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Grow Your Supporter Network: 4 Tips to Attract Volunteers

June 27, 2022 by Dennis Fischman Leave a Comment

A guest post by Russ Oster, Grassroots Unwired

Why volunteers?

Most nonprofit organizations are accustomed to having a lot of work to do and limited staff members available to accomplish it all. This is why volunteers are such a valuable resource, especially for small and mid-sized nonprofits.

With a healthy supporter network, your nonprofit can rely on a steady base of volunteers to help with your events, fundraisers, and advocacy campaigns. Plus, volunteers not only help nonprofits manage their workload, but often active volunteers become regular donors!

Whether you’re running a silent auction or a community 5k fundraiser, you’ll need to attract and recruit volunteers. However, finding those volunteers can sometimes be a challenge, especially for small and less well established nonprofits.

Four tips for attracting volunteers

To help your nonprofit grow your supporter network and create a reliable pool of volunteers for your upcoming events, this article will explore four tips for attracting volunteers:

  1. Create a compelling campaign message.
  2. Write detailed volunteer descriptions.
  3. Offer a variety of volunteer opportunities.
  4. Build a strong volunteer program.

1. Create a compelling campaign message.

Volunteers want to dedicate their time to causes they care about. Your recruitment posts should explain to them why your mission matters through a compelling campaign message. This message should be specific to your organization’s brand identity, while also working to connect with volunteers on a personal level.

When crafting your campaign message, consider using the following strategies:

  • Emphasize your campaign’s impact. Your volunteers should know what your campaign is trying to accomplish. By explaining your goals, you can convey your overall impact and demonstrate how your supporters will be making a difference when they volunteer with your nonprofit.
  • Use storytelling strategies. Most people volunteer to work with causes they have a personal or emotional connection to. Your recruitment posts can help build this connection with storytelling elements. Getting Attention’s guide to nonprofit storytelling specifically emphasizes the importance of invoking an emotional response, then providing next steps readers can act on, such as signing up to volunteer.
  • Add visuals to your posts. Visuals can go a long way towards attracting attention to your cause. For digital campaigns, a striking visual can help your posts stand out from the crowd, raising the chances that they will be seen by potential volunteers. Additionally, photographs help volunteers better visualize exactly what work they’ll be doing and what their efforts will support.

2. Write detailed volunteer descriptions.

It might sound obvious, but your volunteers will want to know what they’ll be doing at your nonprofit before signing up. Plus, by providing more details about your volunteer positions, you can improve your chances of attracting volunteers with the skills and qualifications you need.

When writing your volunteer recruitment posts, be sure to specify the following:

  • Responsibilities. Give your supporters a basic overview of what they can expect when they volunteer. This should include their daily duties and any other information associated with their responsibilities. For instance, if you’re recruiting door-to-door canvassers for your next advocacy campaign, you would want to add details about the necessary physical requirements. This will allow volunteers to choose opportunities based on their own accessibility needs.


  • Required skills. If your nonprofit needs volunteers with specific skill sets, make sure your post explains what those skills are in detail. For example, if your nonprofit needs someone to help manage your virtual event’s live stream, your post should mention all necessary technical proficiencies.


  • Expected time commitment. Each of your volunteers has a unique schedule, so make sure they know upfront if their availability lines up with when your nonprofit needs volunteers. For instance, you will want to specify if a position is recurring or will be a one-time event. For recurring roles—such as helping out with your local initiatives, doing administrative work, or helping with long-term fundraising—consider making permanent posts on your website so new volunteers can view them at any time. These postings should include expected hours during the week and specific days you need volunteers to come in.

Additionally, be sure to let volunteers know what they can stand to gain from working with your organization. While all of your volunteers are invested in advancing your cause, many of them are also interested in learning new skills, meeting like-minded people, and completing work that they enjoy and is fulfilling.

3. Offer a variety of volunteer opportunities.

Each of your volunteers has their own skill set and is interested in doing different kinds of work. You can accommodate more volunteers and grow your network by offering a variety of ways to get involved.

For example, nonprofits running advocacy campaigns can offer at least the following three different volunteer opportunities:

  • Door-to-door or street canvassing. Volunteers who live near your nonprofit or in your campaign’s target community can help out by becoming canvassers. These volunteers need to be friendly and ready to talk to a variety of people about your campaign. You can help these volunteers out by arming them with canvassing software and training sessions on how to discuss your campaign.


  • Virtual canvassing. Virtual canvassing is a more accessible alternative than door-to-door and street canvassing for your supporters who live far away or may be unable to travel to your targeted areas. These volunteers would instead canvas via virtual conferencing tools, allowing them to have the same conversations as your traditional canvassers from the comfort of their homes.


