Engage Volunteers Effectively

Our president recently made a nationwide call to public service. Nonprofits face the challenges of volunteer recruitment and coordination. Some organizations have seen a surge in volunteerism, while others are struggling to engage volunteers due to program cuts and overall lack of funding. Nonprofits must adapt and implement strategies that utilize volunteers and resources effectively. Successful organizations will engage their communities and maintain a reliable volunteer base.

We've compiled this set of tools to get you started.  Have things to add to the list? Let us know.

Tools and Resources on the Web

Serve America Act of 2009

• Committee on Education & Labor
• Opencongress.org
• Overview of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act of 2009 (Corporation for National & Community Service)

• What the Serve America Act Means to Your Organization - LISTEN to 4/29/09 Conference call featuring Ann Beltran, Public Policy Analyst at the National Council of Nonprofits (Co-convened by Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington and the National Council of Nonprofits)

Articles, blogs, etc.

• Charities Urged to Do More to Get Veterans to Volunteer (Chronicle of Philanthropy)
• 8 Tips for Recruiting & Retaining Volunteers in Tough Times (Fieldstone Alliance)
• 14 Steps to Developing a Top-Notch Volunteer Program (Fieldstone Alliance)
• 2009 Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT Survey - Pro bono support: highly valuable yet underutilized

• Can Volunteers Be a Lifeline for Nonprofit Groups? (NY Times)

• Challenges In Welcoming Pro Bono Volunteers (The NonProfit Times)
• From Ranks of Jobless, a Flood of Volunteers (New York Times)
• How Will the Economic Crisis Affect Volunteering? (Energize Inc)
• National Service Resources - Tools and training for volunteer and service programs (Corporation for National & Community Service)
• The New Volunteer Workforce (Stanford Social Innovation Review)
• Points of Light Institute
• Renewing Volunteerism: Can good acts truly stand the test of time? (The NonProfit Times)
• Seven Tips to Capitalize on Volunteer Resources During Tight Financial Times (Energize Inc)
• Tracking Volunteer Time to Boost Your Bottom Line: A Complete Accounting Guide (Blue Avocado)
• TV: It's prime time for volunteerism (USA Today)
• VolunteeringInAmerica.gov
• Want to Build Capacity? Tap into Boomer Volunteers' Professional Experience (Fieldstone Alliance)
• Your Next Generation of Volunteers (ASAE)
• Reimagining Service: Converting Good Intentions into Greater Impact – Task Force Report (ReimaginingService.org)
• Will the Social Innovation Fund Fund Social Innovation? (The Cohen Report)

Links to other Documents on the Web (PDF)

• Maryland Contacts for more information about AmeriCorps and Community-based Learn and Serve programs
• Meeting community needs in Maryland (Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America)
• Ten Tips for Wise Volunteering (Independent Sector)