Volunteers are the heart of an organization. They provide the passion, dedication and love for a nonprofit’s mission. But great volunteers can seem very hard to find. Grow your team of great volunteers with these simple and effective techniques for volunteer recruitment:

1. Focus on the volunteer’s benefits, not your organization’s needs.

Asking for volunteers to sign up because your organization needs their help is very true, but it doesn’t always inspire action. To make your volunteer recruitment more compelling, focus on how each position benefits the volunteer. This is a subtle shift, but very effective. Highlight benefits like:

  • Making new friends
  • Getting some fresh air outside
  • Making a difference in the lives of animals, children, the elderly, etc.
  • Developing valuable skills, like leadership

For more ideas, read about the benefits of volunteering.

2. Streamline the process.

One of the most effective techniques for volunteer recruitment is simply making the application process as streamlined and friendly as possible. Take a step back and review your organization’s recruitment process from the volunteer’s point of view: Is the application easy to find and fill out? Is your website running smoothly? Is it easy for people to reach you with questions? You’d be surprised at how quickly people can be put off just by an application that’s difficult to find, or cumbersome to complete.

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3. Remember that recruitment is just the first step.

Your new volunteers have eagerly signed up, but that’s just the first step. Have a plan in place to make a good first impression, and get your volunteer retention off to a great start!