Volunteer Nation

In this week’s episode, we welcome guests Dr. Sue Carter Kahl and Dr. Nathan Dietz to discuss two fascinating new studies on the state of volunteer engagement. These reports offer the unique perspectives and feedback of nonprofit CEOs and funders and it is enlightening to view the value of volunteer service through their eyes, especially as it relates to program funding. Full show notes:  047-The...

Soccer is all about moving the ball down the field as efficiently as possible and making a goal before your opponent has a chance to catch up. And if you’ve watched one particular Premier League team this year (looking at you, Chelsea!), you’ve seen them lose many opportunities to score because they hesitate and take one too many steps before taking a shot on goal (and if you’re nearby, you may ha...

What do volunteers experience while serving at your organization? Why do volunteers want to stay? And why do some volunteers decide to leave?   In this episode, Tobi offers a closer look at how to design a more purposeful user experience for every step of your potential volunteer’s journey, and how to build a smarter volunteer retention strategy with intention and information.  Full show notes:  0...

When we think about recruiting volunteers, too often we focus on pushing out a big appeal as many times as possible on as many platforms as possible. But…what if you could apply some strategy and creativity to the process to reach the right people for your call to action and offer more meaningful volunteer opportunities? In this episode, Tobi offers six creative ways to recruit volunteers along wi...

In this year’s Volunteer Management Progress Report, both time and volunteer recruitment were top challenges for leaders of volunteers. Just imagine if you could bring more program development and recruitment assistance onboard through AmeriCorps grants and resources – how would that change your trajectory for 2023? On this episode, we welcome expert Sharon Tewksbury-Bloom to discuss best practice...

We often think that, just because our marketing isn’t delivering the results we want, people in the community aren’t interested in our cause or volunteering in general. It’s an easy assumption to make, but the truth is that if you make even a few small changes in your approach, you can realize some big results. In this week’s episode, Tobi looks at five big reasons why your volunteer recruitment i...

Every year the Volunteer Management Progress Report survey includes the following question: “What is your biggest challenge?” Survey participants are allowed to share answers as short or as long as needed to express their thoughts, and responses run the gamut from brief and to-the-point like “recruitment” to compelling stories of individual struggles and courage in the face of adversity. In this w...

Ever wondered how the results for VolPro’s annual Volunteer Management Progress Report are tabulated and analyzed? In this week’s episode, Tobi is joined by VolPro’s Marketing Manager Jamie Gaylor to discuss the behind-the-scenes effort that goes into producing this report each year, and what the results indicate for volunteer management trends in 2023. Full show notes:  040-Volunteer Management T...

Who else is excited to welcome 2023 and to say goodbye to 2022? It just feels like a fresh start and a great place to put a stake in the ground to confidently say we’re moving forward, and we’re going to build our best year yet!   Before we do that, though, Tobi takes a look back at some of the trends in volunteerism over the last few years, both pre-and post-covid, to make some predictions on whe...

Here at VolunteerPro, our focus for 2023 is all about optimization of all our systems. We have an awesome team and great systems in place to to keep everything running smoothly, but we can always do better.    We’re using the next twelve months to find (or create) ways to fill in the gaps, look at our data, and perfect everything we do.  Our big question: how can we do this better? In this episode...

Did you Know: in addition to producing two podcasts (Volunteer Nation and the Time+Talent Podcast with Jennifer Bennett), Tobi also writes a weekly nonprofit blog?  There are literally hundreds of in-depth posts, each with a wealth of information you can apply to your volunteer program. And as a holiday gift to you, Tobi is counting down the top 10 fan favorites from both the VolunteerPro and Tobi...

Your volunteer program’s KPIs are like your vital signs. Think about it – when you go to your doctor, what does the nurse do first? Check your vitals – weight, blood pressure, pulse oxygen, urinalysis, blood work.  These numbers help to quickly assess your level of wellness, and they give your medical team direction to locate problems and determine whether a treatment plan is working.  The same go...

