Over the last couple of months I’ve been having some interesting conversations about the line between volunteers and paid staff. And, since it’s the start of a new year I thought it might be a good time to brush off those volunteer position descriptions and do a little risk management!

Today I wanted to share a little more about how we can blur the lines between volunteers and donors and create stronger connections with both groups. I know traditionally, many organizations keep these list separate— that Development communicates with donors and that we, as leaders of volunteers, only communicate with volunteers. But, there’s so much to gain on both sides when we think about collaboration! 

Giving Tuesday is kicking off the holiday giving season again this year, and while organizations encourage their supporters to give financially, many are also interested in the gift of time! If you haven’t included volunteer recruitment into your Giving Tuesday strategy in the past, here are three easy ways to get ready before November 29th.

The September issue of the Chronicle of Philanthropy highlighted some current challenges in volunteer engagement with two in-depth articles. In the article “Why and How Charities Should Revive a Declining but Vital Resource ... Volunteers” reporter Ben Gose interviewed me, along with many others working with and leading volunteers, to bring some perspective and insight into what’s changed and what’s stayed the same since the pandemic. He asked insightful questions and did a great job framing up the story. I want to share a little more on our discussion, where we are as a field and a profession, and some things to consider moving forward.

Hi Jennifer-

I just listened to your excellent webinar, “The New Volunteer Managers Toolkit.” I am a retiring psychologist and have decided I’d like to focus some of my time and energy on volunteer retention. I’m not yet sure how to narrow the field, but I learned so much from your webinar and you sounded so receptive and encouraging, so I thought maybe I’d start by contacting you.

What should volunteer engagement look like as we move forward with the next phase of COVID-19 response? While things are opening back up, we are not just returning to life as it was before March.

What should we consider before inviting volunteers to return, and how can we ensure that we’re doing our best to protect our volunteers, our clients, and others in our organization?