Tobi's Nonprofit Management Blog

Volunteer Satisfaction Surveys: Ten Ways to Get It Right

Gathering candid opinions from your volunteers will help you gain insights around what you need to improve.  Despite our best efforts, however, sometimes our surveys raise more questions than insights and don’t help us understand the specific actions we need to take next.  If that’s the case for you, here are some suggestions that I hope will help generate the rich, actionable feedback you need.

10 Ways to Build a Bang Up Survey Questionnaire

1) Keep it simple.  Show respect for your volunteers’ time and the suggestions they are about to share.  Keep your survey short.  Even though it’s tempting to add a potpourri of inquiries, keep it to less than ten questions (or less than a few minutes) to complete.  You'll also help yourself out -- the longer the survey, the more respondent burden, and the less likely they are to finish it anyway.   

2) Keep it easy.  In order to make it manageable for both you and your volunteers, use free or low-cost online survey software, such as Survey Monkey.  Send out invitations via email to easily capture and automatically report your responses.  Make paper surveys available to those few who don't have internet access.  And, just like other communications, stay away from jargon or acronyms that will confuse readers, regardless of how long volunteers have been onboard.

3) Always “bookend” your survey with a short introduction at the beginning and an authentic thank you at the end.  Satisfaction surveys are another way to build relationships with your volunteers.  Let them know why they’ve been invited, what you hope to gain, and when they will hear back from you with your next steps.  Thank them and give them a specifc contact person, the event they have questions or experience problems.

4) Focus on using structured questions.  Rather than using primarily open-ended questions, ask a few volunteers to help you brainstorm all the possible answers to a question.  Then, categorize your answers into neat, multiple choice options.  Add the category of “other” and allow respondents to add their own responses, but try to make your list as exhaustive as possible.  This also reduces respondent burden and makes it much, much easier to analyze results on your end.

5) Always ask volunteers to rate how likely it would be for them to recommend their volunteer experience to friends and family.  This question gets at perceived value, which is the core of what drives our satisfaction with people, things, and experiences.  If a person believes something is valuable to them, they'll rave about it.  If you track this metric over time, you’ll see whether your value goes up or down in the volunteers' eyes.  Also, if you ask why they chose this rating, in a subsequent open-ended question, you can find the root cause of their delight or disdain.

6) Always, invite volunteers to share additional comments in an open-ended question at the end.  That sends a clear message to volunteers that your ears are open and you are willing to hear candid comments, even if they don’t fit into the neat boxes in your survey.

7) Test, test, test.  Have a few volunteers test your online and paper survey instruments.  Make sure they understand what your questions are really asking.  Also, you can confirm with your testers that your list of multiple choice options include a broad enough selection.

8) Make sure your stats stack up.  You want to be able to defend your survey results and have confidence in your analysis.  So, you need to make sure you have enough data.  First make sure you have collected enough responses to generalize your results (collect a “statistically relevant” sample size) -- the smaller the population, the larger percentage of responses you must collect.  Free online calculators can be found, like this one, to do the math for you (note, when using this tool, industry standard is a 95% confidence level with a +/- 5% margin of error).  Also, make sure that if you are asking volunteers to rate something, they will need at least five data points to chose from (called a “likert scale).”  Click here for a few sample scales to choose from.

9) Be prepared for the “halo effect.”  In the nonprofit world, volunteers and service beneficiaries alike are reluctant to give negative feedback to nonprofit staff.  If they are bothered by something, volunteers will often leave the organization before they will tell staff about their frustrations.  To gather as much information as possible, collect responses anonymously and let volunteers know their privacy will be protected.  When reporting the results, choose representative statements from the open-ended comments and do not associate them with an individual’s name. Finally, pay attention to complaints; they are likely the tip of the iceberg.

