show up, they’re super helpful and just as appreciated. And the beauty of this digital world we find ourselves living in today, we don’t even need some of our volunteers to be physically present. So many tasks can be done virtually like record keeping or managing your online presence. People can show up without needing to physically show up!

But actually recruiting, managing and retaining volunteers is no easy feat! Sure, if you have one or two friends it’s not so bad. But if you really want to make an impact on your mission, you’re going to need more than just a few friends. And that requires a bit of a skill set that we will lay out within this article coupled with a few great volunteer recruitment ideas so by the time you’re finished reading this, you’ll be able to confidently create a game plan to recruit new volunteers, managing them effectively and keep them happy so they stick around for a long time to come.

Understanding Volunteer Expectations and Motivations for Recruiting Volunteers 

People have reasons valid to themselves for doing practically everything. Volunteering is no different. Don’t get into the erroneous thinking that you’re doing good, therefore of course people will want to help you succeed. That’s short-sighted and not always true. Plus when you understand their motivations for wanting to volunteer, you’re going to be able to more successfully recruit, manage and keep them happy.

At its core, volunteer motivation splits into two camps: intrinsic and extrinsic, what is seen on the inside or outside. There are always those who are intrinsically driven and are there to help in any situation. They have an internal desire to help, they’re motivated by what they feel when they help others in need. On the flip side, you have those that are looking to volunteer because they seek public attention, or they need some recorded volunteer work to pad out their college applications or to boost their career in some way. Both of these are valid, but knowing the difference gives you an edge on how to market to them to get them to be volunteers in the first place.

Let’s begin with intrinsic motivation, the real heart of why many volunteers stick around. These are often the good hearted people that are driven by a desire to make the world a better place in some meaningful way, whether it’s a small local community project or a massive global cause. That internal sense of purpose can be a powerful motivator. They don’t need any sort of recognition, they simply want to help and are motivated by something bigger than themselves.

If this is the type of volunteer you want on your team, then showing them examples of your direct impact on your mission like a cleaner park, a well-fed family, or more equitable access to education, they’ll see and feel a connection to your cause and a reason to offer their services to your organization over another. The idea here is to demonstrate clearly to them how their altruism is going to actually make a tangible difference and not just go to waste on a non-effective cause. Give them a reason to see how they can be more effective by joining forces with your organization rather than going it alone.

Now on the flip side, you have people that are more extrinsically motivated when it comes to volunteering. Maybe it's a line on their résumé, networking opportunities, or recognition that they can share with their peers or employers. Some even do it for personal development reasons like learning new skills through hands on experience or exploring a new field of employment. A marketing professional might volunteer to build up their portfolio, or a student might be looking to gain experience in event management. If this is the type of person you want working with your organization, then offering certificates, awards, or even a public “thank you” can go a long way for those who appreciate some sort of actual acknowledgment. Or stipulating clearly the experience they can gain working with your charity and possibly how those experiences have helped previous volunteers to reach their goals would all be stand out reasons for an extrinsically motivated individual to sign up.

No matter which type of person you feel will best match your organization’s culture, or better if you can use both types, knowing their motivations will help you immensely when it comes to marketing and understanding how to recruit volunteers. And don’t count on one individual being one or the other type, often times people can have both types of drives. So when you can demonstrate both aspect of their position in your organization, you can cast a wider net and hopefully get even better results.

Identifying Your Volunteering Needs

You should be looking at your volunteer needs just like you would if they were going to be paid employees. Because at the end of the day, you may not be paying anyone a salary, but there are still costs involved like marking, time, management, training and other variables that you may not be able to stick a price tag on. So understand exactly what kind of help you need. You need to get specific, clear, and intentional about the roles you’re trying to fill.

Let’s start by figuring out what types of roles you need. It’s not just a matter of saying, “I need volunteers.” What do you need them to do? Is it admin work? Do you need help with events? Maybe skilled professionals like accountants or graphic designers? Or perhaps you could use people who can contribute remotely online like social media managers or even writers. Knowing this will help you avoid wasting everyone’s time, including your own!

Another thing you’ll need to understand is that there’s a broad range of volunteer roles to consider. You have administrative volunteers that help you run the daily business end of your venture. These people handle tasks like cold calling, data entry, answering phones, or managing files. They’re mostly responsible for keeping your nonprofit’s day-to-day operations running smoothly.

