Volunteers are a core a part of your nonprofit’s staff, dealing with obligations starting from occasion administration and bookkeeping to on-the-ground work at your program websites. These volunteers assist out for quite a few causes, equivalent to wanting to assist trigger or becoming a member of in as a part of their company staff.
When solidifying your volunteer program’s recruitment methods, bear in mind to not look not simply at knowledge from prior years however on the nonprofit panorama as an entire. Bigger tendencies in volunteer habits and motivations can immediately affect your potential to draw and retain sufficient volunteers to keep up your packages.
To assist your nonprofit perceive your volunteers a bit extra, this information will take a deep dive into 15 volunteer statistics.
Whereas these statistics will be informative, do not forget that they rely upon many elements, not all of which can apply to your nonprofit. Rather a lot goes into volunteer administration, together with ample appreciation, efficient communication, and provoking advertising. In fact, tendencies like these are nonetheless helpful for understanding the place your group matches into the broader nonprofit panorama.
1. About 63 million People volunteer.
For U.S.-based nonprofits, volunteers are all over the place. In reality, about 63 million People volunteer their time and vitality. For reference, that’s round 25% of the grownup inhabitants. Trying on the wider world, that quantity solely goes up with a complete of over 1 billion individuals volunteering throughout the globe.
What does this volunteer statistic imply on your nonprofit? Discovering people who find themselves in a position and keen to lend their time is feasible, even when it might probably generally really feel like your stream of volunteer candidates is extra of a trickle than a river. Whereas some people will signal as much as volunteer of their very own volition, others require extra of a push. In reality, many volunteers simply should be requested by a nonprofit to assist out just because signing up on their very own hadn’t occurred to them.
2. One-third of the nonprofit workforce is volunteers.
Your nonprofit’s workers are instrumental in offering beneficiaries with the companies and help they want. Nevertheless, most nonprofits have tight budgets and depend on volunteer labor. That is a lot the case that one-third of all nonprofit staff are volunteers.
In fact, the ratio of paid workers to volunteers will fluctuate from nonprofit to nonprofit. Many small native organizations do extremely vital work however are totally made up of volunteers or solely have an government director who organizes all the pieces. In distinction, enterprise-size nonprofits have complete departments of paid workers.
What does this imply on your nonprofit? As a result of a lot labor at nonprofit organizations goes unpaid, calculations of the nonprofit sectors’ financial worth will at all times be off. Don’t let this affect how your nonprofit values your volunteers, nevertheless. Present your appreciation and guarantee they really feel like they’re an actual a part of your staff as a result of, in the end, the numbers present that they’re!
3. 62% of nonprofits state that recruiting volunteers is “an enormous drawback.”
Nonprofits want volunteers to workers occasions, assist throughout fundraisers, and full duties that hold their packages operating. Nevertheless, discovering sufficient individuals to fill all out there volunteer positions isn’t at all times straightforward, and 62% of nonprofit CEOs state that recruiting sufficient volunteers is a matter. This goes hand-in-hand with extra knowledge that the demand for a lot of nonprofit companies is up.
What does this volunteer statistic imply on your nonprofit? A variety of causes affect volunteer recruitment, and the nonprofit trade as an entire tends to see fluctuations over time relying on international elements out of their management. For instance, volunteer charges are inclined to rise throughout instances of disaster as people step as much as present group aid.
In fact, there are elements your nonprofit can management. Think about what roles you’ve gotten open for volunteers and the way you promote them. Are these roles volunteers can be interested by, or are they positions which can be principally rote work? Whereas many people volunteer to provide again, bear in mind to emphasise the opposite advantages volunteers can acquire by serving to out.
Moreover, in case you’re continuously having to search out new volunteers, that is likely to be an indication to take a step again and assess your volunteer retention technique. Discuss with these volunteers about enhancements to your program they’d wish to see and present your appreciation. Even in case you’re low on workers, be certain that to not overwork them to keep away from burnout, too.
4. 40% of Fortune 500 firms supply volunteer grants.
Have you ever heard of company volunteer grants earlier than? Sure companies encourage their workers to volunteer by promising to donate to the nonprofits their workers assist out at.
Right here’s a breakdown of how the volunteer grant course of often works:
- An worker volunteers at an eligible nonprofit. Many employers who present volunteer grants have sure necessities for what charitable organizations they’ll help. For instance, many employers exempt spiritual organizations from receiving volunteer grants.