  • Peer-to-peer campaigns. Peer-to-peer campaigns make use of your volunteer’s personal relationships to earn additional revenue and add even more connections to your supporter network. This volunteer opportunity would be a good choice for volunteers that actively use social media and are interested in discussing your campaign with their friends and family.

 

Giving your volunteers options can also benefit your long-term supporters. For instance, a recurring donor may be interested in getting further involved with your organization, deepening their connection with your nonprofit in the process.

4. Build a strong volunteer program.

Volunteers who had a positive experience may discuss your nonprofit with their friends and family, helping build your overall network through word-of-mouth. These personal recommendations can be one of your nonprofit’s most effective marketing strategies for gaining new supporters..

While every organization’s volunteer program will look different, most can improve their overall approach by:

  • Ensuring help is always nearby. Your volunteers work hard, but situations where they need help will come up. Whether your volunteers are working in-person at an event or assisting remotely from home, make sure they have the tools necessary to reach out to a supervisor for assistance at a moment’s notice.


  • Letting volunteers play to their strengths. As your volunteers get to work, you’ll likely start to notice their individual talents and expertise. Some volunteers may even approach their supervisor, and ask if they can work in a role better suited to their strengths. For example, Grassroots Unwired’s canvassing tips guide discusses how canvassers tend to do better when volunteering in their home communities, due to being more familiar with the people there.


  • Following up after your campaign. Once your campaign wraps up, be sure to reach out to all of your volunteers to thank them for their work. This follow-up could be a simple thank you message, a package with a few gifts (such as pins, water bottles, or other merchandise your nonprofit has on hand), or even a volunteer appreciation event.

Once volunteers have worked for your nonprofit for a certain number of hours, they may qualify for a volunteer grant. Volunteer grants are donations made by your volunteers’ employers when their employees donate their time to charitable causes like yours. Help your volunteers research their eligibility and complete any forms to help claim these funds for your nonprofit.

 


Russ Oster head shot

Russ’ first experience in the world of grassroots organizing came when he was an infant and his mother pushed him in a stroller door to door to collect signatures for the Impeach Nixon movement. Eighteen years later he embarked on his college career in Washington, DC and during that time developed a passion for campaigns and elections that started with an internship on the campaign of the first woman ever elected to Congress from the State of Virginia.

For the next 15 years Russ lived and breathed campaigns, running field operations in a wide range of races and for a number of coordinated campaign efforts. When it became obvious to Russ that the technology existed to make field efforts drastically more efficient and accountable but the solutions did not, he launched Grassroots Unwired and has worked every day since to keep GU on the cutting edge, pushing new features and enhancements to meet the needs of every evolving grassroots organizing efforts.

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Fundraising Tuesday: Is Your Nonprofit Tech Savvy? 5 Types of Software You Need

July 27, 2021 by Dennis Fischman Leave a Comment

A guest post by John Killoran of Clover Leaf Solutions

Nowadays, there’s software for everything — including for the work that you do as a nonprofit professional. Whether you want to more easily connect with donors, grow your revenue, or just have a home base for all of your information, there’s software that can help.

However, because there are so many software options available, you might be wondering which platforms are worth the investment. The latest nonprofit trends show that technology is essential for organizations like yours, but where should you even begin?

We’re going to review 5 of the major types of nonprofit software so you can get a sense of the variety of offerings out there. Our top 5 picks are:

  • Donor Databases
  • Online Fundraising Tools
  • Matching Gifts
  • Marketing Software
  • Volunteer Management

Ultimately, these tools allow you to spend less time on paperwork and task management and more time on doing what you love.

1. Donor Databases

Let’s face it — keeping track of all of your donors and transactions is difficult. You want to show each supporter how much you value their contributions, but attempting to personalize every thank-you note or donation request would be incredibly time-consuming.

That’s where donor databases come in. Also known as constituent relationship management (CRM) software, donor databases can help you keep track of your supporters’ donations and involvement with your organization. Using a donor database allows you to:

  • Easily personalize your communications: With a donor database, you’ll have a record of every donor’s name, contribution amount, and any other information you request during the donation process. With everything organized in one place, it’s much easier for you to automate personalizing direct mail, email, or text-to-give campaigns.
  • Build better relationships: Now that you can keep track of each donor’s information in a readily accessible database, you can focus on getting to know your donors. Using your database’s personalization and communication tools, you can build better relationships with your donors.
  • Re-engage disconnected donors: A database can help you find patterns among your donor base. You’ll be able to see who is engaged and who isn’t so you can strategize on how to rebuild relationships.

2. Online Fundraising Tools

Practically every nonprofit is using the internet to connect with donors, accept donations, and grow their audience these days. Raising money online is essential, especially if you want to expand your nonprofit beyond your local community.

Online fundraising tools can make it easy for donors to engage with your organization and for you to manage your different fundraising campaigns.

