In order to ensure healthy and safe organizations, we should develop an overall risk management strategy that covers all aspects of how we operate. "Screening" is just one element in a risk management program that puts the focus on volunteers....
One of the biggest challenges facing nonprofits that I hear about is "recruitment" of volunteers. We all know that the competition for volunteers has increased, as has demand since there are more organizations needing help. We also know that about...
In April, the province of Alberta, along with Volunteer Alberta, announced a new initiative: a three-year pilot program to cover the costs of police information checks (PICs) for eligible volunteers in nonprofit and voluntary sector organizations. The subject of volunteer...
I am frequently asked, "How do we motivate our volunteers?" My response is, "You don't." Volunteers bring their own unique motivations to their work. A good volunteer manager learns to identify those motivations and then helps each volunteer achieve a...
It seems these days that there aren't enough volunteers (including board members) to go around. If you work with volunteers, you are probably nodding your head in agreement. Statistically, studies like the National Survey of Nonprofit and Voluntary Organizations confirm...
I am in the process of establishing a foundation and would like some advice on where to start looking for qualified, experienced board members and volunteers to get things off the ground with the best chance of success. I have...
Will they or won't they? That is the $64,000 question. As baby boomers edge toward retirement, there is lots of speculation about how they will spend their retirement years. Baby boomers have done many things differently than the generations before...
Is it okay for family members to work or volunteer in the same organization? Recruiting our family members as volunteers has been part of nonprofit life from the start. They are often a wonderful source of time and expertise, willing...
When it comes to recruiting new volunteers, it's no secret that your current volunteers can be your most effective salespeople. They have, after all, experienced the benefits of volunteering at your organization first-hand. And when they began, they had the...
Application Forms Application forms are an easy form of initial screening when recruiting new volunteers. Not only will you learn something about the background of an individual, but you may find out exactly what she is looking for in a...