10) When you have a survey that works, stick with it through several survey seasons.  Your survey is succesful when it gets you the info you need to take action, not neccessarily just because it generates a glowing report.  Once you have a design that is feeding you valuable insights, resist the temptation to tweak your core questions each time.  That way you can build a baseline of trustworthly trending data to work from.  If you change up your annual survey every year, you’ll never know whether the changes you make have an impact. 

 One More Thing...

Surveys aren’t the only way to evaluate volunteer satisfaction.  You can use social media to facilitate conversations within your volunteer team about their needs.  You can take a look at your volunteer retention numbers, analyze where and when people are leaving, and ask why.  You can also do exit interviews with volunteers to get their final suggestions on their way out the door.

Also, recognize that no satisfaction survey will get you all the information you need.  If your survey results raise additional questions, think about facilitating a volunteer focus group to get at some of the deeper dirvers of satisfaction.  If you're worried they won't be totally honest with your or your staff, hire an outside facilitator to manage it for you.

 

Corporate Volunteer Programs: What Do They Want From Nonprofits?

There’s quite a bit of buzz about corporate responsibility lately.  In the midst of scandals, declining trust, and lost profits, businesses are increasingly concerned with maintaining a positive reputation in the public eye.  This represents a potential windfall for nonprofits who are looking to leverage needed resources from the business community, including volunteer support.  
So, what does business want?

This focus on brand reputation is a relatively new phenomenon, as chronicled in a recent Harvard Business Review post.  According to the author, “People have become increasingly concerned with business's impact on the world, and search engines...make it trivially easy to find out who makes a product and how, where they operate, who they have offended, and what causes they have supported. Social media makes it easy to learn more, and spread the word.  Suddenly, a brand's paternity is not only easy for customers to discover, it's important to them to consider.  And they have no trouble boycotting products from companies that they believe fail to live up to their standards.”

It’s a cold world for business when the public shuns you, so some companies are taking proactive steps to prevent it, including stepping up their volunteering.  Despite (or maybe because of) the economic downturn, new corporate volunteer programs are popping up across the country.  In the past, corporate support was offered mostly in the form of donations and grants to charities.  Now, private industry is looking to donate time either in addition to, or instead of, cash.  

It's a surprising role reversal.  For-profits are now turning to nonprofits for support and connecton to community.  And, lest you think this is an insignificant development, just take a look at the long list of conferences this year devoted to corporate citizenship and volunteering from the Realized Worth website. 

Three Corporate Volunteer Program Expectations

So what are corporate, or skilled, volunteering programs hoping for when they partner with you?   Here are a few themes I’ve noticed as I listen in on webinars and read posts about corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs.  And, they are things to think about, if you plan to approach a business for help.

1) Impact Focus
CSR programs are deeply interested in generating concrete outcomes.  They hope that the experience of volunteering will encouraging greater teamwork amongst employees, will lead to enhanced skills development, and will result in deeper job satisfaction and retention.  They also hope the program will have an impact on the community and advance the cause they are investing in.

2) Strategic Alignment
Corporations are also keenly aware of how they use their valuable resources.  They seek to form strategic partnerships with nonprofits that align with their own corporate culture, values, and organizational objectives.  And, more and more, they are looking to build a portfolio of volunteer opportunities that are in direct alignment with their brand.  If their brand is about kids, they’ll most likely look to help programs that benefit children.  But, this isn’t always the case.  Sometimes, the focus is in helping the community refresh it’s economic vitality which, in turn, will make it a better place to do business.

3) Efficiency
Coordinators of corporate volunteer programs are also under pressure to make the most of their employee’s time.  Many are experimenting with different models of episodic, or short-term, volunteering that give the best “bang for the buck.”  Their staff are working under time constraints that make volunteering a potentially expensive proposition, so they want to be sure their investment in time is well spent.

If nonprofit volunteer programs are aware of these needs, find ways to meet them, and are able to find private partners who are closely aligned with their cause, a fruitful mutually-beneficial collaboration can be forged.  It’s an interesting proposition -- the private-public partnership.  And, although it’s not new, it appears to be making a comeback.  Is this an opportunity your organization can take advantage of?

