RECRUITING

& RETAINING

ST RA T E GIE S F O R

PRESENTED BY

National Association of Police Athletic/Activities Leagues, Inc.

www.NationalPAL.org

VO L UNTE E RS

 

Contents  Volunteer Recruiting  2 5 Tips for Improving Your Recruiting Strategies 

 

Volunteer Retention  4 Strategies for Retaining Volunteers  

Time Tracking  7 How Tracking Volunteer Hours Amplifies Your Impact  & Improves Grant Opportunities 

 

Volunteer Screening 9 The Benefits of Background Checks  

  

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Volunteer Recruiting 5 Tips for Improving Your Recruiting 

Strategies  Nonprofit organizations usually have more work to do than staff to do it. We rely on volunteers to meet the various needs of the organization - boost our power, lighten the load, and exponentially increase our impact. There are a number of ways to recruit volunteers, and some will be more appropriate for your Chapter than others. When recruiting, remember these simple tips:

1. ASK FOR HELP Seems like a no brainer, but it’s often overlooked. You may think it’s self-evident that you’re looking, but you’d be surprised how many people in your personal and professional circles don’t know you need help. Here are some things you may be overlooking:

● Does your website include a section for prospective volunteers to sign up? It is prominently displayed on the page?

● Look within your immediate circle? Do you have any friends, family members, co-workers or associates in one of your other social organizations that you have not asked yet?

● Do you regularly highlight volunteers and volunteer activities on social media? This will bring awareness to your programs and encourage people to get involved too. Add a call to action with a link to the volunteer sign up page.

● Do you feature volunteer opportunities in your newsletter, along with a way for the potential volunteer to sign up?

● Referrals are always a great idea. Ask your current volunteers to invite people in their circles to a volunteer event.

2. GET SPECIFIC ABOUT YOUR NEEDS The title “Volunteer” is not a specific job description. All it means to some is “we need free help’. Instead of calling for general volunteers, get specific. Put out the call for a “Volunteer Basketball Coach” or for “Volunteer Reading Buddies”, “Volunteer Tutors”, “Volunteer Party Planners”, and so on. Prospective volunteers will know exactly what role you are looking to fill and determine if they are able to help you. On the other hand, if you’re willing to teach someone how to do a job, make sure you mention it. Otherwise, people may remove themselves from the running if they don’t know how to do the tasks you describe. Likewise, if you need special experience, make that clear.

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3. FOCUS ON THEIR BENEFITS, NOT YOUR NEEDS Why should someone give their time to your organization? “We need your free help!” may be true, but it doesn’t make the most compelling case for volunteering. Instead, focus on what volunteers gain by giving their time. Some reason volunteers give their time include:

● Making a difference in the lives of at-risk kids ● Using their skills and talents for the good of the community ● Providing a better educational experience for kids that need it ● The feeling of having accomplished a life goal ● Volunteering is a great resume builder and can help with college admission, social

organizations and even full-time employment

4. MAKE IT EASY Have you ever tried to sign up to volunteer for your PAL? Is it easy? Are there clear steps to take? Are the people who work with the volunteers friendly and helpful? It’s worth it to make sure you are not giving prospective volunteers a negative experience before they get the chance to help you. Don’t underestimate the power of a form that won’t load, a cold-sounding receptionist, or an unreturned phone call to turn a volunteer off forever. It sounds dramatic, but it really does give people a negative impression of your PAL. When someone expresses an interest in volunteering with you, follow up quickly, even if it’s just to say, “Thanks, we’ll get back to you soon.” You want them to know how much you value their interest and time, so don’t leave them hanging.

5. VARIOUS ENGAGEMENT LEVELS Some volunteers will be ready to take on responsibilities and hours that can be considered a part-time job. Others will be looking for something to do once a month, or a couple of times a year. Maximize the number of volunteers you can appeal to by providing opportunities to help at different levels of commitment. Make it clear in your volunteer advertisements, training, and onboarding that you have opportunities for different levels of commitment. This helps people understand that they can be as involved as they want to be. If someone has a positive experience doing a small volunteer assignment for your PAL, they may consider getting more involved in the future.

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The Great 8: Strategies for Retaining 

Volunteers The benefits of volunteering are well documented, from the positive impacts on affected communities to the advantages it brings to participating individuals. Volunteering allows individuals to help others who are less fortunate, brings awareness to issues affecting the community, and can even improve physical or mental health for the volunteer. Volunteering is also advantageous to non-profit organizations. Volunteers allow our Chapters to extend our resources, expand our reach and increase our capabilities. Therefore the detriment of high volunteer turnover can be a major setback for Chapters. Below are eight strategies that you can implement at your Chapter today for retaining volunteers.

