How to Make Volunteers Feel Like a Million Bucks

How to Make Volunteers Feel Like a Million Bucks
(When You Only Have Pennies to Spend)
by Helen Beamer

You want to appreciate your volunteers in a spectacular way but your volunteer appreciation budget (what budget?) does not provide the necessary funds.  Faced with this challenge, I find it works best to be creative in how you recognize volunteers.

Here are a dozen low-cost ways to let your volunteers know you appreciate them.

1. Be friendly and say thank you.  It doesn’t cost a thing to greet a volunteer and ask how things are going.  A warm, welcoming atmosphere creates an environment that meets the social interaction needs of volunteers. Encourage staff who work with volunteers to express their appreciation to volunteers each day.

2. Involve your clients in saying “Thank You.”  Client-made cards, decorations, or performances in poetry, song, or dance demonstrate appreciation in the most precious way.  The words and drawings of grateful clients (especially if your agency works with children) convey a sincerity that will touch a volunteer’s heart.  You can replicate these one-of-a-kind thank you cards with a color copier or a scanner and color printer.  They make great gift cards attached to an inexpensive gift.  The reproductions look almost as good as the originals.

3. Turn others’ trash into treasure.  Your agency may have extra items left over from a fundraising event or an in-kind donation they can’t figure out how to use.  I have uncovered expensive gift bags and colorful ribbon, discovered potential centerpieces, and framed photos with castoffs I found stuffed in boxes and hidden in closets.

4. Seek out donations.  A local business may be willing to provide exactly what you are looking for.  I once got several beautiful flower arrangements for an event at no cost with the condition that I return the empty vases to the florist the next day.  Make sure to write a glowing thank you letter and to provide a donation receipt for tax purposes.  Obtain your supervisor’s approval before you solicit donations.

5. Recruit the talents of family, friends, and staff.  My mother-in-law makes and sells dried flower arrangements.  She put together more than a dozen centerpieces one year when I asked for her help.  The volunteers loved them!  A friend who likes stamping designed a card to fit a recognition theme.  Co-workers were more than happy to give an hour to wrap gifts for volunteers.

6. Turn centerpieces into volunteer gifts or door prizes.  We had lots of small potted plants (purchased at a discount) to brighten a volunteer reception one year.  At the end of the event, each plant went home with a happy volunteer.  Months later, a volunteer with a not-so-green thumb went out of her way to let me know her plant was still thriving.

7. Shop the after-holiday sales and clearance racks.  Plan ahead.  The volunteers will never know that the New Year’s greeting was printed on holiday paper purchased at last year’s after-Christmas sale at 75% off.  Look for candy (always a favorite) that gets marked down quickly after a holiday.  The off-season red, green, or pastel wrappers can easily be worked into a volunteer appreciation theme with real savings to your program.

8. Check out what is in stock at the dollar store.  The dollar store has a lot to offer to the cash-strapped volunteer coordinator.  You can pick up tablecloths, napkins, or plates in an assortment of colors for only a dollar per package, leaving you with money to purchase refreshments!  Dollar store gift items, like candles, flower pots, or lotions look inviting wrapped in cellophane or nestled inside a gift bag.

9. Honor your volunteers with certificates.  This is an inexpensive way to make sure you can afford to recognize each of your volunteers.  Create personalized certificates for an annual recognition event or to honor the volunteer of the month.  Using your agency’s second page letterhead (think, free paper) will coordinate the look of the certificate with other agency materials.

10. Do it yourself.  Preparing vegetable and cheese trays (with food purchased at sale prices) is a lot less expensive than hiring a caterer for a reception.  Be sure to use proper food handling techniques and storage if you do it on your own.

11. Use the postage meter.  When you send cards and invitations to volunteers, remember the postage meter.  Depending on your agency’s accounting practices, using the meter (instead of stamps) may count as an indirect cost to the agency, rather than coming out of your budget.

12. When you do have money to spend, look for gifts that promote your cause.

Give volunteers a practical gift imprinted with a logo or message that will show their affiliation with your program and serve as a marketing tool.  Mugs in my kitchen cupboard remind me of organizations where once I volunteered.  A tote bag or pen with your organization’s logo will be useful to volunteers and may spark a conversation with others about the work they do for you.