With a wide variety of tools — including peer-to-peer campaigns, text-to-give, crowdfunding, and more — this type of software can help you diversify how you fundraise. You can also:

  • Stay organized: If you’re launching a major digital campaign, online fundraising software can help you keep track of the influx of donations, monitor new donors, and consolidate your marketing materials in one place.
  • Develop an online presence: This software can also help you grow your online presence. By directing donors to your online platforms through your text-to-give campaign, for example, you can increase the traffic on your website.
  • Easily engage donors: Online fundraising software makes it easy to send personalized thank-you notes or updates about your campaign to donors.

3. Matching Gifts

Matching gift programs and other forms of corporate giving are extremely underutilized by nonprofits despite being an easy source of revenue. In fact, according to 360MatchPro, over 18 million people work for companies with matching gift programs!

Not only do matching gift programs boost your bottom line, but they also help donors grow their impact, which then deepens their attachment to your organization. With the help of matching gift software, you can make it easier for donors to determine their eligibility to get their contributions matched.

Other benefits of a matching gift software include:

  • Increasing revenue: Matching gifts are a great way to increase your revenue. Not only are your supporters’ gifts essentially doubled, but donors are also more likely to contribute higher amounts if they know their gifts are being matched.
  • Connecting with more people: With a matching gift program, your supporters can serve as advocates for your cause in their workplace, which might encourage more people to donate.
  • Strengthening relationship in the community: Involving the business world in your nonprofit’s work can help you better situate your nonprofit within your community. Doing so will help you grow your network, which could create additional event opportunities or partnerships.

4. Marketing Software

It’s great to have a donor database, online fundraising tools, and software for tracking matching gifts, but these platforms won’t be very helpful if you can’t actually reach your supporters.

Marketing software makes it much easier for you to reach your donors in a timely, engaging, and consistent manner. Your supporters have already shown interest in your nonprofit, so they want to hear from you! Here are some key benefits of using dedicated marketing software:

  • Easily reach your supporters: Marketing software allows you to easily contact your donors. You can send updates, thank-you notes, and donation requests with the click of a button. Plus, with marketing software, you can be sure to personalize your messages by using your donor’s name or specifying their donation amount.
  • Determine effective strategies: Using the metrics from your marketing software, you can also see which types of campaigns are the most successful among your donors.
  • Stick to consistent branding: With all of your marketing materials in one place, you can also ensure that your branding remains consistent. A memorable brand reassures donors that they’re in the right place and can increase your visibility in your community.

Marketing for your nonprofit is not just important for donor acquisition, it’s also crucial for donor retention. Marketing software can help you to keep your donors engaged so that they continue to support your cause.

5. Volunteer Management

Volunteers are the backbone of your organization. They’re passionate individuals who generously donate their time and energy so that your nonprofit can continue to forward the social good.

Incorporating a volunteer management system into your organization can give you the tools you need to oversee your volunteers and to show them that you value their hard work. For example, this type of software allows you to:

  • Keep track of volunteers and their hours: Handwritten hour logs are a thing of the past. With volunteer management software, you can keep a detailed record of how many hours each volunteer has contributed for the month.
  • Easily contact your volunteers: Your volunteers are among the most engaged of your supporters, so you want to be in close contact. This software can allow you to send quick updates or thank-you messages to your volunteers, which can add a personal touch to your volunteer program.

Keeping your volunteer program organized is also a great way to demonstrate your professionalism and how much you value your volunteers’ time. No one wants to waste time checking in or trying to figure out which days of the week they should come in. With this software, your volunteers won’t have to worry about that.

If you want to learn more, this Galaxy Digital guide outlines the tools you should look for when selecting your volunteer management software.

 

Takeaway: Investing in nonprofit software can save you time, earn you more revenue, and enhance your connections with donors. Click To Tweet

John Killoran Snowball softwareJohn Killoran is an inventor, entrepreneur, and the Chairman of Clover Leaf Solutions, a national lab services company. He currently leads Clover Leaf’s investment in Snowball Fundraising, an online fundraising platform for nonprofit organizations.

Snowball was one of John’s first public innovations; it’s a fundraising platform that offers text-to-give, online giving, events, and peer-to-peer fundraising tools for nonprofits. By making giving simple, Snowball increases the donations that these organizations can raise online. The Snowball effect is real! John founded Snowball in 2011. Now, it serves over 7,000 nonprofits and is the #1 nonprofit fundraising platform.

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When Should You Pursue Nonprofit Leadership Development?

July 12, 2021 by Dennis Fischman Leave a Comment

A guest post by Susan Tomlinson Schmidt of the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance

If you’re asking yourself when you should pursue nonprofit leadership development, the short answer is yesterday.

All nonprofits can benefit from improving development opportunities for team members. Not only does it help your team evolve and become better professionals, but it also helps your organization increase efficiency.