- The worker stories their volunteer hours and different wanted info. Most worker volunteer grant packages are primarily based on the hours an worker volunteers. Some present a per-hour charge whereas others require a sure hours threshold to be met after which donate a flat quantity. Moreover, employers want details about the nonprofit, like its title, tax ID, and mailing tackle.
- The corporate donates to the nonprofit. As soon as a volunteer grant software is submitted, the corporate critiques it. If the nonprofit and hours necessities have been met, the grant software is improved, and the nonprofit receives a donation.
How widespread are volunteer grant packages? 40% of Fortune 500 firms supply the sort of company giving. Meaning a number of volunteers who already assist at your nonprofit may qualify for a grant.
What does this volunteer statistic imply on your nonprofit? Begin educating your volunteers in regards to the energy of volunteer grants. Hold cautious observe of their hours, and assist them uncover in the event that they’re eligible. Most employers can have the related info accessible by means of their CSR portal or of their workplace handbook. In case you can’t discover any info there, it additionally by no means hurts to ask!
5. 60% of firms supply paid volunteer time without work.
One other means firms give again to nonprofits is thru volunteer time without work (VTO). Round 60% of firms present workers with paid VTO days every year. This perk is rising in reputation, and an extra 21% of firms have ambitions to implement a VTO coverage as early as 2024.
What does this volunteer statistic imply on your nonprofit? Encourage workers to take a better take a look at their employer advantages. If they’ve paid VTO they’re not taking, they’re leaving cash on the desk on your nonprofit and depriving themselves of rightfully earned time without work.
6. 35% of people volunteer to socialize.
Volunteers donate their time to nonprofits for all types of causes, however one group to control is the 35% of people who volunteer to socialize. Whereas this group shouldn’t be the bulk (that may be the 83% who volunteer to assist a trigger they care about), there are just a few attention-grabbing issues about them.
Particularly, social volunteers volunteer extra ceaselessly than others and have a tendency to volunteer with a couple of group, which as the following few statistics will present, shouldn’t be the norm. For these volunteers, the group your nonprofit builds is what issues and what makes them devoted to your trigger.
What does this volunteer statistic imply on your nonprofit? In your recruitment supplies, talk about the work volunteers will do, the {qualifications} they want, and work expectations as regular, however don’t neglect to say all the advantages they will obtain as properly. Focus on your volunteer group and have pictures of volunteers at work so potential recruits can image themselves alongside the remainder of your staff.
7. People who commonly volunteer have a 27% greater probability of discovering employment.
Volunteering is nice for nonprofits and good for volunteers. Together with discovering a group, volunteer alternatives are additionally studying alternatives the place people can be taught new abilities, make connections, and enhance themselves. Contemplating these advantages, it might not come as a shock that jobseekers who volunteer have a 27% greater charge of discovering employment.
What does this volunteer statistic imply on your nonprofit? As mentioned earlier, it’s straightforward to focus solely on how volunteering helps the nonprofit recruit supporters. Nevertheless, whereas volunteers do wish to assist causes they care about, it additionally by no means hurts to say the advantages they will obtain along with making a optimistic affect.
Be upfront in regards to the abilities and expertise supporters can acquire from volunteering. This will embrace something from customer support expertise, knowledge administration, particular labor and technical abilities, or anything associated to your packages that’s additionally relevant within the office.
8.72% of volunteers work with only one group.
Volunteering takes effort and time, which can clarify why it’s not shocking that 72% of volunteers work with just one charitable group and simply 18% are concerned with two.
Most volunteers select which organizations to donate their time to primarily based on their connection to a particular trigger. Logically, if a volunteer finds a nonprofit they really feel does good work for his or her goal problem, why wouldn’t they keep put? Plus, with the time commitments of simply researching new nonprofits to affix, switching volunteer positions takes effort.
What does this volunteer statistic imply on your nonprofit? Whereas your nonprofit ought to definitely associate with different charitable organizations to finish tasks and enhance companies, know that efforts to poach volunteers doubtless gained’t achieve success or appreciated.
As an alternative, concentrate on the volunteers you’ve gotten. These volunteers can develop into deeply loyal to the causes they care about, and in trade, all of your nonprofit must do is proceed fulfilling its mission, present volunteers respect and appreciation, and proceed offering worthwhile alternatives to become involved.
