The success of your fundraisers hinges on dedicated volunteer support. However, if you have to train a new batch of helpers for every event, you’re wasting valuable time and missing out on the passion and experience that returning volunteers bring to the table.
In this guide, we’ll explore practical strategies to create a volunteer experience that inspires your supporters to keep coming back year after year.
1. Prepare volunteers for success before the event begins.
The foundation of an engaged volunteer base depends on pre-event training and communication. By setting clear expectations with volunteers, you’ll alleviate their anxiety and prove your respect for their time.
Start by reviewing your volunteer role descriptions. Ensure these descriptions provide accurate, specific information about what these volunteers will be expected to do and the time commitment they should expect. These descriptions help supporters feel more confident signing up for a role and ensure they don’t encounter any unwelcome surprises that deter them from coming back.
After a volunteer signs up, send reminders about logistics that will set them up for success on the big day. This includes:
- Parking details
- Dress codes
- Check-in procedures
When volunteers feel prepared for their shift, they’ll feel cared for by your nonprofit and be more comfortable signing up for future roles.
2. Offer flexible scheduling options.
Even your most dedicated volunteers may decline to sign up for your next event if the time commitment doesn’t fit into their schedule or the role doesn’t align with their skills or needs. If you can offer modular, flexible shifts, you’ll enable more of your community members to participate.
Use these approaches to make volunteering more realistic:
- Break long shifts into micro-volunteering blocks to accommodate busy parents or professionals who want to help but cannot commit a full Saturday to the cause. For example, you might host a cozy “hygge” fundraiser where volunteers can man the ticket stand for an hour, then join the rest of the supporters with PJ’s and snacks.
- Provide digital sign-up sheets well in advance so individuals can coordinate their shifts around their personal lives and secure the times that work best for them.
- Enable volunteers with accessibility needs to sign up first. Supporters with mobility needs, for example, should have first pick of volunteer roles so they can choose more stationary responsibilities.
By adapting your operational structure to the realities of your community’s lives, you lower the barrier to entry and make it easier to say “yes” to the next event.
Always track which shift times fill up fastest during your campaigns to better understand your community’s availability. You can use this data to optimize future schedules, ensuring high-traffic periods are always fully staffed.
3. Facilitate peer connections through exciting events.
Many volunteers choose to get involved because they enjoy meeting new people who share their values. Deliberately encouraging interactions among volunteers can help them build connections that motivate them to keep signing up for future events.
Oftentimes, fostering these connections starts with choosing the right event. For example, 99Pledges suggests running peer-to-peer events to help volunteers connect with fellow supporters and engage in a little healthy competition. Some of the most popular peer-to-peer events include:
- Walk-a-thons
- Fun Runs
- Dance-a-thons
- Read-a-thons
You can also foster connections by matching new arrivals with experienced volunteers who can show them the ropes and make them feel welcome. Then, after the event, you can host a
casual mixer where helpers can unwind and celebrate their collective achievements. This low-cost strategy leaves a lasting positive impression right before they head home.
4. Recognize volunteer contributions.
According to Better Impact’s guide to volunteer retention, “Volunteers need to know that you’re grateful for their contributions and value them as individuals—not just sources of free labor—if they’re going to stay motivated to perform their tasks to the best of their ability.”
To build loyalty amongst your volunteers:
- Highlight progress throughout the campaign. Sustain volunteers’ momentum by recognizing their achievements during the fundraiser, not just after the event. For example, a high school hosting a Color Run might use data from their fundraising platform for schools to spotlight the volunteers who have collected the most pledges on their individual donation pages. This keeps excitement high throughout the campaign.
- Offer small tokens of appreciation. Even small prizes, such as branded merchandise or food vouchers, can make volunteering feel worthwhile to supporters.
- Send personalized thank-you messages. After the campaign concludes, you should send a thank you to every volunteer within two days. Make sure to include the individual volunteer’s name and the contribution they made to your event’s success.
Recognition should never be an afterthought. Whether through a quick verbal thank-you or a check-in to see if they need a brief break, these regular interactions solidify trust. Helpers who feel seen and supported on the ground are naturally inclined to sign up for your next initiative.
5. Create feedback loops to improve future experiences.
To secure long-term commitment from your volunteers, you must understand their experiences and address their concerns. Soliciting feedback from your volunteers enables you to improve your volunteer management and, in and of itself, shows your supporters that you care about their input.
After an event concludes, send a 3–5 question survey that asks specific questions about their shift experience, the clarity of instructions, and what they would like to see changed. For example:
- On a scale of 1–5, how easy was it to navigate the digital sign-up portal?
- Was there any aspect of the volunteer experience you wish you had known in advance?
- On a scale of 1–5, how likely would you be to sign up for this role again?
When you launch registration for your next fundraiser, call out the operational changes you made in response to last year’s feedback. By continuously iterating on your volunteer program, you’ll earn your volunteers’ trust and encourage them to remain engaged in your organization.
Building a dedicated, recurring volunteer base takes intentional planning and a commitment to ongoing communication with your supporters. By respecting your supporters’ time, facilitating meaningful social connections, and incorporating their feedback into your operations, you inspire casual helpers to become lifelong champions for your cause. Implement these retention strategies today to ensure your next fundraiser is fully staffed by an enthusiastic, experienced team ready to drive your mission forward.
Guest article by Tom Hayes, provided through Queen Bee Fundraising’s marketing partnership with Nexus Marketing.