Most growing nonprofits are constantly trying to do more with less. Usually, this means decreasing your overhead expenses and focusing on elements of your mission. While development of team members might increase your overhead expenses, over time, it can actually fast-track your organization for success.

Here at The Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, we understand the value of professional development for nonprofits. In fact, we specialize in it! We certify new professionals in the industry each and every year and provide ongoing training opportunities for organizations and individuals.

In this guide, we’ll dive into the benefits that your organization will see when you invest in your teammates. Then, we’ll cover some materials and resources you can use to start your own development program. Let’s get started!

Benefits of Leadership Development

Developing your staff members to become more effective leaders at your organization is the key to growth and success. They’ll not only grow their own skills at the organization, but they’ll also be able to help develop more efficient organizational processes.

This helps you build a reputation of efficiency, raise and allocate more funds, and ultimately create a greater impact on the community. Let’s explore a few other key benefits:

Employee Retention

When employees feel that they’re developing and honing their skills to become better versions of themselves, they’re more likely to stay engaged. This element of personal growth and development is key for staff members to maintain high levels of satisfaction in their careers.

When you invest in your employees, they’ll stick around and invest back in your organization. However, if you fail to provide an engaging workplace, you could cost your organization a lot of money in turnover costs.

In other words, it pays to retain employees! When you add up the expenses that accompany hiring, training, and getting new staff up to speed, it becomes very expensive to start seeing return on a new hire. If you’re curious about how much you might be actually spending on employee turnover, this calculator can help you identify the cost of not retaining your team members.  

Of course, professional development isn’t the only way to retain employees, but it is one of the most effective. 93% of employees say they would stay longer at their jobs if their employer invested in their careers.

Fundraising Efficiency

Training your staff members to become better professionals leads to new ideas for efficiency at your organization and increased productivity overall.

For instance, if you focus on developing communication in your organization’s future leadership, and they’re currently in a fundraising position, they’ll likely transfer those skills to communicate effectively with your supporters. This results in higher fundraising revenue for your nonprofit.

Organizational Growth

Not only will individual staff members become more efficient in their position at your organization, but they’ll also teach their coworkers to do the same. Good habits and ideas will trickle down the ranks to help your nonprofit grow from within.

The last thing you want at your organization is for your leadership to leave. But what’s worse is when they leave without leaving their mark on your other team members. Help all team members grow and develop, then also encourage them to help one another create the most holistic growth strategy at your organization.

Resources to Implement Development Opportunities

Developing leaders at your organization helps in multiple ways for both the individual and your organization as a whole. But how can you pursue this development? We’ve pulled some of the top resources we discuss in The Nonprofit Leadership Alliance guide to professional development, including guided online resources, books, and journals.

Guided Online Resources

You can find plenty of guided online resources to help your team learn and develop. What constitutes these guided resources? Usually, they’re structured as online nonprofit courses that help walk learners through challenging material.

Generally, these online courses are designed with modules that guide individuals through content one bit at a time, with various elements and engaging opportunities to enhance the learning experience. For instance, you might read through definitions of keywords on one module, then watch a video to provide an example of what you just learned in the next.

Books

Lessons can be learned from just about any literature, from an instructional pamphlet to a children’s novel. In particular, there are books targeted to the nonprofit sector that you can lean on to gain general knowledge on a range of topics.

Look for books published by your favorite consultant or ask them for recommendations. Then, invite your team members to read these books and take notes on their insights. You might even start a lunch-time book club to cover some of these insights and to discuss how they can be applied to your organization.

Journals

There are publications everywhere that keep tabs on what’s happening in the nonprofit world. Keeping up with academic journals and other publications, like blogs from trusted sources, is a great way to keep up with the latest trends in the nonprofit industry.

Quickly advancing technology and legislation updates usually take a while (at minimum a month) to hit the nonprofit course scene, and even longer to make its way into books. That’s why it’s important to also encourage staff members to keep up with journals, blogs, and other online reading materials to understand the latest news. Everyone will learn how to effectively react to it and make decisions for your organization.

Wrapping Up

Professional development for nonprofit leaders is a key aspect of growth for the entire organization. According to Double the Donation, 85% of employees are not engaged in the workplace. But providing professional development opportunities can change that.

Ready to get started? Choose a development resource and dive in!


Susan Tomlinson Schmidt Leadership DevelopmentSusan Tomlinson Schmidt has dedicated her life to serving others through more than 25 years advancing the missions of social-impact organizations. Currently, Schmidt is the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance president, an organization that develops talent for the nonprofit workforce.

She received her master’s in public administration from the University of Memphis and is a Certified Nonprofit Professional. Schmidt and her husband, David, a professional chef, have two sons, Patrick and Walker. They live in Leawood, Kansas.

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