Then, there are event-based volunteers who are the ones who make your big fundraising gala or bowl-a-thon a reality. They often work less hours than other volunteers and work when there’s some sort of big event in the works. They can handle logistics, set up, tear down, or even just greet people as they arrive. And even though they aren’t as involved as administrative or skilled volunteers, when manpower in bulk is needed, they are just as important to the success of your organization as any other type of volunteer.

The last type we’ll discuss is your skilled volunteers. These are the professionals willing to donate their expertise, which, let’s be honest, is sometimes worth its weight in gold. Think about it, if you land an experienced graphic designer to help with your marketing materials or a seasoned accountant to assist with your bookkeeping, that’s hundreds, if not thousands of dollars saved! And this can be anything from lawyers to grant writers. Your skilled volunteers can take on specific, high-value roles that go beyond basic tasks.

Although remote volunteers can basically take on any of the attributes above, skilled or administrative, they are still a seriously important sector of volunteers to keep in mind. Today you can have someone in Bangladesh volunteering their time managing your website, creating digital content, or even making outreach calls and their physical location doesn’t matter at all. The beauty of remote volunteers is that your pool of potential helpers just expanded to…well, pretty much anywhere in the world. As long as there’s an internet connection, they’re good to go. In fact, if have the right people on board, your charity doesn’t even need a physical office to run professionally!

Volunteer Recruitment Strategies to Overcoming Common Challenges

Recruiting volunteers for your nonprofit isn’t always as easy as you’d think it would be. After all, you’re trying to help the world, who wouldn’t want to join your cause, right? But that’s simply not always the case. It’s more like navigating a moving maze, complete with dead ends, wrong turns, and sometimes, a frustrating sense of déjà vu. The challenges can sometimes seem endless, but once you know how to anticipate them, you’ll be better equipped to overcome them.

One of the most common problems is a simple lack of awareness. If you’re a new charity, or one that isn’t really famous, who do you think will know you even exist? You might have the best cause in the world, but you need people to know it. You need to get the word out. That means be in as many places as possible. Social media, local events, online forums, wherever your potential volunteers hang out, that’s where you need to be. You need to make both yourself visible and enticing enough for people to take interest. Remember, you're recruiting volunteers, so not only do people need to know who you are, they also need to understand why they should join your cause.

The next obstacle that is only getting worse is simply competition among charities in your area or sector. It’s easy enough if you’re the only animal charity in your small town. It’s quite another if you have a much larger population and there are several charities all vying for the same free work force. Every nonprofit is vying for attention, but here’s the thing, your nonprofit has something unique, it’s just your job to make that clear to everyone what that is.

This is why it’s important to be specific about why volunteering with your nonprofit is different than other experiences. Do you offer unique skill development in a particular area? Do you offer one of a kind opportunities to connect with the community in a deeper way? Don’t be afraid to push the human element of your organization. It all comes down to not just what you do, but why you do it and why you are the one to do it with!

Another common but less written about aspect is volunteer fatigue. People are busy, and their lives and circumstances are always changing. Between work, family, and personal obligations, volunteering can feel like one more thing to juggle. And with time people can feel like they’re stretched too thin or overwhelmed with responsibilities. Over time this causes them to feel burned out. We’ve all seen it, the once super enthusiastic volunteer who slowly fades away because they’re just too tired.

To combat this, you need to focus on sustainability. Don’t overwhelm volunteers with too many tasks at once. Try to notice when someone is starting to look less enthused or not as peppy as they once did. Employee or not, managing your volunteer staff means looking out for their well being. Give them a break when possible. Don’t ride your staff and always express gratitude. Volunteers need to feel like they are more than another clog in the wheel and not just used up and discarded.

Lastly, consider targeting specific demographics. Sometimes you’re simply looking in the wrong places for your volunteers. Think about things like focusing on retirees who have more free time. Or maybe college students who need to beef up their resumes with volunteer experience. The point here is to be sure your recruitment strategy takes into account different demographics and is focusing on the demographic you’re targeting.

Crafting Appealing Messages to Recruit Volunteers 

When writing a volunteer recruitment message you really need to write from the heart and mind. It’s a bit of a skill, but with our guidance and some practice you’ll be surprised how well a well crafted message can draw people to assist in your cause. But remember as we stated above, there are two different types of motivations, intrinsic and extrinsic, and you need to include both to reach a large pool of possibilities. Include tapping into their emotions on top and you’ll have yourself a killer message that will resonate across all sorts of people.