1. MAKE A GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION If you spend a lot of time and resources recruiting volunteers that never come back, there’s a good chance that your first impression could be improved. Onboarding or training sessions for new volunteers is imperative. Some training sessions require in-depth, hands-on training and can last several hours, but shorter training session that get to the point and stay on task can work just as well - and won’t scare away your volunteers. As a rule of thumb, every new volunteer should receive

● A warm, genuine welcome ● Articulate the vision. Provide the mission, purpose and background information about your

nonprofit (a short video can leave a lasting impression) ● A position description & explanation of how their time makes a positive impact on the kids at PAL ● A tour of the facility or area where they’ll be working ● An introduction to their immediate supervisor ● A handout that sums up everything above ● A personal questionnaire about their strengths, experiences and where they feel most led to work

(also ask them for their birthday so you can send a birthday card)

2. PAIR STRENGTHS WITH OPPORTUNITIES

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Place your PAL volunteers where they are gifted instead of where you need them. Volunteers have experiences and knowledge that may help the organization in ways other than answering phones and sealing envelopes. Imagine the talent you may lose if you had someone with a website design background mailing letters instead? Having a retired executive spend hours boxing clothes for the next clothing drive is a lot less efficient than having her make the fundraising connections with other businesses In your introductory process (make sure you have one),

3. PROVIDE A GREAT EXPERIENCE One of the most surefire ways to encourage volunteers to help out, again and again, is by providing the best volunteer experience possible. A great volunteer experience has less to do with the actual tasks at hand, and a whole lot more to do with factors that you can control!

● Great customer service - Whenever a volunteer arrives, you and your staff should go into customer service mode! Even if you have a million other things to get done yourself, the least you can do is shoot volunteers a genuine smile and say, “Hey, great to see you again” or “Thanks for helping us out today!”. Never forget that EVERY interaction is a branding opportunity for your Chapter.

● Excellent Communication - Are you patient and respectful when volunteers voice concerns or complaints? Do you verbally acknowledge their work efforts? What ways are you communicating with your volunteers? Are you using text platforms, e-mails, social media, a combination? Be sure all communication is relevant and to the point.

● Flexibility - Your supporters have busy lives outside of your organization, just like you do! Be as considerate as possible when creating volunteer tasks and allow volunteers to create their own volunteering shifts that fit their lifestyle.

● Create Value - Provide your volunteers with valuable resources to use in their personal and professional lives, such as leadership development skills, CPR training, event planning experience, social media training, etc.

4. GET PERSONAL Do you genuinely care about your volunteers as individuals? If you see your volunteers as just another number, just another set of hands to make your life easier, then it’s time to take a step back and make some improvements. Here are a few tips:

● Listen to Them - Do they talk about their kids? Next time you see them, ask how their kids are doing? If they play a sport, ask them about their last game.

● Celebrate them - Do you have a birthday list? You can easily collect this in the volunteer questionnaire you hand them during the orientation.

5. REWARD REGULARLY

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We all like to receive a thank you for a job well done. Want to keep your volunteers motivated? Reward them for success – big or small. Document it. Put it on the wall. Put volunteer photos in your newsletter. It doesn’t have to cost money, but it should show them that they are recognized for their efforts. You are creating a history of success.

6. KEEP YOUR WORD If you ask your volunteer to stay from 12-4 to help with the youth event, don’t ask your volunteer directly to stay longer. Even if they agree, they won’t forget that uncomfortable position. Do your best to schedule and plan with every contingency in mind. But if you had an unexpected event and need some additional hands, ask the volunteers as a group and offer a perk if possible. This takes the pressure off of one person to have to say “no” if they can’t stay longer.

7. ASK FOR FEEDBACK Like any relationship or friendship, communication is key. If you want to know if you’re doing a great job or want to know why volunteer turnover is high ask your volunteers. Since they are filling the roles you need, they are an excellent source for feedback on working conditions, the culture of the organization, and the ratio of the contribution vs reward. In the same way, employees receive an evaluation of their work from time-to-time, ask your volunteer to evaluate your program on a regular basis (every 3-6 months; after every event, etc)

8. REMEMBER THEIR SACRIFICE Don’t work your volunteers like they have to be here. If you lean too heavily on a volunteer while forgetting that they are doing this because they want to, you are heading for volunteer turnover. A major reason turnover happens among paid and unpaid talent is feeling unappreciated and undervalued. Consistently recognize them with a thank you. Acknowledge their commitment regularly. Kindness is the currency.

 

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Time Tracking  How Tracking Volunteer Hours Amplifies Your Impact & 

Improves Grant Opportunities  An overwhelming amount of volunteer time goes by untracked and unnoticed. Tracking volunteer time might sound like just another item on your organization’s to-do list, but this simple task has the potential to drastically improve your bottom line. In this guide, you will find everything you need to know in order to effectively capture the value of your volunteer time and amplify your impact

1. IMPROVED PROGRAM MANAGEMENT Tracking time makes it easy to understand and report on volunteer activity. This allows you to quickly measure the overall costs of programs or initiatives, and easily share this information with your donors, board, or government organization.