9. Roughly 1 in 3 American volunteers donate their time to spiritual organizations.
Volunteers work for a variety of causes at nonprofits, colleges, church buildings, and different varieties of organizations. Nevertheless, the very best share of volunteers in America donate their time to spiritual organizations. The proportion lands at about 32%, which equates to 1 in each 3 American volunteers.
This continues to trace when damaged down on a state stage with Utah having the very best p.c of its inhabitants (51%) volunteer, lots of whom take part in volunteer alternatives supplied by means of their church buildings.
What does this volunteer statistic imply on your nonprofit? In case your nonprofit isn’t a church, these numbers won’t appear to be they matter at first look. Nevertheless, church buildings generally associate with or conduct volunteer actions which have little to do with faith. For instance, a church group may volunteer collectively at a meals financial institution, or a church may assist fundraiser for a homeless shelter.
When contemplating organizations your nonprofit can associate with, don’t rule out spiritual teams as lots of them have members who’re prepared and desperate to help trigger.
10. Formal volunteering is declining in most states.
In case your nonprofit has had bother filling volunteer positions, know that you simply’re not alone. Nearly all of U.S. states have seen a lower within the share of their inhabitants that formally volunteers. For instance, in Florida, already a state with low volunteering charges, 22.8% of the inhabitants volunteered in 2017. 4 years later, it’s simply 15.9%.
How a lot volunteering has declined varies from state to state, with some following routine ebbs and flows, whereas others have skilled as a lot as a ten% drop.
What does this volunteer statistic imply on your nonprofit? Volunteering percentages are impacted by a number of elements, equivalent to extra individuals popping out to volunteer throughout state emergencies like hurricanes or wildfires. Nevertheless, nonprofits ought to take discover when charges are constant throughout the board like they’re for this decline.
What can nonprofits do about declining volunteer charges? For some, this is likely to be an indication that it’s time to transform their recruitment technique to focus on new audiences. Alter how your nonprofit promotes itself to attach with youthful audiences, or rethink the way you’re positioning your nonprofit’s mission. Do in the present day’s volunteers care about the identical causes they did ten years in the past, or have their priorities shifted?
Take the time to survey your supporters and conduct viewers analysis to be taught what potential volunteers in your state are in search of in a nonprofit and how one can attain out to them.
11. 84% of employers really feel volunteerism is an efficient technique to have interaction workers.
Volunteering isn’t at all times organized simply between the supporters and a nonprofit group. Traits within the company sector reveal that many companies are getting extra severe about company social duty (CSR), and volunteer packages are a significant part of that. In reality, 84% of employers really feel volunteerism is an efficient technique to have interaction their workers.
Worker engagement packages like volunteer days permit staff to really feel related to their communities. Somewhat than simply donating and hoping their cash is put to good use, they will take an energetic position in serving to native nonprofits fulfill their missions. This will increase their connection to the causes nonprofits champion and improves their emotions for the employers who put them in touch with these charitable organizations.
What does this volunteer statistic imply on your nonprofit? In case your nonprofit hasn’t already reached out to companies to type partnerships, make doing so your new purpose. Lengthy-term nonprofit-corporate partnerships are on the rise and may present quite a few advantages to your nonprofit with regards to volunteer packages.
Particularly, attempt arranging:
- Company volunteer days the place complete groups of workers assist out at your nonprofit collectively. This encourages teamwork amongst workers, which offers worth to the enterprise whereas additionally giving your nonprofit additional fingers to work on numerous tasks.
- Volunteer grants are a type of company giving whereby an employer makes a donation primarily based on how lengthy an worker volunteered. Normally, this takes the type of a per-hour charge, or workers are required to work a sure variety of hours earlier than the employer makes a flat donation.
- Volunteer time without work (VTO) is primarily depending on employers, however nonprofits who’ve shut partnerships with companies can nonetheless advocate for this coverage. VTO provides workers just a few days they will take off every year particularly to volunteer. This frees up time for volunteering that full-time workers might in any other case not have.
You don’t want to choose and select between these packages both. Many firms supply a number of varieties of company giving or change their insurance policies primarily based on the expressed needs of their workers and nonprofit companions.
12. Firms see 52% much less turnover amongst new workers who take part in company giving packages, like volunteer days.
We’ve already seen that extra firms are interested by worker volunteer packages, however what do companies get from making volunteering part of their CSR packages?
