volunteers

>When the directors of most not for profits think of fundraising, many have the habit of thinking about their opportunities for fundraising as belonging to certain groups or categories.  After all, it’s a natural instinct to group together items that seem similar or like one another. We end up thinking of fundraising in terms of activities that are “online” and “offline.” When we think about online fundraising, we typically think of calls to action on our group’s website, and email campaigns. When we consider offline fundraising, we tend to this of direct mail campaigns and direct appeals to donors by the board members of our non-profits.

This way of thinking can actually blind us to opportunities to expand our fundraising efforts. One resource to increase fundraising that most non-profits overlook is their own pool of volunteers. Are your volunteers just workers or are they also active fundraisers for your non-profit?

The volunteers at your non-profit are probably similar to volunteers at other organisations. In general, most volunteers are passionate about making a difference in their communities and in the world through their volunteer work.  Who can better explain to current and potential donors what your organisation is about, and the difference its work makes, than someone who is passionately involved with your group – your volunteers!

While you might assume that your volunteers are already actively seeking donations to your group, many volunteers are hesitant to do so without express direction and encouragement from the administration of their non-profit.  The good news is that it’s not that difficult to empower your volunteers to put your organisation’s best foot forward and be active ambassadors for your non-profit.

Easy ways to help your volunteers to fundraise while working for your group include the following activities:

  • Encourage them to directly share their experiences when they encounter prospective donors and others in your community.
  • Integrate your online and offline fundraising efforts by using volunteer stories in your direct mail and email campaigns.
  • Encourage your volunteers to use their social media outlets to talk about their work for your non-profit.
  • Consider allowing some of your volunteers to do guest posts about their work on your non-profit’s blog, or having a section for volunteer stories.
  • Potential donors that read these stories and then become interested in your group could then be pared with individual volunteers to learn more about how the donor can help them continue their good work.
 

By leading the way for your volunteers to fundraise while they are working for your non-profit, you create a more personal connection to your non-profit for both your volunteers and donors. This connection will increase the results of your fundraising as well as raise the appeal and reputation of your non-profit.