Once you’ve started tracking time, you’ll begin to understand the number of volunteer hours — and true cost — it takes to perform certain types of work or functions. This allows you to create more accurate program budgets, and to more effectively forecast how much time and effort it will take to deliver on your commitments to your members or donors.

2. WHAT YOU SHOULD TRACK Create an effective, organized system for logging volunteer hours. The two most important variables you should be tracking are: how many hours are being completed and what kind of work/activity is being done.

3. CALCULATE THE VALUE OF YOUR VOLUNTEER TIME

There are a number of ways you can calculate the monetary value of volunteer time. The most recent estimate on the national value of volunteer time is $25.43 per hour (per www.IndependentSector.org ) For comprehensive data on the value of volunteer time across different states and over time, take a look at this article on Independent Sector. To calculate the value of more specialized skills, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has wage data by area and occupation.

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4. CLAIM VOLUNTEER TIME IN YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Did you know that you could claim volunteer service contributions? In order to claim volunteer time, one of the following two stipulations must be met: (1) the service contribution either creates or enhances nonfinancial assets or (2) the specialized skills provided by the volunteer would typically need to be purchased if not provided by donation. For more information on these stipulations, visit the Financial Accounting Standards Board .

5. GET CORPORATE GRANTS Almost half of all Fortune 500 companies offer matching grants for employee volunteer hours, and most schools and 501c(3) nonprofits are eligible. These Employee Volunteer Programs, commonly called “Dollars for Doers,” offer organizations anywhere between $8-20 per hour volunteered. This number is amplified when groups or teams from a corporation volunteer at your nonprofit organization together. Some companies even offer dollars for hours volunteered by retirees! Target specific companies in your area that offer matching grants for volunteer hours by contacting the Corporate Social Responsibility or Human Resources departments. Also, ask your existing volunteers to contact their employers and inquire about matching grants for volunteer time. Recruiting volunteers is the hardest part. After that, all that is needed is to complete the volunteer assignment, submit the required paperwork documenting volunteer hours, and the corporations release funds directly to your organization.

6. GET FOUNDATION GRANTS If you’re able to effectively track and report on important metrics like volunteer time, it drastically improves your chances of successfully attracting foundation grants. Many grantees report volunteer hours based on inaccurate estimates, or volunteer hours aren’t even accounted for. If you’re able to prove the value of your volunteers, you will be able to differentiate your organization and set yourself ahead of the competition by a long shot! For more information on how to write effective grant applications for foundations, visit Philanthropic Venture Foundation .

7. AMPLIFY YOUR IMPACT Nothing scares away funders like high overhead cost. Use the value of volunteer hours to convey greater value to funders by adding the total value of volunteer hours (see step 3 above) to your overhead costs. For example, if your organization’s total volunteer time adds up to $300,000 and overhead costs are $150,000, then your total value is $450,000. This means that volunteer time is able to amplify the financial impact of your organization by 300%! By communicating this value to funders, you are able to prove a much higher return on investment for each donation.

Adapted from Clicktime.com “Why Nonprofits Should Track Time” and

TrackItForward.com “How to Use Volunteer Hours to Get Grants and Amplify Your Impact”

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Volunteer Screening The Benefits of Background Checks 

While hopefully, it would never happen to your Chapter, we’ve all heard terrible news stories about selfish volunteers that gained access to resources, money, or people for their criminal pursuits. It only takes one horrible incident to completely ruin a Chapter’s reputation. If you’re unsure about whether you should conduct background checks, here are a few benefits of doing so.

1. EMPLOYEE SAFETY Protecting people is the leading reason for running volunteer background checks. You want to protect everyone who is involved with your PAL. This not only includes the people you may be helping, but also employees and other volunteers.

2. LEGAL REQUIREMENTS Some cities and states may have specific regulations for what vetting processes must occur for volunteers who do certain types of work. If you live in one of these locations and do not follow protocol, you could face steep fines and legal action. For example, states may have laws that require background checks for employees and volunteers for activities the state regulates, such as schools and nursing homes. Quite likely, each state will require some sort of screening for all volunteers who work for a state agency or state-funded facility, especially agencies that serve children, the elderly, or the disabled.

3. LIABILITY Volunteer background checks are especially important for people who have access to vulnerable populations such as children or the elderly, as well as those who will manage financial or confidential information. If an incident occurs and you didn’t run a criminal history report or background check, you could be liable for negligent selection of volunteers. 

4. REPUTATION MANAGEMENT Why would people continue to donate to the cause if a volunteer embezzled tens of thousands of dollars? Why would they attend your gala if lack of due diligence in vetting volunteers caused harm to a child? It takes just one incident to ruin the reputation of an organization. To maintain a high level of donors, you must have trust.  

Adapted from TrustedEmployees.com “5 Important Reasons to Run Volunteer Background Checks”

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