Normally, CSR packages make workers really feel extra positively about their employer since they know they’re making a optimistic affect. Whereas many CSR initiatives like sustaining carbon neutrality or sponsoring native nonprofits definitely increase workers’ opinions, it’s volunteer packages that present the hands-on expertise that lets staff really feel like they, particularly, are contributing to social good.
Analysis backs this up as properly, with firms seeing 52% much less turnover amongst new workers once they take part in volunteer days.
What does this volunteer statistic imply on your nonprofit? When your nonprofit reaches out to companies to type partnerships, emphasize the advantages for the company. Excessive retention charges particularly will be expensive for employers, and in case your nonprofit can present a solution to recurring issues like this, you possibly can type profitable long-term partnerships.
13. 49% of people state their largest impediment to volunteering is figure commitments.
With volunteer charges on the decline, nonprofits must take a tough take a look at why fewer supporters are exhibiting as much as lend their time. It seems that many supporters simply don’t have the time. An official authorities carried out survey in England discovered that 49% of people state work commitments are their largest impediment to volunteering. Conversely, stories additionally present that 30% of volunteers declare considered one of their causes for volunteering is that that they had the time to take action.
What do these volunteer statistics imply on your nonprofit? Working with companies to advertise VTO insurance policies is a technique nonprofits may also help create extra time of their supporters’ schedules to volunteer. Moreover, nonprofits can supply various kinds of volunteer alternatives, together with on-line actions, which can be simpler for full-time workers to take part in.
Nonprofits also needs to look to audiences with fewer work necessities. Retirees and faculty college students alike have extra free time, and numerous volunteer advantages will doubtless attraction to every group, equivalent to group for retirees and work expertise for faculty college students.
Final, do what you possibly can to make volunteering a precedence on your supporters, even when their schedules are packed. Exhibiting appreciation and emphasizing the affect their assist has in your mission will be persuasive in convincing volunteers to return to your nonprofit when their work schedules decelerate once more.
14. Volunteers expertise 38% fewer nights within the hospital.
Volunteering feels good, and analysis has proven that it’s good for you. People who commonly volunteer expertise 38% fewer nights in hospitals on common. Why? Seems that volunteers over the age of fifty are inclined to additionally take higher care of their well being than non-volunteers by being extra diligent about routine check-ups, flu photographs, and different medical assessments.
In fact, this raises a query: does volunteering instill optimistic well being habits, or are people with wholesome existence extra prone to volunteer? This query is tough to reply, however scientists have noticed that community-minded people are inclined to have larger well being advantages from actions like volunteering.
What does this volunteer statistic imply on your nonprofit? Improved well being is one other profit so as to add to your nonprofit’s rising listing of causes to volunteer. Present volunteers with alternatives to get energetic and invested of their communities by working outdoors, speaking with staff members and beneficiaries, and collaborating in volunteer duties that contain extra than simply sitting at a desk.
15. Most U.S.-based volunteers are between the ages of 35 and 44.
Tens of millions of individuals volunteer for all types of causes and thru numerous volunteer packages. However simply who’re these volunteers? Stories present that the typical volunteer is a lady between the ages of 35 and 44, often with a toddler below 18.
Males and folks of different age teams definitely volunteer, as properly, however there are just a few assumptions we will draw from analysis in regards to the common volunteer profile. Center-aged moms are prone to volunteer at their kids’s faculty, church, and neighborhood actions. Moreover, this evaluation additionally holds true for stories of casual volunteering, equivalent to cooking for neighbors, taking good care of kids, and bettering the state of their communities.
What does this volunteer statistic imply on your nonprofit? Assess your present volunteer base to see in case your nonprofit matches this profile. Primarily based in your previous recruitment efforts, your typical volunteer may differ from the nationwide common.
Use this info to faucet into audiences your nonprofit might have beforehand uncared for. How will you attain extra households? Do you supply volunteer positions which can be handy for working professionals? Assess not simply your volunteer advertising however how accessible your total volunteer program is for people with completely different life circumstances.
Wrapping Up: Leveraging Volunteer Statistics to Develop Affect
Statistics don’t at all times inform the entire story, however they will present basic perception that may inform the tales you see play out at your nonprofit. Use these volunteer statistics as a basic information for assessing your volunteer program somewhat than laborious and quick guidelines about how you need to have interaction, recruit, and handle the precise people concerned together with your nonprofit.
To be taught extra about volunteering and tendencies within the nonprofit area, try these sources:
