5 Volunteer Tasks to Delegate At Your Next Nonprofit Event

In America, volunteers donate approximately 4.1 billion hours of their time to nonprofits, and the value of each hour is estimated to be over $30. To make the most of valuable volunteer time at your next nonprofit event, you’ll need to set clear expectations for the roles they’ll fill. 

Whether you source volunteers through social media, your website, or another digital channel, knowing what you’re looking for will help you recruit the right person for the job. Let’s explore five volunteer tasks you should delegate at your next nonprofit event.

1. Setup and decoration

From the moment your nonprofit exits the event planning stage, you’ll need volunteers to help put your event in motion. While setup looks different for various types of events, some guaranteed ways that volunteers can help include:

• Venue decoration: For in-person events, delegate venue decoration to your volunteers. Provide clear guidelines for how the venue should look, including the event’s theme and your nonprofit’s branding materials. Then, provide volunteers with all the supplies and materials they’ll need to transform your venue.
• Catering assistance: Task volunteers with setting up food and beverage stations for your event. They may need to collaborate with the caterers, depending on whether the food will be served to guests or set up at a self-serve station. 
• Technical support: Have volunteers set up audiovisual equipment for any presentations or performances in your in-person event. For hybrid or virtual events, volunteers may offer technical assistance by helping with software installation and troubleshooting. For example, ask volunteers to test any features that will be used during your event, such as polls or chat functions.
• Registration management: Entrust volunteers with registration management, where they’ll help guests navigate the registration process and note any special accommodations. This might include coordinating allergy-friendly food options with the caterer ahead of the event or testing a captioning system for a virtual event. 

Because virtual events require fewer manual tasks, volunteers may feel less involved in online processes. Be sure to engage volunteers online by providing extensive training and communicating the importance of their roles.

2. Check-in and welcome desk

For participants, the event begins with the check-in process. This sets the event’s tone because it’s likely the first point of contact for guests.

Place volunteers at the check-in and welcome desk to ensure your nonprofit makes a positive first impression on attendees. Volunteers here should be trained to facilitate a smooth check-in process and provide guests with everything they’ll need for the event by:

• Checking in guests using registration lists or digital tools 
• Distributing name tags
• Providing event schedules and agendas
• Handing out materials such as freebies or brochures
• Answering questions about the event itinerary, venue, or anything else

To help volunteers handle check-in, provide access to an event management tool that tracks guest registration and attendance. These tools can also help retain volunteers, according to eCardWidget, since they provide the features needed to carry out volunteer responsibilities easily. 

3. Tech support

In addition to using technology to improve the volunteer experience, you’ll likely use tech tools to manage the event itself. The integration of technology in nonprofit events is ever-increasing, meaning you may need volunteers to handle some technical aspects of your event.

This might include:

• Monitoring sound systems
• Managing presentation slides
• Posting updates on social media

Additionally, volunteers can help guests navigate the technology they must use during an event. For example, attendees may need assistance to place a bid at an auction that leverages mobile bidding software. 

If you aren’t sure what tools you should use for a streamlined event, research nonprofit conferences, guides, or consultants for more information about solutions that can move your mission forward. These resources will help you determine what your nonprofit’s tech stack should include and how to train volunteers to use it.

4. Corporate sponsor support

Depending on the details of their sponsorship, your corporate partners may bring resources like booths and promotional materials to your event. Have volunteers support your sponsors throughout the event to strengthen the relationship between your nonprofit and its partners. 

Volunteers’ specific roles will depend on the nature of your sponsors’ presence at the event. However, a few ways they can support your sponsors include:

• Booth setup and management: This may include assembling any displays or setting up technical equipment as needed.
• Visibility and engagement: This crucial task involves ensuring the sponsor’s brand is appropriately displayed throughout the event and encouraging guests to engage with sponsor booths.
• Liaison work: Volunteers should act as liaisons between corporate sponsors and your nonprofit. This may involve communicating the sponsor’s needs to your organization and keeping the sponsor informed of the event’s schedule and activities. 

By helping sponsors get set up and promote their brand at the event, volunteers will help you demonstrate how much your nonprofit values its partnerships. 

5. Feedback collection

Collecting attendee feedback after your event concludes is crucial to learning what went well and what could be improved. This way, your nonprofit will know how to plan future events to maximize guest satisfaction (and, as a result, fundraising potential). 

Delegate the task of feedback collection to volunteers so your nonprofit can focus on post-event follow-up and stewardship activities. Volunteers might manage:

• Feedback forms and surveys
• Post-event focus groups
• Event follow-up interviews

You can also gain insights into fundraising and event planning strategies from expert sources. For example, Elevate recommends exploring fundraising books to uncover tips, trends, and case studies that might help you maximize the fundraising potential of your event.

While your volunteers collect feedback from guests, it’s also a perfect opportunity to gather feedback from your volunteers to learn about their event experience. Remember to show appreciation for their involvement and the time they took to provide feedback. Make adjustments to your event volunteer processes based on the suggestions they provide.

Volunteers provide invaluable support for your nonprofit’s work, both at your events and in your day-to-day operations. To help them succeed, equip them with the training and support needed to manage their roles effectively. Host training sessions in which you’ll share the expectations and responsibilities for each role. 

Aim to delegate tasks to volunteers according to their requests or unique talents. When volunteers are invested in their duties, they’ll be more engaged with your nonprofit and likely to continue supporting it in the future. Over time, you’ll cultivate a loyal volunteer base to help you maximize the support you raise from every event and campaign, increasing your support overall.