Persuasive Messaging Approaches for Engaging Volunteers

In order to engage people enough to want to work with you, you first need to be able to communicate with them and then speak their language, sort of speak. That means you’ll need to create different types of messages depending on the way you are communicating to them as different platforms require different tones and approaches.

For social media for example, you’ve got to be concise. Attention spans are short, so get to the point fast. Here’s an example:

• Facebook/Instagram Post Example: “Ready to make a difference? We’re looking for passionate volunteers to help at our [event/cause]. Join our team and be part of something incredible. Click here to sign up today: [link].”

Short, sweet, and to the point combined with a clear CTA (which we will talk about more soon). Emojis can add a friendly, engaging tone, but don’t overdo it or you’ll look like a twelve year old is writing your messages. And of course, always include a direct link to sign up or get more information on your nonprofit and what opportunities need to be filled.

• Email Example: “Dear [Name],

We’re excited to invite you to join our volunteer team at [event/cause]. This is a great opportunity to [make a difference/help the community], and we need people like you to make it happen. Your skills can help us [reach this goal/achieve this outcome].

By volunteering, you’ll be directly contributing to [impact]. Plus, it’s a great chance to meet like-minded people and have a blast while making a real positive difference in the world!

Interested? Simply click here to find out more and how to sign up so we can start working together: [link].

Thank you for your support, we can’t wait to have you on board!

Sincerely, [Your Nonprofit Name]”

Emails give you a little more space to tell your story and really connect. Notice how it starts with excitement and ends with a clear, clickable action.

• Website Example: Your website is where people go when they’re already somewhat interested, so don’t lose them with a dull message. Your volunteer page should be clean and to the point and grab their attention and heart the moment they land on it:

“Join our team of passionate volunteers and help us make a lasting impact in [community/cause]. Whether you can manage just an hour or a day, your time working with us can make a huge difference. Sign up today and start changing lives.”

Pair this with photos of volunteers in action, and you’ve got yourself a powerful recruiting tool.

Using Emotion to Connect

The most effective volunteer recruitment messages don’t just ask for help, they invite people to be part of a movement that is important and bigger than themselves. They tap into values like empathy, community, and purpose. You want your volunteers to feel like they didn’t just sign up to help, they signed up because they felt needed.

To create that kind of connection, you need to focus on the why. Why is this work important? Why does it matter that this person steps up? Use stories, real-world examples, and statistics sparingly to emphasize the difference a single volunteer can make.

Best Practices for Crafting a Compelling Call to Action

Your call to action (CTA) is the action part of your message. It’s the moment where you’re asking people to say “yes” and commit to helping your cause. Your CTA needs to be crystal clear. People don’t respond well to vague or confusing requests. You can’t just say, “We need volunteers!” and hope for the best. It has to be direct, compelling, and impossible to resist.

For instance, instead of “Help us with our event,” try something like, “Join us at our upcoming event and make a real difference, your skills can help change lives!” See how that works? It’s specific, it’s urgent, and it speaks directly to the volunteer’s potential contribution.

Also, remember that your message doesn’t just need to sound appealing, it needs to look appealing too. Whether it’s an email, a social media post, or a section on your website, break your text up with bullet points, use bold fonts for key phrases, and don’t be afraid of white space. People skim, so make sure the important stuff stands out.

A great CTA is the difference between someone thinking, “Maybe I’ll help someday” and “I need to sign up now.” So, craft your message like it’s an invitation to change the world, because, quite frankly, it is.

Leveraging Digital Platforms for Volunteer Recruitment and Management

With all of today’s technology and AI apps and bots, you’ve got an entire online ecosystem at your fingertips and not taking advantage of such a huge resource will cost you greatly in the future. Using all this correctly can connect you to a wide range of passionate volunteers from all over the world instantaneously. And these tools don’t just broaden your reach, they make your entire recruitment process more efficient from start to finish.

Social Media: Everyone’s on social media today. If your nonprofit isn’t tapping into platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to recruit volunteers, you’re seriously missing out. Social media is one of the best ways to recruit volunteers and lets you connect and share your charity’s vision through all sorts of media like images, video, and even podcasts.