Have you had experiences with corporate partnership?  How have they worked out?  Do you have any wisdom to share?

 

Reclaim Valentines Day!

If you haven't heard, there's a movement afoot to take back Valentaines Day and transform it into something with a higher purpose -- Generosity Day!  

It started last year on Sasha Dichter's Blog and has spread like wildfire.  The seed was a personal generosity experiment Dichter conducted (click here to see his TED Talk on this).  He found that by giving unabashedly, without reservation, to each and every person who asked for money over a 30-day period something amazing happened.  He found these small actions changed his world view in a fundemental way.  He became more open, more action-oriented, an more generous....and became a better fundraiser along the way.  

So, if you're interested in practicing generosity and seeing what it does for you and for others, check it out. Share the love, and go BIG!  Reboot your Valentines Day!  Watch the video below and take the pledge here. 

 

 

 

6 Ways to Get Busy College Students Involved in Service

I have a new friend who is an engineering professor at a local university.  He’s been struggling with implementing a new student service program in one of their dorms.  He asked for suggestions, so I thought I’d share them with my readers, too.

The Challenge: Building Student Community Service 

The university is a small school that recently inaugurated a new dormitory.  The idea behind the dorm is to create a strong sense of community and to introduce volunteer service as a community building experience.  They have invited local nonprofits to talk about their volunteer opportunities, but students don’t appear interested.  They suspect students aren’t responsive because they are so busy (many work jobs and take six courses at a time).  They are considering making the service component mandatory.

Six Suggestions to Inspire Student Volunteering

There’s no doubt that starting a volunteer program can be daunting, especially if you don’t know where to start or have had limited success.  But believe me, it can be done!  In fact, according to the latest Volunteering in America report, one in four (26.7%) college students volunteered between 2008 and 2010.  And in 2010, 8.3 million charity-minded young people (age 16-24) dedicated 844 million hours of service to communities across the country.  That's a signifcant contribution and not too different from the volunteering rates of other age groups (and, in fact, higher than some).

So how do you tap into the passion and energy of youth?  Here’s how...

1) Build a Volunteer Program -- Although volunteers work for “free,” volunteer programs aren’t.  Marshaling the human potential of volunteers takes infrastructure and planning.  Similar to teams of paid staff, volunteers need a human resources system that engages and supports them.  A “build it and they will come” approach of merely offering opportunities and calling it a day probably won’t work.  For more info on how to set up a volunteer program, check out my eBook The New Volunteer Manager: The First 90 Days.  It’s free and will give you step by step instructions on how to get your program going.

2) Involve Students in Planning -- Work with the existing student government or committee.  Let them know what you're trying to do, why you think it matters, and how they can help.  Everyone, regardless of their age, appreciates being included in the decision-making around activities that might affect them.  If the students have a hand in designing how service learning works, they will be more likely to support it, and there won’t be a need to make it mandatory.  Also, if they take ownership, they will spread the word and get their friends involved.

3) Tap Directly Into What Motivates Students -- Students are indeed busy people, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have time for volunteering.  Consider all of the service hours sororities, fraternities, and service clubs put in across the country each year.  It can happen.  But, why do students volunteer?  I can think of two good reasons -- 1) to gain work experience (check out our college intern Kierra Warren's comments on volunteering, for an example) and 2) to have fun with their friends.  So, find opportunities that help students develop skills specific to their field of study.  Bill them as “service learning opportunities” and communicate clearly what will be gained (i.e., what will they be able to put on their resume, who will they meet and be able to network with, etc.).  If there’s any way to give credit hours for service, make it happen.  

4) Get Social -- Use social media and your web page to share photos and videos about service opportunities and the achievements of students.   Post before and after pictures, interviews with student volunteers, and kudos from organizations who have benefitted from their help.  Work with students to set up a You Tube channel, a Facebook page, and a Flickr account to share what’s going on.  To drive traffic, hold polls, contests, and drawings for everyone who contributes comments.  Work with your college radio station or newspaper to pump up your vibrant social media service community.  

