8 Steps to Build a Volunteer-Centric Culture in Not-for-profits

Volunteers are the lifeblood of many not-for-profit (NFP) organisations. They bring passion, dedication, and a genuine desire to support your mission without expecting financial compensation. However, recruiting and retaining a committed volunteer workforce can be a challenge. Volunteers are always in high demand, and their availability and reliability can vary, making it difficult for NFP leaders without a volunteer-centric operation to build a consistent and dependable team.

1. Create a Welcoming and Inclusive Environment

First impressions matter. When volunteers join your organisation, they should feel valued from day one. A positive, inclusive environment where volunteers feel valued for their unique contributions fosters a sense of belonging, which is essential for retention. Embrace the diverse backgrounds, skills, and perspectives that volunteers bring to your organisation.

Developing a structured onboarding process introduces volunteers to your organisation’s culture, values, and goals in an efficient manner. This is also a chance to introduce policies, processes, and compliance requirements that will help orient them in this role. If possible, pair them with an experienced mentor who can help them get acclimatised to the organisation’s environment.

2. Clearly Define Roles and Expectations

One of the most common reasons for volunteer turnover is uncertainty about expectations. Volunteers want to know what they are committing to and how they can make a meaningful impact. As an NFP leader, it is crucial to clearly define roles and responsibilities before volunteers start, so they understand what is expected of them and what they can expect in return.

Writing and providing clear, concise volunteer role descriptions that outline the tasks, time commitments, and expected outcomes is a transparent step that a volunteer will appreciate. Be open about whether the position is one-time, short-term, or ongoing, and provide a general idea of the level of skill or experience required.

Set up regular check-ins with your volunteers to ensure they feel supported and that any concerns or questions are addressed promptly. This also allows you to gauge their satisfaction and engagement levels and alter your engagement with them accordingly.

3. Offer Opportunities for Growth and Learning

Volunteers are more likely to stay with your organisation if they feel they are gaining valuable experience or skills in the process. Offering opportunities for professional and personal growth can go a long way in engaging your volunteer workforce. This could be formal training, such as workshops or certifications, or informal, such as on-the-job mentorship.

The work your volunteers undertake may naturally create opportunities to develop new skills that are transferable to other areas of life or their professional careers. For example, volunteers could gain experience in project management, event coordination, leadership, or communication, which may be useful in their future endeavours.

4. Make Volunteers Feel Appreciated

Volunteers are motivated by passion and commitment, but they also need to feel appreciated for their time and effort. It’s important to acknowledge their contributions regularly and make them feel like an integral part of the organisation. This acknowledgement not only shows value to your current workforce but also goes towards attracting new volunteers if done publicly.

5. Provide Flexibility and Work-Life Balance

Volunteers typically have other commitments—whether that is full or part-time work, family responsibilities, or other volunteer work. Offering flexible volunteer opportunities helps ensure that you can attract and retain a wider pool of volunteers. Every volunteer’s schedule will be different; some people may prefer to volunteer in short bursts, while others may be able to commit to regular hours. Including a range of tasks that suit different skill levels and time commitments is a reliable strategy to make the most use of volunteers when you have them.

6. Foster a Sense of Ownership and Involvement

Engaged volunteers will feel like they have a stake in your organisation’s success and future. Regularly asking for feedback about their experiences gives them a voice in the direction of the organisation and helps them feel like an important part of the team. For longer-term volunteers, opportunities to contribute to decision-making can also make them feel valued and connected.

7. Maintain a Strong Volunteer Community

Building a sense of camaraderie among your volunteers can increase loyalty and engagement. Creating social opportunities for volunteers to interact outside of their official roles builds this community relationship. Encouraging volunteers to network with each other can help build friendships, making volunteering more enjoyable and giving volunteers a reason to stay.

8.  Use Technology to Streamline Volunteer Management

While personal connections and human interactions are key to engaging and retaining volunteers, technology can be a powerful tool to streamline the management process and make it easier to track volunteer engagement.

Tools allow NFPs to centralise volunteer data, track performance or hours worked, and manage scheduling. These platforms often include features like automated reminder emails, which can help ensure volunteers show up when expected. Tracking hours worked allows you to appreciate the impact of your volunteers and recognise outstanding individuals but also manage the risk of over-working your team.

Cloud-based tools allow for real-time collaboration and communication, enabling volunteers to stay connected to the team, regardless of location. Regular email communication and updates on your organisation’s progress can also keep volunteers engaged and informed.

MYOB Acumatica for not-for-profit organisations

MYOB Acumatica (formerly MYOB Advanced) is a clever cloud-based system with powerful functionality to support the not-for-profit sector. In addition to its powerful financial management functionality, MYOB Acumatica has an inbuilt Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system that can be used to manage relationships not only with your regular donors, but also volunteers. Data that is tracked within MYOB Acumatica is available in all areas of the system, so you can track volunteer contributions to specific projects, and build rosters in the inbuilt Workforce Management module.

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Next steps

The Kilimanjaro Consulting team are experts in configuring MYOB Acumatica to meet the needs of not-for-profit and charitable organisations. MYOB Acumatica is a suitable and proven business management platform in the NFP industry. It provides a strong return on investment while improving efficiency and visibility of your most important data. Contact us to organise a free, no-obligation assessment of your organisation and whether MYOB Acumatica is right for you.

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To start a conversation about how MYOB Acumatica can improve efficiency in your NFP organisation, email sales@kilimanjaro-consulting.com or call 1300 857 464 (AU) or 0800 436 774 (NZ).