You do not have to spend a lot to make a volunteer happy.  One of the volunteer appreciation gifts I treasure most from my 12 years as a school board trustee is a green clay pinch pot created by an anonymous elementary school student.  I keep loose change and spare keys in that unique clay dish.  Every time I see it, it makes me smile.

Have You Reserved Your Day with Nancy MacDuff and MDVAN?

Have you Invested in Your Professional Development?

All-Day Volunteer Management Training “NEW VITALITY 2009″
Co-sponsored by MDVAN

Growing Volunteer Service in Challenging Times

Presented by national expert NANCY MACDUFF

Thursday, November 12, 2009
8:30 am – 3:30 pm

Cost $50

Location: Hospice of Michigan, 400 Mack Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201 , (313) 578-6200
Lunch included
Free, secure parking

Click here to register

Nancy is the author of numerous books and chapters in The Jossey-Bass Handbook of Nonprofit Leadership and Management, The Volunteer Management Handbook, and Managing Volunteer Diversity.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from her expertise and invest in this opportunity to grow in your profession.

What Is Virtual Volunteering?

Excerpts  From: The Virtual Volunteering Guidebook
by Susan J. Ellis and Jayne Cravens, © 2000, ImpactOnline, Inc.

What Is “Virtual Volunteering”?
“Virtual volunteering” refers to volunteer tasks completed, in whole or in part, via the Internet and a home or work computer. It’s also known as online volunteering, cyber service, telementoring, teletutoring and various
other names.

The concept is not meant as a substitute for traditional “in person”  volunteering. In fact, one of the most exciting things about this innovative use of technology is that it is adding both to the quantity of service contributed and to attracting people who have not necessarily  volunteered before.

Virtual volunteering offers greater access to community resources and provides more ways for people to support community groups, nonprofit agencies, schools and other organizations.

For some people, service online will be a preferred avenue of volunteering but, for most, it will be an additional way of contributing time and talent.

Most organizations which involve online volunteers do so in addition to welcoming on-site volunteers. Also, only a few online volunteers work solely via the Internet. Often a combination of on-site and online tasks for volunteers works best for everyone involved (volunteers, staff, clients).

As will be described later, assignments can have different levels of virtuality. For instance, one volunteer may interact with clients online but meet on-site with a staff member regularly; another may talk with a client via e-mail in addition to regular face-to-face visits.

Why Involve Online Volunteers?
Online volunteers, just as those who come on site, extend the resources of an organization. The additional help augments staff resources and allows an organization to reach more clients.

There are many good reasons to involve volunteers via online technologies, as well as to use the Internet for recruitment of on-site volunteers:

• Potential volunteers not reached by traditional off-line means may be reached online.

• There are people who don’t read the newspaper’s column on volunteer opportunities or who don’t read bulletins from the local volunteer center, but who would, indeed, love to volunteer and are easily reached online via the World Wide Web and appropriate Internet discussion groups.

• People who prefer not to volunteer on-site may be willing to do so via their home or work computers.

• Setting out expectations online allows prospective volunteers to self-screen their interests before contacting an agency.

• Some people prefer to communicate via online means. Dashing off an e-mail or filling out an online sign-up sheet is more convenient and, for some people, preferable to calling an organization.

• Virtual volunteering programs allow for the participation of people who might find on-site volunteering difficult or impossible because of a disability, mobility issue, home obligation or work schedule. This, in turn, allows agencies to benefit from the additional talent and resources of more volunteers.

• People in their 20s and 30s are more prone to use the resources of the Internet than other age groups and like the novelty and convenience of finding and signing up for either on-site or virtual volunteering via this technology. These younger volunteers can turn into long-time supporters, including becoming financial donors.

• Online volunteers are environmentally friendly—no car exhausts, less paper waste, etc.

What Can Someone Do as an Online Volunteer?
The Virtual Volunteering Project has defined two categories of online  volunteering:  technical assistance and direct contact with clients.

