Many people are pinching their pennies and curtailing many of their usual donations to organizations right now, especially in areas that have industries that are hardest hit. What is a charity to do? Is it time to let people go? Should the annual fundraiser be toned down? Is it a time to disband and regroup later? The greatest asset that a group has is their volunteers. The greatest thing you can do right now as a group is to recruit more. That may seem counterintuitive as returns seem diminishing.
Just think about it. Charity work is about networking. One person equals an additional circle of friends that can catch the “fever” when they see their friend find a cause that is worth volunteering for. You gain a whole new personal network.
Secondly, not all volunteers have to work at it 40 hours a week to make a difference. If in the past, your group was essentially a handful of people giving it their undivided attention and sometimes burning out, find ways where volunteers can help out in one shot opportunities, or in a lesser capacity. If their time was enjoyable, they will be more likely to sign up again. This also gives you the peoplepower that you need at the time you need it. There are also people that are retired, or laid off, or looking to meet new people. They may not sign on to your organization forever, but while they are exploring their interests or expanding their resume, it is a win-win situation.
To retain volunteers, show appreciation. A verbal “thank you” or “I enjoyed working with you” is important. Also, recognize individuals who are capable of self direction and allow them in some capacity to make decisions for the job at hand. Nothing feels worse than when a new volunteer comes in and they are shuffled around like cattle, especially with an organization that has a small band of volunteers and especially if they have helped for a long time. You never know when the old standys are going to move away or have a life change that curtails the time they have to devote and fresh perspectives are always needed to keep a group, large, small, or beyond tiny, to flourish for years to come.
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houndsgood Posted in
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There are a few small charities that I also know that are running on computers that are creaking along in the speed and memory department. Sometimes they are donated, and they have little funds to upgrade the memory.