On a repurposed dairy farm in Ridgebury, Connecticut, magic happens every day. This is where Ridgebury Riders, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of children and individuals with special needs, turns therapy into joy through hippotherapy—occupational, speech, or physical therapy conducted on horseback.

“Horses are incredible partners in this work,” shares Haley Levesque, Program Coordinator. “Magical moments happen daily at the farm.”

Volunteering is a powerful way to give back to your community, gain new skills, and connect with like-minded individuals. Whether you’re looking to make a difference in someone’s life or simply want to explore new interests, there are countless options available. Here are 19 ways to find the volunteer opportunity that resonates with you.

Volunteers are the backbone of your nonprofit—they’re critical to your success in fundraising and service delivery. Throughout their time supporting your organization, volunteers will learn a lot about your mission and inner workings, which will likely lead to them forming their own opinions about your image in the community.

Guest Contributor: Indiana Lee

According to Double the Donation's volunteer statistics report, more than 60 million people volunteer annually in the US alone. Why? For some, it’s the chance to forge meaningful connections, and for others, it’s the feeling of giving back to a community or cause that they hold dear. Some people even start volunteering because of their employer’s corporate social responsibility initiatives, such as volunteer time off or volunteer grants.

Over the past two years, I’ve had the privilege of talking to leaders of volunteers about their commitments to equity and access in volunteerism. This has been part of the Assessing Diversity and Equity in Volunteer Inclusion (ADEVI) project. ADEVI is a multi-faceted investigation of the diversity of volunteer administrators and the equity journey of organizations they work in. The project's guiding principle is that organizations that are attuned to inclusiveness will be able to engage a more diverse cross-section of their communities. The project is a partnership between Arizona State University (ASU) and the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration (CCVA), funded by AmeriCorps, a federal agency in the United States.

For the past year or so I’ve been working with an organization to help them launch their first volunteer role, as applications are rolling in and we’re planning for our first orientation next month. I've been thinking about nonprofit management tools in general and volunteer management technology specifically.

Guest Contributor: Indiana Lee

The success of many nonprofits hinges on the time and dedication of its volunteers. Their skills, particularly, are directly connected to how effectively your projects and day-to-day operations run.

The right volunteer can be the driving force behind your mission's success. With a VolunteerMatch Standard Membership, you gain access to the world’s largest network of volunteers. But to truly connect with the ideal candidates who will help propel your organization forward, upgrading to Pro Membership unlocks a suite of enhanced benefits designed to make your recruitment efforts more effective and efficient. Read on for our top ten reasons to consider going Pro.

Capital campaigns are huge endeavors, and to succeed, you need all hands on deck. This call for assistance extends beyond your paid staff members to your volunteers.