Technical Assistance
“Technical assistance” assignments utilize the expertise of a volunteer to support paid staff or other volunteers at an agency, and usually involve accomplishing a project or reaching an objective. The results are readily visible:  a final product, a report, etc. E-mail is the main form of communication as the work progresses.

Here are just a few examples of what a volunteer can do to provide virtual technical assistance:

• conduct online research: find information to use in an agency’s upcoming grant proposal or newsletter, gather information on a particular government program or legislation that affects an agency’s clients, gather Web site addresses of similarly-focused organizations, etc.

• provide professional consulting expertise:  answer an agency’s questions regarding human resource, accounting, management or legal issues, write a speech, develop a strategic plan for a particular department, etc.

• conduct online outreach and advocacy: post information to appropriate newsgroups and electronic lists, prepare legislative alerts to be sent via e-mail, etc.

• design an agency’s newsletter or brochure, or copy edit an agency’s publication or proposal

• design a logo for an agency or program

• translate a document into another language

• prepare information for an agency’s World Wide Web site

• make sure a Web site is accessible for people using assistive technologies

• register an agency’s Web home page and other appropriate pages with online search engines, directories and “What’s New” sites

• design a database

• do daily searches for news articles relating to an organization or a particular topic

• provide an online orientation to all volunteers with Internet access (whether or not they are on-site or online volunteers), or survey volunteers via e-mail about their experiences with an agency or program

Direct Client Contact
Most organizations readily see the potential of involving volunteers in doing virtual technical assistance. A much more complex subject is how to create electronic links between a volunteer and a client or other recipient of service. This subject is discussed in more detail later, but here are some ideas for what an online volunteer could do with or for a client…

Download the entire Virtual Volunteering Guidebook pdf to read more.

We’d like to hear how your organization uses virtual volunteers — share your thoughts and stories.

Community Service – A National Call to Serve

On April 21st, the President of the United States made the falling call to America regarding community service: We need your service right now, at this moment in history. I’m not going to tell you what your role should be; that’s for you to discover. But I’m asking you to stand up and play your part….

What has been the response from your community? Are you receiving more
volunteer inquiries? If so, what tools have you developed to handle this national call to serve?

Do you have thoughts you would like to share about this post? Let’s start a conversation!

Name Our Email Newsletter

One of the things we have done this year is revise our logo and website.
However, one thing is missing – a name for our newsletter!

Do you have a catchy title that encompasses your view of MDVAN or the newsletter as a communication tool? Send in your titles! We will acknowledge the winner!

How to Be a Nonprofit Development Director – Your First 100 Days

By Pamela Grow

President Roosevelt, coming into office in the midst of the desperate years of the Great Depression, set the standard for new presidents to make their marks within their first 100 days in office. And, like FDR, incoming President Barack Obama enters the White House at a time of great crisis with his own ambitious first 100 days to do list.

Chances are, if you’re coming on board as a nonprofit development director in today’s climate, you, too, may be facing a time of great instability. Nonprofits, for the most part, have been hit hard by our nation’s economic woes. They’re facing challenges in terms of donations, staffing, government and foundation funding and organizational structure. How can you make a difference quickly, while at the same time setting those important standards for your organization’s future sustainability? Too often a development director’s worth is hastily measured by those without a true understanding of how development operates. Today’s grant proposal will more than likely take months, if not a year, to bear fruit. Establishing a successful individual donor campaign will certainly yield immediate results, but the real results may take years.

How can you best approach your new position in those crucial first 100 days? Begin by giving yourself some time to review what’s been done in the past. Hopefully the grant files will be well organized, the database will be one that you’re already familiar with, you can access what has been done in terms of any type of annual appeal and events. Make a list to determine what needs to be done in each of the following areas:

Grants Take a look at your organization’s 990 or budget for the past three years to determine what percentage of the budget came from grant funding. Has the organization run any past capital campaigns? Do they have a history of funding from the same funders every year? What efforts have been made to locate new sources of foundation or corporate funding? What is the organization’s goal for foundation/corporate funding? What types of relationships does the organization have with their foundation/corporate funders? If you’ve been in the field for awhile, right off the top of your head, some new sources may come to mind. Make it a point to prioritize locating new sources of funding by doing weekly research.