The last 2+ years have been undeniably challenging, and many nonprofit leaders have struggled to keep a sense of passion for their work. Even when you love what you do like Tobi, you’re not immune to the symptoms of burnout and fatigue.  First of all, what is burnout? Tobi shares a definition from the World Health Organization, and examines the three main indicators to watch out for.  Tobi also sh...

Here’s a question: when you take a quick scan of the past year, how would you describe it in a word or two? What did your 2022 feel like?  What did you achieve? What did you wish you would have achieved?  If you’re a mission-driven person who sets high goals for yourself, you might have used the words – disappointing, an uphill battle, confusing, chaotic, and exhausting.   Now, imagine your best o...

This week, Tobi sits down with strategic volunteer engagement expert and consultant Dana Litwin to talk about a brand new research project in the volunteer sector, and how the data uncovered in that research can help connect organizations and potential funders more effectively.  Tobi and Dana discuss some of the common barriers to volunteer funding, including the disconnect between what grant writ...

This week, Tobi sits down with author and fundraising expert Julia Campbell to talk about ways for nonprofits to get involved in Giving Tuesday, and how to include volunteers.  Nonprofits usually focus their Giving Tuesday strategies around a fundraising push. Tobi and Julia look at ways to craft those Giving Tuesday pitches effectively, and ways they can quickly go wrong.   As with any fundraisin...

This week Tobi welcomes Lori Gotlieb to the show to talk about the volunteer engagement cycle, and some of the innovations going on throughout the sector right now.  Tobi and Lori discuss each of the steps in the traditional volunteer engagement cycle: role design, risk management, recruitment, screening, orientation and training, supervision and support, and recognition.  Lori shares the ways the...

This week, Tobi welcomes authors Beth Steinhorn and Jerome Tennille to discuss how organizations have responded to the volunteer disruption they’ve experienced over the past few years, and what lessons can be learned.   The pandemic brought some vulnerabilities to light in our sector and sparked some innovation in spite of the challenges nonprofits faced due to lockdowns.  Ageism, fear of transmit...

This week, Tobi sits down with Chris Jarvis from Realized Worth to talk about corporate social responsibility (and what that oft-used term really means), as well as how to nurture your volunteers through three stages of commitment, and how volunteers are literally changing the world by serving their communities.    First of all, what the heck is “corporate social responsibility” anyway? There are...

Have you ever considered starting a podcast to tell the world about your organization? Podcast creators can strategically use podcasts to build community around a common interest or goal, create awareness about their organizations, and even raise needed funds for their cause.  And, it may not be as hard as you think!   This week, Tobi sits down with Anthony Wilson, founder and host of the Groupfin...

Do you remember the first time you experienced a sense of community with other people? It may have been a team sport, an academic group, or a faith-based gathering. For Tobi, it was the Norpoint Dashers middle school soccer team! But what exactly made that sense of community so strong? Tobi examines the core ingredients that all healthy communities share and applies those principles to volunteer p...

What should be included in a volunteer coordinator job description? (And is that even the right title for the job you’re hiring for?) Leaders of volunteers can go by many names…coordinator, manager, supervisor, or director, to name a few. In this week’s podcast, Tobi breaks down the job duties that each title should contain (in an ideal world) and details the most important skills and abilities hi...

Here at VolPro, we’ve been following Beth Kanter for a LONG time – since 2009 when Tobi started her consulting practice (only two years after smart phones first hit the market … and Beth had already been blogging for six years)!  Beth is an internationally recognized thought leader and trainer in nonprofit tech, digital transformation, and well-being in the workplace. She is the co-author of the a...

Tobi gets asked all the time about volunteer recognition and appreciation strategies and tips. And while she can (and has!) shared how to write an effective thank-you letter or create an engaging recognition strategy, real volunteer appreciation is about more than that. It’s about creating a well-run program that meets your volunteer’s core needs.   We need to thank our volunteers for their unique...

Tobi is well-known for her big energy and ability to produce high levels of quality content. However, like many nonprofit leaders, Tobi has struggled in the past with feelings of burnout and loss of energy.    She started paying attention and investigating what might help get over the hump, and in this week’s podcast, she’s going to be your crash test dummy! She’s sharing what she knows, and what...