5) Give Schwag -- People like free stuff, especially young people.  Give t-shirts, for example, to students after they complete a certain number of hours of service.  If you don’t have the budget, see if local businesses, like local radio stations that serve the younger demographic, might sponsor your shirts.  To make sure it appeals to young people, hold a student t-shirt design contest and use the winning design for your signature shirt.  T-shirts aren’t just a giveaway either; if they’re cool, they can help brand your volunteer program and “service tribe.”

6) Most Important, Make the Heart-to-Heart Connection -- Most people who are lifelong volunteers don’t volunteer because they’re told they have to, they volunteer because they feel strongly about a cause and they want to do something about it.  Students are still growing and may not have yet found a cause that resonates with them.  Find ways to help their learn about community needs.  Share authentic, heartfelt stories (see #4 above) about how people’s lives have been touched by the work of local charities and their volunteers.  Rather than have nonprofit staff pitch opportunities, why not have the people who have benefited from nonprofit services share how their lives have changed because of the help of caring people?

I believe that virtually anyone, regarless of age, can get motivated to volunteer given the right circumstances and opportunities.  Busy students want a fun environment, where they can hang out with friends and gain career skills and connections.  If your volunteer opportunities have those elements, you should be able to make a go of it.  

Does anyone else have some good ideas for my friend?

 

Hot Volunteer Retention Tips From the New Team at Tobi Johnson & Associates!!

 We are thrilled to announce that   we’ve expanded here at TJA.  We now have two new team members!  Please join me in welcoming them aboard!

I took a minute to ask for their advice on volunteer retention. Check out our interviews below.

For more info on their passions and talents, check out our team page here.  

 Kierra Warren, Training Development Intern

Kierra’s a super smart and talented senior at the University of Tennessee, and will soon graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business, with a focus in international human resources.  Kierra hopes to be a consultant herself on day, and she’s doing all the right things to make her dreams a reality.  I was curious what lessons we could learn about human resources in the business world.  Here are her thoughts.

Tobi:  In your exprience, what are the similarities between managing paid staff and managing volunteers, and what do you think volunteer managers can learn from well-run, cutting edge HR shops?

Kierra:  As a business student with experience in both nonprofit and for-profit companies, I would definitely say that similarities lie on the fact that both employees and volunteers are human capital to the company, no matter what industry it may be. Volunteers can be as important, if not more important, than employees.  That being said, volunteer managers could learn that being available for volunteers, as much as HR managers are there for employees, is critical.  For instance, many employers offer career coaches that help guide employees into the ideal position.  If volunteer managers guide volunteers toward their goal -- whether it be hours toward a certain credit or experience in a potential field -- retaining volunteers would not be as much of an issue as it appears to be in some organizations.  This is because by helping the volunteer achieve, a two-way relationship is created.

Liz Tredennick, Training Subject Matter Expert 

Liz joins us from her virtual office, in Denver, Colorado.  She has had extensive experience working with skilled-volunteers to provide Medicare counseling to seniors and people with disabilities.  Liz has had the opportunity to train a number of new volunteers over the years, and gets high marks from them for her ability to make a connection.  I wondered what words of wisdom she could share about keeping highly-skilled volunteers motivated.  

Tobi: You’ve trained hundreds of volunteers and work along side them often.  What types of experiences do you think today's highly-skilled volunteers are looking for, and how can we keep them happy?

Liz: Volunteers want meaningful work – making a difference in people’s lives.  State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) volunteers do that [Note: SHIP volunteers help Medicare patients and their families understand complex insurance choices].  They get their satisfaction from helping people understand Medicare, make good choices, avoid problems, and resolve issues.  It’s the “thank you” and the “I couldn’t have figured it out without your help” and all the other phrases of gratitude that keep the SHIP volunteers motivated.  The variety of questions and situations give them new challenges each day.  There is so much to learn that there never is a dull moment, and the phone never stops ringing.  Volunteers are busy, productive, and essential to these programs, and that’s what keeps them coming back.

What great advice from two savvy women!  

Photos: Kierra Warren (top), Liz Tredennick (bottom)

Are You Delegating or Dumping?

Skilled delegation is an art that most managers I’ve known, including myself, haven’t mastered yet.  In the harried rush to meet deadlines, respond to email, return phone calls, and handle crises, we try to communicate the best we can, cross our fingers, and then rush off to the next thing.  But is this most effective tactic in the long run?  Probably not -- not with our paid staff and certainly not with our volunteers.

I’ve just brought aboard two fabulous new people to my team (more on that in an upcoming post) and have been considering how to work together in the most efficient way possible.  So, I’ve been watching how I communicate the tasks they will be responsible for.  We’ve been quite rushed because we are under pressing deadlines, so I’m certain I haven’t done my best in sharing what needs doing at our shop.  

As I’ve distributed work to my team (all working in their home offices remotely), they’ve received minor instructions, some sample documents to emulate, and some links to sources.  I’ve also sent emails from time to time with more ideas and things to consider.  This is all well and good, but what results is additional time spent understanding the task in subsequent conversations, versus working on the task itself.  

My team is talented, so it certainly isn’t their fault.  We can also all expect to need additional info from time to time.  It’s just how it is when you are collaborating.  Still, I’m left wondering how I can do better at delegating, so we can all save time and increase our productivity.

When working with volunteers, saving time isn’t the only issue at stake when poor delegation occurs.  Paid staff may be more resilient and able to accommodate a dysfunctional delegation style.  They are getting paid and have come to expect it in many workplaces.  

Volunteers?  Not so much.  It doesn’t take to long for volunteers to become frustrated with the lack of information.  They may feel “dumped on” if they are assigned tasks they didn’t really agree to, or take more time than they have on hand to give.   They may become discouraged when they are asked to re-do a task multiple times because they weren’t given clear guidelines in the first place or the process for approval keeps changing on them.

Poor delegation hurts not only your productivity.  It also erodes your team morale and, ultimately your volunteer retention.  So, it bears taking a good, hard look at.  Certainly, some volunteers are able to “go with flow” more than others.  But, by improving your delegations skills you can meet everyone’s need to have clear information and a chance to make a big difference at your organization.

Steps to More Effective Delegation

In the spirit of sharing, here’s how I’m gong to try to improve my own delegation.  Maybe these ideas will help you, too.

 1) Ask my staff directly how I can do better --  Different people need different information, in different ways.  So, the first step is knowing their preferences, so that I am sure to deliver info in a way that suits their needs.  

 2) Gather all the necessary info needed for the project BEFORE I assign it --  For example, if it’s a document, what are the graphic standards (i.e. font, layout, 508 compliance, etc.)?  What are my expectations around layout (page numbers, graphic design, etc.)  When is the interim draft due?  When is the final due?  

3) Have a list handy of good examples to live up to, from the start -- If there are other products or projects that have been successful, I need share them (or links to them) up front, before they get started; it will help folks visualize what the end result might look like.

4) Explain the concept and context around the project more fully -- People need to know how the task fits into the larger picture.  Why is it important?  How does the product or project interface with others?  I want my team to know how each task makes a difference and adds to the whole.

5) Be clear about the review process from the beginning -- Who will review the drafts, and how will it be decided when the final result has been achieved?  This isn’t always easy to do because some projects take more tinkering with than others.  But, if I can at least lay out a general process, it will help my team feel more in control, confident they are on track, and aware if they are not.  

6) Explain how to get help, specifically -- I encourage my team to contact me at any time if they have a question, but I think people really need something more concrete.  I’m a busy person, like many of you.  When can they count on my undivided attention, if they have a question?  Is it first thing in the day via email?  Is it during a 15 minute meeting they’ve requested through my calendar software?  Is it a verbal check in at the end of the day?  I’m gong to consider what works best for both myself and the other person, and then stick to it.

In the end, I’m hoping that by improving my delegation, we will all save time in the long run.  It feels like a lot to do up front, but I’m willing to give it a try.  I'm hoping that by adjusting my style, everyone will reap rewards down the line, as we become the well-oiled machine we aspire to be.

Do you have any other delegation tips for me?  I’d love to hear them!

 

Free Resource: VolunteerMatch.org’s New "Juicy Novel"

Today, our friends at VolunteerMatch released an helpful new guide for those seeking to connect with new supporters -- 101 Volunteer Recruitment Secrets.  The free guide offers sage, real life advice right from people working in the field of volunteerism. 

The content is organized into eight helpful categories -- from designing the perfect opportunity to showing appreciation -- and it’s sure to spark some new ideas (see tips #16 & #88 for my two cents).  The folks at Volunteer Match suggest you read their "juicy new novel" cover to cover!  

Five of My Faves from the Guide

“Volunteers are not ‘free;’ we pay them with conversation and listening.” ~Diane Cameron

“Be excited about the opportunity, provide details, and be visible at the event. Let your enthusiasm for your organization shine through and have leaders from your nonprofit working alongside the volunteers. It helps that they see everyone working for the cause together.” ~Christine Lott

“I follow up with anyone who has expressed interest. When we post about an upcoming event on Facebook and people “like” it, I immediately send them a message asking if they are interested in volunteering.” ~Stephanie Rokich 

“We hold once-a-month info sessions and have an organized, interesting national training curriculum. We hold great volunteer appreciation parties to show our love. We’re fun, friendly and always available.” ~Casa Baltimore

“Tell your story about how people can make an impact. Even volunteers who stuff envelopes make an impact, you just need to find a way to show them. Tell them how much money the mailing brought in, how many clients where served, etc. All those statistics you collect help tell your story.” ~Mary Friend, Ronald McDonald House of Indiana

Please Share

 To download your copy, click here.  There’s no need to register.  And, do share.  Who doesn’t like a free resource that’s chock full of good advice from people who’ve been there?!

Why Don’t You Weigh In, Too?

What’s your secret to recruitment success?  Post in my comments section.

 

Volunteer Screening Interviews: Not Just Risk Management

Some people think of volunteer screening interviews as a way to keep people out of your organization, to weed out the folks that might be a hassle, not get the work done, or perhaps be some kind of threat to the organization.  Many think of them primarily as an exercise in risk management. 

That’s only partially true.  Interviews can also be an opportunity to more deeply understand the motivations of your applicant, which can help you with volunteer retention down the road.

Volunteers Interviews Are a Conversation

Interviews with prospective volunteers are the first step in developing a potentially rich partnership.  They’re not unlike a first date -- you’re there to see who that person is about, to share what you’re about, and to see if there’s anything in common.  If you don’t think so (or you see those dreaded red flags your mother warned you about), you call it a day, no harm no foul.  If they do work out, hopefully, that first date will lead to true love!

As such these interviews are a conversation, that means they are two-way.  They shouldn’t be all about you and your needs.  Spend 50% of the time listening.  

Three Helpful Things to Learn from Volunteer Applicants

1) What are the causes they support?

This will help you better understand their passions.  If they don’t mention anything that closely resembles your mission, you may want to consider helping them find a better match elsewhere -- sort of like your friend who dated the nice guy, not right for her, but would you like him? 

Volunteers who feel close emotional connections to the organization’s mission, are more likely to become deeply engaged and stay.  These are the folks you want to attract.  And, there’s nothing wrong with playing matchmaker for another organization -- it means you’re a good community partner, and maybe they’ll do the same for you some day.

 2) What are their “Must Have’s” and “No-No’s”?