Individual Donors Who are your donors? Does your organization have any bequest gifts? Make it a point to create a listing of your top ten to twenty donors. You’ll want to speak with them on the phone or meet with them personally within the upcoming 100 days to introduce yourself and learn about their connection with the organization. Don’t make the mistake of solely focusing on your top donors. Query your database as well to find your most loyal donors. These may be individuals who only give $50 – but they’ve given every year for the past ten years. Make it a point to write, call or meet with as many of these individuals as well to introduce yourself and show your appreciation.

Database I’m assuming that your organization has one J. Chances are, if you’re a new development director working for a smaller nonprofit and you are the sole development department, the database may be nonexistent or a bit of a mess. Do your best to familiarize yourself with your organization’s database, the past protocols for data entry and reporting procedures – and absolutely set aside time for training if necessary. Developing a thorough knowledge of your database’s structure and setting standards for entry is crucial to your fundraising success.

Communications How has your organization communicated in the past? What does their website look like and who maintains it? Is their website current? What types of collateral does the organization have to express their mission? Is the organization logo prominent on all pieces of communication? Has communication with donors been current or sporadic? Has any effort been made to engage the local press? Begin to outline a strong, consistent communications plan to keep your donors – and the public – informed.

Stewardship Does the organization have protocols on stewardship? What are the guidelines for a thank you letter to a donor? To a corporate or foundation funder? When does the Board president or CEO sign the thank you letter? Are thank you calls made on a weekly basis? Make a plan to gather all stewardship materials together and develop a consistent plan for thanking and retaining donors.

Events Familiarize yourself with past events, if any. How do they relate to the mission of the organization? Have they met goal? What are the expectations for the upcoming year?

Board During your first 30 days you should make every effort to introduce yourself to every member of your board of directors if you haven’t already met. Find out how they became involved with the organization, what their fundraising goals are, and what kind of communication they’d like to receive from you.

Community Has your organization been involved with any community organizations in the past such as Rotary, the Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, etc.? If so, make it a point to keep current on the connections. If not, you may want to consider how involvement might benefit your organization.

Your Mission Probably the most important part about your new job is your organization’s mission and how you relate to it. Your strong passion for the goals and value of your organization will be key to how well you are able to raise funds. Whether you’re working for a museum, an arts organization, a free clinic, a school, a religious organization, etc., you must be thoroughly grounded and have a strong belief in the mission. Make it a point to learn why your organization was founded, who benefits, and why their services are so important to the community.

Wearing the many hats of a one-person development office is challenging! Make your first 100 days count.

Pamela has worked in the nonprofit arena since 1995. Since 2003 she has had her own private consultancy, assisting nonprofit organizations with proposal development, prospect research, annual appeal strategies and communication planning. Pamela is the author of “Five Days to Foundation Grants” and publishes a weekly blog, “Towards Effective Nonprofit Writing” – http://writegrantproposals.blogspot.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pamela_Grow
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Be-a-Nonprofit-Development-Director—Your-First-100-Days&id=1915885

Volunteers Needed for United Way Staff Leaders Conference

Join us in May for the Staff Leaders Conference with United Way of America. The Staff Leaders Conference is a conference that brings together United Ways and community partners from across the country to discuss and share strategies, skills and tools to respond to the challenges facing our communities, whether they be layoffs affecting today or poor high school graduation rates affecting tomorrow.  Here is a link with more information on the SLC.

We are looking for volunteers to assist with a wide variety of activities at the SLC from greeting participants, working registration, to assisting with putting together packets of information for participants.  This would be a great way for your group to be ambassadors and welcome participants to our region.  Group sizes can range from 6-30 people depending on the volunteer role and shift.

Here is a link for information on the volunteer projects and shifts.

doXtop – free content publisher

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With doxtop, you can author and publish just about anything onto the Web in a split-second: short stories, novels, brochures, white papers, newsletters, magazines, resumes, job descriptions, educational materials, annual reports, research studies, e-books and much more! Then publish, distribute, discuss, and market your publications online in any format for the viewing pleasure of any person, group, community or network on the Web—with the click of a button, and without having to understand Web technology.
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