Take Facebook for example. You can have a page for your organization and even groups. You can even dedicate a group specifically to volunteers with everything they need to know in order to sign, when and where they’re needed and upcoming opportunities. You can even include stories and testimonials from current volunteers to motivate your prospects even more.

Instagram? Perfect for visuals. Show your volunteers working to make a difference. Use the right hashtags, and you’ll see how quickly engagement can lead to people reaching out asking to join in your cause.

LinkedIn, on the other hand, is an amazing platform for finding skilled volunteers. The platform allows you to post about volunteer opportunities just as you would a job listing. And since the platform was built for professionals, your future volunteers will see the post and respond through their platform. Think accounts, lawyers and business people.

PayBee.com: Now, let’s talk about PayBee.com, an often overlooked gem for nonprofits. PayBee is mostly known as an exceptional fundraising platform, but it’s a lot more than just that. Our platform has built in volunteer management software that also helps you manage your entire volunteer recruitment strategy. In addition we also allow you to integrates volunteer registration opportunities into your fundraising events, letting you grab interested volunteer’s attention right when they’re feeling most inspired to take an action. And all of this happens effortlessly due to the platform’s ability to integrate smoothly into your nonprofit’s workflow.

You can use it to track volunteer hours, organize volunteer shifts, keep training materials, and keep all the communications you have had with your volunteer work force all in one place. PayBee essentially removes the guesswork from recruiting and managing volunteers. That’s a pretty big deal as nonprofits don’t always have the luxury of dedicated staff for volunteer coordination.

Whether you're hosting a fundraising gala or an online event, PayBee lets you ask your attendees if they’d like to volunteer, making sure no opportunity slips by unnoticed.

Volunteer Recruitment Websites: In addition to using social media, volunteer recruitment websites like VolunteerMatch, Idealist are a great resource for nonprofits. These platforms have hundreds of thousands of people actively looking for opportunities to volunteer making them a great place to start no matter if you’re looking for local help or remote people.

For example, VolunteerMatch allows you to post specific volunteer roles, whether remote or on-site, and target people based on their skills or interests. Idealist is similar but tends to have a more global reach, so it’s a great option if you're looking for international volunteers or more virtual help.

Email Marketing: Email marketing isn’t just for fundraisers. It’s still incredibly effective for creating volunteer awareness and sharing opportunities with your potential work force. You can even do small things like always including a link to your volunteer information page on your website. This lets people know you are looking for volunteers and that they always have a reference to go to in order to find out more whether it’s hosted on your website or through a platform like PayBee.com.

Through using as many platforms, whether it’s through social media, specialized volunteer websites, or specialized nonprofit platforms like PayBee.com, the chances of you finding the right volunteers that match your organizations mission has never been easier.Just remember to gauge your expectations based on each platform's capabilities.

Offering Volunteer Incentives and Rewards

Although volunteers can legally accept monetary rewards, nonprofits rarely have that luxury. But that doesn’t mean non-monetary rewards can’t be just as powerful. You’d be surprised what a little recognition can do for someone’s spirits. Just imagine if you were working at an event and at the end of the night you were called on stage in front of everyone and received a certificates of appreciation from the charity’s chair. Just calling someone’s name and acknowledging their effort publicly can leave a lasting impression. It doesn't cost much, but the return in loyalty and dedication? Priceless.

A great example? A volunteer I knew once told me how one letter of recommendation from a nonprofit gave them the credibility they needed to land their dream job. You could do the same for your volunteers. Offering certificates or letters of recommendation as part of your recognition program might seem like a small thing, but it makes a big difference. It shows you care about their future, not just what they’re doing for you today.

But public recognition isn’t the only way you can show your appreciation. Volunteering often attracts people who are looking to develop their skill set or explore leadership roles. By giving your volunteers a chance to lead initiatives or projects, you not only make them feel trusted and empowered, you’re also creating a ripple effect in their personal and professional growth. Think about setting up mentoring programs, allowing your veteran volunteers to guide the new ones, everyone wins this way.

You can also give out rewards through training programs. Sending people to workshops and courses to learn new skills like public speaking or salesmanship all connect to some people’s idea of personal and career growth. They may never had the opportunity to do theses things before. Learning opportunities like these not only motivate your volunteers but also provide them with something tangible they can take away from the experience.

