Best Practices
How to recruit volunteers: A simple guide for nonprofits
A few years ago, I decided I wanted to start volunteering. I wasn’t 100% sure what I wanted to do but I knew I wanted to work with marginalized women in my local community. I was living in a fairly big North American city and I knew there were tons of organizations I could work with but finding the right one proved kind of difficult. Through friends of friends, I eventually connected with a great organization. Still, I couldn’t help thinking that trying to find the right place to put my keen volunteer energy was trickier than it needed to be.
Many nonprofits rely at least partially on volunteers to perform even the most foundational tasks that keep their organizations and programs running. But knowing how to recruit volunteers isn’t always straightforward.
The good news? Volunteers are out there. In the first month of 2025, more than half of organizations that use volunteers reported an increase in volunteers. The bad news? Despite this, only about 12% of organizations said they had all the volunteers they needed.
When nonprofits figure out how to recruit volunteers, they gain a host of benefits that make their organizations stronger and support their mission. Read on to learn the value of volunteers for nonprofits, and how to develop your own volunteer recruitment strategy.
The value of volunteers for nonprofits
The University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy Do Good Institute partners with Independent Sector to calculate the value of volunteer time. According to their 2024 report, each volunteer hour is worth more than $33. This number, based on the labor and benefit costs of hiring an employee to do the same work, has been increasing rapidly since 2018.
Of course, the monetary value of volunteer labor is just part of the picture. Volunteers do more than save nonprofits money. They also strengthen the organization’s connection to the community. Volunteers are likely to be loud advocates for your organization. They attend events, invite family and friends, and encourage others to help or donate.
Volunteers are also more likely to make donations. A report from Fidelity found that about 50% of volunteers who donate say they give more financial support because they volunteer.
If your organization doesn’t have a plan for how to recruit volunteers (and retain them!), you’re missing out on a lot of value. A few simple steps can help you capitalize on the opportunity volunteers represent.
How to recruit volunteers in 4 steps
1. Assess the your organization’s need for volunteers
Start by having a conversation with your staff about where they need help. Anywhere you’re understaffed or employees are spread too thin is an opportunity for volunteers. Simple but time consuming tasks are also a smart way to use volunteers. (AI can help here too, but that’s a conversation for a different post!)
Volunteers can help you plan and run events, support fundraising or membership drives, staff your front desk, answer phones, serve on your board…the list is almost endless. Look for the places in your organization where a little extra help could make a big impact.
2. Create volunteer job descriptions
People are more likely to volunteer when they know what they’re getting into. That’s why an essential part of your volunteer recruitment strategy is writing volunteer job descriptions. For example, you might have an admin volunteer who helps in the office, an outreach volunteer who helps represent the organization at community events, or project volunteers who work on specific projects.
Write out the duties and responsibilities just like you would write an employee job description. Having all of this in writing helps both the volunteer and the organization know what to expect.
3. Assign responsibility for volunteer recruitment and management
To maximize recruitment and retain volunteers, at least one person in your organization should be responsible for volunteer management. Research shows that the more time the person responsible for volunteer management spends on the role, the more likely they are to meet recruitment goals.
Too often, volunteer management becomes one of a dozen duties added on to the work of a busy Executive Director or Director of Development. These leaders are often pulled in multiple directions and volunteer management falls by the wayside.
If the structure of your organization doesn’t allow for a dedicated Volunteer Management staff person, look for a reliable volunteer who can handle that responsibility.
4. Get the word out about your volunteer opportunities
Don’t assume that potential volunteers will approach you or that they’ll even know how to find you. Your organization will probably need to seek them out and let them know what you need. The next section includes a few volunteer recruitment ideas that reach throughout your community and beyond.
Where to find volunteers and how to reach them
You can find volunteers almost anywhere. They could be among your donors and participants, in your broader community, or online. The following strategies will help you reach potential volunteers in all of these places.
1. Reach out to donors and patrons
The first place to start looking for volunteers is among the people who already use or donate to your programs. Here are a few methods to try:
- Include a call for volunteers in your newsletter or email marketing
- Post a callout for volunteers on your social media accounts
- Print it on your programs, handouts, or donation receipts
- Put up posters in your lobby
- Make announcements before classes, performances or events
Leverage you and your staff’s networks
Ask board members, staff, and current volunteers to spread the word about your volunteer opportunities. Make it easy for them by providing a handout, text for an email or social media post, or link to your website.
Post on volunteer placement sites
You can also use volunteer placement sites and job posting sites to help spread your call for volunteers far and wide. Consider posting on:
The community connection app Nextdoor offers free volunteer job postings. Other social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn might also help you reach a wide audience.
Add a “Volunteer With Us” page to your website
Don’t forget to post your call for volunteers and volunteer job descriptions on your organization’s website. That way, anyone who visits your site can quickly learn about your organization’s needs.
Partner with businesses, schools, and service organizations
Businesses are often looking for group volunteer opportunities, so reach out to businesses in your community when you have events or big projects. Smaller businesses may also be strong partners in other ways, so building a link here can be doubly valuable!
Universities often help connect students with both group and individual opportunities that can be resume builders. Don’t forget about fraternities and sororities!
Service organizations may be willing to host presentations to their membership by a representative from your nonprofit. These presentations may help you recruit their members as volunteers or bring in donations. Examples of service organizations are: Kiwanis, Elks, Eagles, Masons, Rotary, 4H, Knights of Columbus, or the American Legion.
Remember: Volunteer retention is as important as recruitment
Getting people to volunteer is just the first step. Just as you put in effort to retain staff, you also need strategies to keep volunteers happy and engaged. Proactive volunteer management is a good first step.
Simple and clear procedures can also improve the volunteer experience. That’s one of the many reasons nonprofits that offer classes, camps, and workshops rely on CourseStorm. Our impossibly simple class registration software streamlines administrative tasks to lighten the burden on staff and volunteers. Get in touch with our team to learn more.
Natasha Wahid
Natasha is a seasoned marketing leader with a curious mind and a passion for storytelling and community. A mission-driven person, Natasha has spent the majority of her career in industries that impact people, including HR and education technology. A firm believer in lifelong learning, Natasha is currently sharpening her roller skating skills and dusting off her Italian.