Recruiting for Nonprofit Volunteers: Making a Match and Making it Last

Sometimes we are asked for assistance with recruiting nonprofit volunteers, especially to serve on Boards of Directors but for other important volunteer roles as well. Although The Moran Company does not offer volunteer recruiting as part of our services, our team does have extensive experience in this area with more than 300 collective years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Here are some suggestions for how you can make a match that lasts when you are recruiting volunteer leaders – for the board or other positions – in your nonprofit organization.

1. BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND. Nonprofits should welcome those who express an interest in volunteering for the organization, and there’s a place for nearly every skill set to be put to good use. However, to attract and retain the best fit for your organization’s needs, plan to spend some time thinking about what you need to succeed. Maybe your organization is in need of financial guidance. Perhaps a must-have is stronger relationships in the community. You may find that your marketing materials need some polish. Maybe you would like your volunteer base to reflect the diversity of your staff or clientele. Or maybe you are need of human resources expertise. We’ve seen nonprofit leaders go through the exercise of compiling a list of the prioritized skills their organization needs. This can be a guiding light when recruiting volunteers. We often tend to place a higher priority on skillsets and temperaments that are similar to our own, so be sure to keep an eye to a diversity of experiences, skills and perspectives as you consider your organization’s needs.
2. CREATE A STRATEGY TO ACHIEVE THIS END. Once your nonprofit’s needs are identified and prioritized, it can be easier to build a plan to meet these needs. Perhaps you can explore the professional associations in your community to find individuals with specific skills sets you seek. A local CPA association may help you identify a potential volunteer with a finance background, for example. Other resources could be your local university, association for nonprofit organizations or even your local community foundation, as they may have connections with volunteers who are willing to serve. In Kansas City, for example, local nonprofit support association Nonprofit Connect offers a Board of Directors and volunteer opportunities board where nonprofits can inexpensively post their available positions. Your board and their deep professional connections can be very helpful during this process as well.
3. MAKING IT A MISSION FIT. Just as important as making sure that volunteer skills are a fit for your organization’s needs, your mission should resonate with volunteers. Since the compensation volunteers receive is not monetary, it’s important that they feel fulfilled by the personal match to your mission and work. Before you begin recruiting for volunteers, it’s a good time to review your outreach approach. How do you describe your organization and its work? Do you have a compelling mission? Can you tell stories or give examples about how your work is changing lives? Most importantly, are you making a difference? Be sure you are putting your best foot forward when you share the work of the nonprofit with potential volunteers.
4. AN ONGOING PROCESS. Building a strong volunteer team will take time, not only to recruit and then to onboard your new volunteer team members, but to build the relationship over time and to retain your volunteers in their roles. For new Board and committee roles, a nominating committee comprised of strong board members should be established. The nominating committee could meet regularly throughout the year to continue to plan ahead for future needs, even after current needs are met. Also, keep in mind that it is just as important to continue to strengthen relationships with your volunteers once they’ve joined you as it was to recruit them to their positions in the first place. Remembering this will help you stay grounded in the mission and continue to work together to achieve your common goals.

We’re always heartened when we hear from nonprofit organizations about their interest in getting their recruiting right when they are looking for key volunteers. We are happy to share our thoughts and experiences to support these efforts. In many ways, the volunteer recruitment approach outlined above is similar to how we customize recruiting strategies for key leadership positions as part of our nonprofit executive search services at The Moran Company:

• We spend time getting to know our nonprofit partner, learning about their needs, and understanding what attributes and skills are most important to the position we are seeking.
• Based on what we’ve learned, we build a customized recruitment strategy for the search. We look far and wide for qualified individuals based on their skills and attributes, as well as their professional reputation. We talk to trusted advisors to learn who is respected and admired in the field.
• As we identify potential candidates, we work to determine their fit to the organization’s mission and culture – in addition to a skill fit.
• We work with the board of directors, as well as the successful hire, to build the new relationship. We can even offer onboarding services to align expectations, help identify short-term and long-term goals, and ensure the new hire has a great start.

We hope you find this approach helpful as you recruit for key volunteer positions. As always, we encourage you to reach out to us for your leadership hiring needs. Be sure to read more about our nonprofit executive search process and contact us if we can be of service.

by Mary Ontko
COO & Senior Search Consultant
The Moran Company
“We Find Great Nonprofit Executives”

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