There’s nothing more frustrating than, as a volunteer, being asked to do something you’ve specifically stated makes you uncomfortable.  Volunteers are not being paid, therefore, they get to have a say in what they're assigned.  It is their right, and they get grumpy when pushed.  Believe me.  I’ve experienced it myself. 

Make sure you know your volunteers’ taboos up front.  It doesn’t mean they won’t evolve over time, but don’t count on it.  If most of what you need done involves what the prospective volunteer doesn't want to do, you need to be up front about it.  It may not be the best fit for them. 

By the same token, you also want to know what brings them the most joy.  Ask them directly -- “If this volunteer experience was a perfect "10", what would it look like in your eyes?  What would you be doing?  What would be happening?”  Pay attention to the tasks they describe themselves doing -- these are likely the ones they enjoy and should be assigned.  Also, this conversation will likely shed some light on what motivated them in the first place and give you some ideas about how to thank them for their service.  Keep those notes -- you’ll need them later when you’re planning your volunteer recognition activities. 

One word about flexibility -- It’s up to you to be more flexible than the volunteers.  So, be creative about ways you can accommodate their talents.  Everyone will not be an absolute perfect fit, in terms of their "will" and skills.  You need to plan for this.  One way, is to design your volunteer work around teams that share the workload.  Then, volunteers can work together to divvy up the tasks that make sense to each team member.

3) Have they met your minimum qualifications?

Some volunteer gigs require certain skills, like using the computer.  Establish your core requirements, and don’t be shy about communicating them.  If a volunteer doesn’t meet the minimum qualifications, and can’t learn them easily, they may get frustrated and lose interest in the end.  This wastes their time and yours. 

If they will be participating in training, be honest about what it will take to learn the skills they will be using.  Also, always be willing to help them find something that is a better fit, even at another organization.

Another word about flexibility -- Try to design your volunteer program around a broad range of activities, from “menial” to highly-skilled.  By doing so, you will increase the opportunities for volunteers, of all skill levels, to support your organization.  Also, just because someone has a skill, doesn’t mean they want to put it to use as a volunteer.  For example, a executive who manages stressful corporate mergers all week long, may not be interested in developing partnerships for your organization.  They may be more interested in something simple and relaxing, like doing data entry. Honor that.  And, the only way you’ll know is by asking (see #2 above).

Make no mistake, volunteer interviews are also an important part of your risk management strategy.  Volunteer applications, background checks, and reference checks are also a big help in determining if the applicant could prove risky to an organization.  

But don’t forget, too, that your initial interview is a way to connect, heart to heart.  They are a fantastic way to learn more about what will keep your volunteers happy and are a critical step in retaining the right volunteers for the right jobs.  

What do you think must be asked in any interview?  Contribute your favorite volunteer interview question, by clicking in the comments link below.  

 

Share Your Dream: Don’t Sell Your Cause Short

On this day of remembrance, I’m reflecting on how well (or poorly) we dare to dream and have the courage to share our deepest aspirations.  Are our volunteer recruitment efforts failing to inspire?

The Genius of Dr. King
When describing the vision for his movement, Dr. King was one of the most eloquent spokespeople in history: 

“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality…I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word."

 This captivating vision resonated with thousands of community volunteers, from all walks of life, who were ready to join a cause that was dangerous, unpopular with the majority public, and held very real risk for those involved.  And yet, they joined.

Imagine if Dr. King’s vision would have gone something like this instead -- “I have a dream that, working in partnership with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, community volunteers will have the opportunity to join local organizing groups to mount local canvassing campaigns and participate in local marches to raise community awareness about racial inequality.  Snacks and bus transportation provided!”  ...Hmmmmm....not so much.

Volunteering is an Aspirational Exercise
Through the act of service, human beings strive to become better people.  It’s an almost unconscious drive.  Ask any group of volunteers and they’ll tell you the main reasons they volunteer -- to make a difference, to give back, to help people, etc.  They do it out of a sense of obligation, duty, purpose, and self fulfillment.  

