October 16, 2015
For many nonprofits, volunteers are the heartbeat keeping an organization moving forward. They drive an organization’s mission and act as community ambassadors for each cause. It’s imperative when enlisting volunteers, effective skill sets and common values are at the top of the recruiting prerequisite list. NPO’s should assess their processes, time requests and work environment before recruiting to ensure volunteers‘ lasting commitment to the organization.
The recruitment process for many nonprofits can be a tedious. But, there are several job boards such as VolunteerMatch, VolunteerHub, and LinkedIn that provide resources which helps NPO’s with their volunteer search. For many nonprofits, having the resources to obtain a dedicated volunteer coordinator is unrealistic, so using online sources may be cost effective.
People choose to volunteer for many different reasons. Networking opportunities, viable job training and genuine passion are top motives people elect meaningful engagement for their personal time. Promoting the benefits of volunteering is a surefire way to persuade a more volunteers to engage in a specific cause. By carefully defining the prerequisites, creating position titles with detailed job descriptions and only engaging volunteers to fill specific organization needs, the probability of attracting long-term volunteers improves.
After successfully recruiting volunteers, NPOs must solidify relationships through a positive volunteer experience. By carefully planning tasks and empowering volunteers to be creative carrying out their assignments will ensure the experience as a volunteer is positive. This produces value for both the nonprofit and any volunteer seeking to make a difference. Generate rewards to express genuine appreciation and thank volunteers publicly for their commitment, dedication and hard work.
Volunteering is a very personal, enriching experience with so many benefits. From improving career outlook, to building new skills, and attaining the gratification of aiding others, it also has proven to have a number of ancillary health benefits.
So, when gearing up for a new successful volunteer recruitment search keep these tips in mind. Good Luck!
Content presented by First Nonprofit Group, the leading provider of state unemployment insurance solutions for 501(c)(3) nonprofit employers
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We first started using First Nonprofit’s Unemployment Savings Program when we were a small startup nonprofit. We didn’t have an HR department and needed expertise in the event that an unemployment claim was made. We knew we were eligible to be a reimbursing employer, but weren’t sure how to navigate that process. They made it easy to set things up, plan for, and then manage claims when they came at a very reasonable cost. The amount of time and stress they’ve saved us dealing with all this has been worth way more than the cost. We’ve now grown to a large nonprofit and do have an HR department but have no plans to stop using their services. I highly recommend them to every nonprofit I come into contact with!
Throughout our membership in the Unemployment Savings Program, First Nonprofit understood our demands, community dynamics, and the importance of seamless services; that allowed us to serve our constituents better.
Because INCS advocates for the operating conditions that allow charter public schools to provide high quality public education, partnering with First Nonprofit was an easy decision. First Nonprofit’s unemployment programs provide our member schools two operating elements crucial to their ability to provide high quality public education: savings and budget certainty. Capable, committed teachers are the key to student success. By participating in the unemployment insurance savings plan, charter public schools gain peace of mind and are able to invest more money in their teachers.
It has been our sincere pleasure to maintain a strong, vibrant business partnership with First Nonprofit. We greatly admire their strong industry knowledge, technical expertise, constant professionalism, knowledgeable and dedicated staff. They are always extremely responsive, personable and provide us with the necessary guidance and recommendations on a numerous variety of employment scenarios.
NYCON members who use First Nonprofit’s programs enjoy enduring savings and improved efficiency. Our association knows that success, because from the beginning, we achieved the same great benefits. Great savings, seamless technology, and responsive service. NYCON highly recommends First Nonprofit’s remarkable unemployment solutions.
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