Ask any nonprofit executive and they’ll tell you unequivocally: volunteers are invaluable. Whether it’s helping meet day-to-day objectives, providing event support, or offering significant insight as board members, volunteers are essential to short and long-term mission success. The recent CSGVP substantiates this claim with some interesting figures. Canadians volunteered 2.1 billion hours, a 4.2% increase over previous years, it claimed, with the average number of volunteer hours estimated at 166.

It’s interesting to note, however, that despite those impressive numbers, the average number of donated hours was down by two, from 168 in 2004 to 166 in 2007. Canadians may have less time to give, is one theory advanced by sector thinkers. Others suggest the approach to volunteerism needs to be updated, bringing it more in line with current realities. Perhaps. It may also have something to do with the roles volunteers are given and the level of connectivity they feel with the organization and its mission.

Working together?

Take, for instance, the relationship between volunteers and the fundraising arm of a nonprofit. With volunteers being significant donors in their own right – of time, a most precious commodity – one would think their efforts would not only be given great weight, but would be well-aligned with the fundraising mission. But there are those who suggest otherwise. Volunteer activities seldom work alongside fundraising objectives, despite the obvious role they play on that front. And while many larger organizations boast a strong team of fundraisers, the volunteer management team is usually made up of a staff of one.

And that’s a discrepancy with huge implications, says Jennifer Woodill, community volunteer specialist at the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario. “I work with great fundraisers and volunteers and our organization does really well at integrating the two together, but there are often two different perspectives and frameworks,” she says. Stephanie Smith agrees. Involved in volunteer management for 10 years, she’s been observing this phenomenon for some time. The disconnect is even evident on Ottawa college campuses, she adds. “If you look at courses taught on fundraising, there’s never a volunteer management component, even though volunteer involvement in fundraising is essential,” she says. “Each career has its own required skills but the two are not so different as we’d like to think they are; there needs to be a bridge somewhere.” Understanding the relationship between the two can be important in one’s eventual career, she posits.

The greater vision

Fundraising and volunteer managers need to look at the big picture. “My whole approach to volunteer engagement is mission-based,” Smith explains. “It’s about achieving the goals of the organization.” Currently working as manager of volunteer services at The Arthritis Society (which, she is quick to point out, doesn’t suffer from this discrepancy), she understands the importance of money in achieving the organization’s long-term goals. “But, on the heels of that, we couldn’t do what we do if it wasn’t for the volunteers. It’s a team effort.”

But the silos between volunteer and fundraising staff can be quite exclusionary. “People are not always looking at the big picture, they’re just filling tasks, such as finding volunteers to do this and that,” says Woodill. Short-term goals are commonly adopted. But to achieve true mission success, a cohesive, long-term picture needs to be pursued says Smith. “Volunteer development needs to sit at a senior table, as opposed to being a nice add-on,” she offers, adding that it should come from the top down.

Engagement

Most importantly, organizations need to engage volunteers, show them how vital their contributions are to the overall mission. “The challenge is to have volunteers feel connected to the mission of an organization so that they keep coming back,” says Deborah Gardner of Volunteer Toronto. That way, regular or episodic volunteers will remain committed. There are many volunteers who support your mission but have little time to give, she explains. How you engage them will determine whether they return or give that precious time elsewhere. “To me the key piece is that connectedness,” she adds.

Smith agrees. Keep in mind that, “everyone is there because they want to make a difference,” she says. Volunteers get frustrated because they don’t feel that sense of connection. Why am I here?, they ask, for good reason. “If someone donated 20 dollars and we threw it in a drawer, they’d have a right to ask how it will benefit an organization. In the same way, we must be accountable to volunteers for their time,” she explains.

“Its about communicate, communicate, communicate,” says Gardner. “It’s so easy to do these days.” Whether by way of a shout-out on a blog, an update on Facebook, the methods are numerous. “And the benefit is at least twofold,” says Gardner, explaining how human nature induces someone who was appreciated for making a difference to want to make even more of a difference. You can even connect with volunteers by sending a letter or an email, describing how their efforts helped raise X number of dollars, allowing the organization to fulfill its goals of Y and Z. Simple communication can go a long way, says Gardner, explaining, “Where we fall down is not helping people who are not really intently involved in your agency make the connection to your mission.”

Important engagement initiatives are already underway at the Arthritis Society, where they’ve established a philosophy of volunteer involvement, ensuring volunteers understand their value and feel part of a united vision of the organization. Gardner recalls another positive example: Fashion Cares, an event organized by the AIDS Committee of Toronto. Run primarily by volunteers, the organization makes sure those giving their time are well-fed, nurtured and celebrated. After all, says Gardiner, “they are as valuable as the volunteer staffing the reception desk every Tuesday afternoon.”

The organization, like a number of others, has adopted a culture of appreciation for voluntary contributions, realizing any amount of time is a valuable form of revenue generation. “Agencies are starting to see the value of those kinds of volunteers, it’s happening, slow but sure,” Gardner explains. “We’re moving with the times.”

Mutual goals

The bridge between volunteers and fundraising can be linked in other ways too. Volunteers should be kept in the loop about all voluntary opportunities in the organization, including fundraising, offers Smith. Though not everyone who donates their time enjoys asking for money, keeping those options open can prove beneficial. For Woodill, that means working very closely with fundraisers to understand their needs. “I’ve even brought them volunteers with real fundraising potential,” she adds, seeing it as a win-win scenario. “Fundraising is a big part of what we do at Heart and Stroke so I’m trying to make the fundraising piece more commonplace,” Woodill says. “They don’t see me just working in my silo and they in theirs. They see that the two are really connected.”

Woodill also communicates with her volunteers through regular monthly e-newsletters. Neither long nor fancy, a simple email keeps volunteers abreast of opportunities available. Sometimes it’s even focused more on fundraising than volunteerism. Because, bottom line, it’s about engagement. “It’s about connecting people who are passionate about the cause and want to do something to make a difference.” And whether stewardship connects you to individuals on the fundraising or volunteering end, the goal is the same. “In the long-term, they may actually do both; that’s the ideal,” adds Woodill.

While potentially beneficial, be sure to tread softly with those pursuits, cautious Gardner, explaining that some volunteers simply want to stuff envelopes or do other mindless tasks. of Diversa Consultants agrees. While integrating the two is a noble goal, finding volunteers who want to do fundraising is hard, she says, adding, “More times than not, if they don’t know much about fundraising, they’ll run the other way.” Though there are the odd few who feel comfortable and willing to knock on doors, strategic fundraising activities are often reserved for staff. That said, considering its importance, in an ideal world “fundraising should be everyone’s responsibility.”

Moving forward

Most importantly, says Gardner, an organization must keep in mind that a person who gives his or her time is giving as much as if giving a cheque. As such, they should remain within earshot and eyesight of the fundraising team and the overall organizational objective. The fundraising team should also sit down regularly with the volunteer committee to talk through objectives and how they can work together to fulfill them, adds Smith. “And while not all volunteers want to fundraise, its importance makes it integral to the overall approach.

Organizations should also consider implementing fundraising committees as extensions of their boards, intricately linking the efforts of volunteerism with that of raising funds, offers Ligia. And above all, treat volunteers with respect, making them feel part of the future, she says. “Steward them as you would your other donors,” she adds. After all, “If you had to pay all these people, you’d have to do a lot more fundraising.”

Elisa Birnbaum is a freelance journalist, producer and communications consultant living in Toronto. She is also president of Elle Communications and can be reached at: info@ellecommunications.ca.

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