Proven strategies for engaging and retaining volunteers

According to the U.S. Census Bureau and AmeriCorps, between September 2020 and September 2021 formal volunteerism across the United States fell to its lowest rate in nearly three decades. While recent data shows it is rebounding, going up to 28.8% in 2022-23, it’s worth asking: What are the drivers behind Americans volunteering less, and how can we boost volunteer retention?   

Here I’ll highlight the key factors I’ve seen in my volunteer engagement roles over the past 20 years and suggest practical tips for retaining volunteers.  

Financial well-being and ‘natural’ cycles impact volunteerism 

The COVID-19 pandemic no doubt contributed to the decline in volunteerism. But there are also multiple underlying economic, social, and cultural influences driving that trend, including poor financial well-being, less available free time, and the cyclical nature of volunteerism. 

Financial factors can include the higher cost of education and growing student debt, stagnant wages, the rising cost of living, and volatile inflation rates. Individuals under financial pressure are more likely to spend their free time working extra hours instead of volunteering. 

Nonprofits also experience high volunteer turnover due to their life cycles, which ebb and flow with local and global crises or social issues such as human rights, health, and environmental concerns, as well as the transient nature of volunteering. For example, in the U.S. the number of community health volunteers or COVID-19 Community Corps grew in response to the pandemic, but that surge has ebbed. We’ve also seen a marked increase in food gleaning programs driven by volunteers to address food sovereignty issues. According to AmeriCorps, the average annual volunteer retention rate under “normal” circumstances is only 65%, and volunteers typically stay with an organization for fewer than three years.   

These factors highlight the importance of effective volunteer engagement strategies for small and under-resourced nonprofits. Based on my experience, effective strategies for retaining volunteers include meaningful, accessible opportunities, skill matching, effective marketing, and volunteer recognition process. Let’s dig into these in a bit more detail. 

Facilitate a culture of volunteerism 

Studies suggest engaging youth in volunteer activities and setting expectations for community service or internships increases their likelihood of lifelong volunteerism. Therefore, working closely with youth organizations and local schools—and encouraging them to educate and facilitate a culture of volunteerism—will likely boost engagement in the long run. 

The same can be said of engaging businesses and adults. Research shows 75% of adults who volunteer while working also do so after retirement. Businesses and organizations can support and encourage this by creating volunteer opportunities for their employees—by removing barriers such as time constraints—as well as helping those who are nearing retirement transition into fulfilling volunteer roles. 

For example, Salesforce offers employees up to seven paid days per year for volunteer time off. Offering time off may be out of reach for many organisations, but simply adding volunteerism to the conversation at work could spark long-term action and interest.  

Provide quality training for volunteers 

Effective training can improve volunteer performance, clarify expectations, help reduce conflicts, and enhance communication within an organization. Additionally, ongoing training motivates and engages volunteers by fostering their learning and skill development. Well-trained volunteers are more engaged volunteers. For example, after one of our rural Extension Master Gardener programs pivoted to an asynchronous training model with in-person labs, a long-term volunteer told me the volunteers were more engaged and better equipped, and they were retaining more volunteers than ever.  

High-quality volunteer training can be in-person and on-site or remote; it can be provided by the nonprofit itself or an external training program.  In my experience, quality training covers material essential to the organization’s mission, equips volunteers to be an advocate and resource for the organization, and provides opportunities early on to be hands-on with the volunteer work. 

Match volunteers’ skills and experiences to opportunities 

Tools like the Kirton Adaptation-Innovation Inventory, or KAI, enhance self-awareness and help motivate volunteers in ways that increase retention. 

For example, volunteers have personal preferences when working in teams or solving problems. Some seek the highest levels of autonomy, while others want to be given explicit details on what is expected of them. The majority of people fall somewhere in the middle. The more you know and understand about your active volunteers and the way they work when solving problems, the better equipped you are to match their interests and skills to tasks and roles your organization needs to fill. 

Similarly, having a true understanding of the roles and skills your organization needs helps ensure recruitment efforts match those needs to the interests and skills of potential volunteers.  

Show appreciation for volunteers 

Create and implement a recognition process built with sincerity and employ it consistently. A simple program can go a long way in helping volunteers feel valued and appreciated. From checking in with volunteers at the end of the day, to offering certificates or service pins—which the Red Cross issues based on the number of hours contributed—or highlighting volunteer achievements in newsletters or on websites or social media, there are numerous ways to show volunteers how much you appreciate them. 

Start simple and small (but dream big!) 

Don’t try to do it all or all at once but start developing a strategy for increasing and retaining volunteers. Volunteers who understand their purpose and see the impact of their work are more likely to stay engaged, especially when they feel valued and appreciated.  

As for big dreams, consider whether it might be feasible to hire a volunteer coordinator. After all, volunteers are a sustainable asset and investment when well managed. Investing in volunteer engagement from the outset yields benefits that far exceed the costs of a regular cycle of recruiting, training, retaining, and recognizing volunteers. 

Photo credit: Haley Treadway