So, why do we reduce the communications about our work to a lackluster laundry list description about what’s being done?  It’s time to infuse more soul back into our calls to action.  We need to touch people heart to heart.  And, you don’t need a highly-skilled orator to make a powerful connection.

Inspiring Vision in Motion
Here’s a great example of how one organization, Mozilla, communicates its vision and values to the public in it's video manifesto.  Admittedly, they their goals may not be as ambitious or highly visible as eliminating oppression.  But, imagine if Mozilla were recruiting volunteers.  Wouldn’t you want to join? 

 

What I LIke About How They Share Their Dream

• They use video and posted it on You Tube; it’s easy to view and share from anywhere.
• It’s short; a lot of info is shared only two minutes.
• There are lots of photos of smiling people, showing you just who’s behind the logo.
• There are more photos than text, and the text is limited.
• They’re not afraid to be a little quirky and real.
• They’re not shy about sharing a big vision.
• They don’t waste a lit of time describing the behind the scenes of how they realize their dream; people can learn more later if they want.
• They connect their vision with making the world a better place.

What Would Make It Even Better

• Add more about how people benefit from their service directly.
• Focus on a compelling story of one person.Include the voices of their end users and customers.
• Place the video front and center on their home page.

Be Bold!
Think about what you could do to share your organization’s dream with the world.  Don’t dampen your message with boring details.  Stick to the higher message, the values you hold dear, and the change you want to see in the world.  If you keep it human and truly inspirational, your supporters will follow.

Wondering how you can create an inspiring slide show on a shoestring budget?  I’ve used Animoto to much success.  It’s easy and cheap.  With a file of about 30 of your photos and an idea of what you want to say, you can develop a slide show to music in a couple of hours for only $3.  And, it would be a great job for a team of volunteers!

Do you have a inspiring video you’d like to share with our readers?  Post a link in the comments, so everyone can learn from your example.

Photo credit: "Out of a Mountain of Despair a Stone of Hope", krossbow, Flickr

5 Ways to Help Your Board & Volunteers Get the Tax Deductions They Deserve

It’s that time of year, where we (in the US) wait eagerly for our wage, income, and tax statements to arrive and we scramble to find all those receipts we need to complete our federal tax returns.   Why not help your volunteers get all the deductions they have coming? 

5 Ways You Can Help Volunteers with Taxes

1) Educate them about what they can and cannot deduct. -- For example, if they have to buy specific uniforms or equipment (i.e., tools, office supplies, etc.) that you do not reimburse them for, they can deduct the costs.  They can even deduct the cost of dry cleaning their uniform, if it is not used for activities other than volunteering.  They cannot, however, deduct the value of their own professional services they contribute. For the official word, check out the IRS’s Charitable Contributions publication.

 2) Give them a print out of the days and locations they volunteered last year. -- That way they can figure their mileage to and from the volunteer site (if they left their home).  These miles are deductible if you did not reimburse them for their travel.

3) Make sure they have a record of their total cash donations to your organization last year. -- Many volunteers donate more than once throughout the year.  For each donation, you probably sent them a receipt.  Why not give them a cumulative count of everything they contributed, so they are sure to count everything?

4) Make sure they have a written acknowledgement of any in-kind or non-cash contributions they’ve made. -- This is required by the IRS.  Be sure to help them document the fair market value of their donation.  The IRS’s Determining the Value of Donated Property publication may be helpful.  The Salvation Army also published a Donation Value Guide online.  Or, if it’s food or supplies that you didn’t reimburse them for, they can use the receipt, but it needs to be documented with an acknowledgement from your organization.

5) Encourage them to claim their deductions. -- Volunteers may be reluctant to claim their work on their federal tax return.  It may feel self serving to them.  Let them know, there’s no shame in it.  It’s the law, and it’s meant to encourage charitable works for good causes.  If they still feel guilty, tell them they can contribute any tax savings they realize from these deductions back to your organization.  Then, it’s a win-win for everyone!

 What suggestions do you have to help volunteers get the most from their tax return?