At the end of the day, rewarding volunteers is less about “stuff” and more about making them feel appreciated, offering growth, and recognizing their contributions. Volunteers aren’t just filling slots, they’re part of your nonprofit’s mission in every way possible. And its future. So by offering well thought out incentives, you’ll find that volunteers are eager to stay and even bring their friends along.

Engaging and Retaining Your Current Community of Volunteers

Retaining volunteers is just as important, if not more so than recruiting new ones. Remember, there are costs associated in recruiting, training and managing your staff. So every time you need to find a replacement, it actually costs your charity in time and money. So it’s important to take put just as much focus on retaining your current volunteers as seeking new ones.

One of the best ways to keep your people is to make them feel appropriated and a valued member of the team. This is true with all your employees. A simple "thank you" goes a long way, but taking appreciation a step further can make a huge difference.

A great way to show how much you care is to host volunteer appreciation events. It doesn’t have to be some big gala event, it can be a simple pizza party at the office where you talk to everyone about how well they’re doing and how much you appreciate them. Casual affairs can be quite intimate, and that closeness can go a long way to make people feel seen and valued. As one volunteer once said, “I stayed because I felt like my work mattered. It wasn’t just about the tasks, it was about the connection to the cause.”

Another way to build loyalty is to offer development opportunities. People in general lie to grow in some way both personally and professionally. It keeps them interested and vibrant. Again, it doesn’t need to be a big formal thing. Offering leadership roles to long term volunteers, or even creating a mentoring system where seasoned volunteers can help onboard new recruits gives everyone a way to grow while also creating deep bonds within your community.

It’s also important to remember volunteers have a life of their own too. This is where flexibility comes into play. Life gets busy, and sometimes a volunteer may need to take a step back. When that happens, offer them options for staying involved in a way that fits their schedule even if it is only having them around once a month. Or maybe they can help out virtually or work on a short one-off project. The important thing is to keep the lines of communication open and let them know there’s always a place for them in your organization.

In the end, the secret to retaining volunteers is simple. Always make your people feel valued, give them the room they need to grow, and maintain a sense of community so they always know they’re part of something bigger and important. When you invest in your volunteers, just like you would any other key resource, they’ll continue to invest in your cause.

Wrapping Up

Recruiting volunteers and retaining them may take a bit of planning and work, but having a passionate and dedicated workforce ready to push your cause forward is worth its weight in gold. And building a strong volunteer base hinges on a mix of strategic planning, effective communication, and ongoing engagement. From crafting compelling recruitment messages to allowing people to take leadership roles, each of these volunteer recruitment strategies plays an important role in nurturing a thriving group of supporters.

As Maya Angelou wisely said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Apply that wisdom to your volunteer recruitment approach. Make potential volunteers feel valued and excited about joining your cause. Now’s the time to implement these strategies and watch your nonprofit flourish!

FAQ Section

1. How can I tailor my volunteer recruitment message to attract more skilled volunteers?

Start by focusing on the specific skills and expertise you're seeking. Then explain to your potential recruits the impact they can make on your cause and the unique experiences they’ll gain by becoming part of your team. Also, be sure to use language that resonates with people that have a professional background while emphasizing the opportunities for their personal and professional growth.

2. What are the best platforms to use for digital volunteer recruitment?

Consider platforms like VolunteerMatch, Idealist, and PayBee.com for outreach. Social media channels such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram can also be effective although not as targeted as the above platforms. And don’t forget your own website and presence. Your nonprofit's website should have all the information anyone would need to become a volunteer along with what your volunteer program  consists of with a way to contact you.

3. How do I keep volunteers engaged and motivated after they sign up?

Regular communication is key. Share updates about the impact of their work, celebrate milestones, and recognize individual contributions. Implement appreciation programs and offer leadership opportunities to encourage ongoing involvement and commitment.

4. How can I create incentives to encourage long-term volunteer retention?

Offer non-monetary incentives like certificates of appreciation, recognition events, and opportunities for skill development or leadership roles. Create a culture of appreciation where volunteers feel valued and connected to your mission.

5. What are some cost-effective ways to market my volunteer opportunities?
Utilize social media for free outreach, engage with local groups like schools and churches, and leverage word-of-mouth referrals from people already familiar with your cause. Create compelling content, such as testimonials from current volunteers, and share them on your website and social media platforms to attract interest.

‍