NONPROFIT

ENCOURAGING AND RECOGNIZING NONPROFIT VOLUNTEERS

By Cecilia Harris, writer, KSAE Magazine

Because of her love for history, Susie volunteered at a historical society where she spent several hours of her free time every week looking through the archives for misplaced items that she then returned to the correct location. Months later, when she proudly announced to the director she finally had everything in order and had found the missing item he had been searching for over the past year, he mumbled a quick thank you without looking up. She left to find another nonprofit where her organizational skills would be both useful and appreciated.

It wasn’t that Susie desired to be the guest of honor at a fancy banquet – she only yearned for the director to acknowledge in a more meaningful way the important work she accomplished for the organization. According to Michigan State University (MSU) Extension, human beings need to be recognized for their efforts for their own self-esteem, motivation and selfassessment. Unfortunately, however, the recognition of these essential workers who give freely of their time and skills to nonprofits often is overlooked, given little thought or hastily planned at the last minute.

In The Ultimate Volunteer Appreciation Guide, author Tatiana Morand states that no matter the role volunteers play in an organization, finding regular and creative ways to frequently say thank you goes a long way toward building loyalty, retaining a dedicated volunteer base and helping those who support your mission feel great about their efforts. In addition, former volunteers who feel appreciated are more likely to return to assist with special events or projects.

Volunteer management software company Galaxy Digital agrees, stating on its website that recognizing volunteers for their time and efforts is essential for better volunteer engagement and retention: “Volunteers are more likely to become lifelong supporters of your cause when they feel appreciated. They look to your organization for a sense of community, kinship and an opportunity to feel good while doing good. Showing appreciation and recognition goes a long way toward supporting a welcoming environment where volunteers regularly enjoy taking part.”

Galaxy Digital defines volunteer appreciation as showing your volunteers you care about them, while volunteer recognition is about acknowledging and celebrating their achievements and impact with your organization.

Simply talking to volunteers and getting to know them cannot be underestimated; people feel valued when someone gives them attention. The Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration suggests trying “little things” to show appreciation, such as handshakes, kind words, smiles, handwritten thank-you notes, gift cards, photos, small tokens, snacks at meetings and asking about their families.

Other simple ways to make a volunteer feel valued and cared about include getting name badges for your office volunteers, taking them out for a coffee break, highlighting the volunteer on your webpage or in your newsletter, sending a card during a stressful time for the volunteer, putting their birthday on the monthly email or bulletin board, asking about their family, telling the person when others speak highly of him and telling others, such as a boss or family member, how much you appreciate their contributions to the program.

Asking a volunteer to take on a leadership role, speak to a reporter about their experience with the program, provide a testimonial to new volunteers or emcee at an event are other options. After a successful event, consider posting to a social media account a note of appreciation to all that made your event a success, and posting a photo on Instagram tagging the individuals who volunteered.

Volunteer recognition shows appreciation, reinforces efforts and recognizes accomplishments, according to MSU Extension. A comprehensive recognition plan acknowledges participation, effort, progress toward goals and a job well done. Recognition is important because it creates a personal link between a specific volunteer and the impact your nonprofit is making in the community, according to volunteerhub.com.

The first step in thanking volunteers is understanding how important they are toward your nonprofit achieving its desired outcome. After reflecting on the value a volunteer brings to your organization, discuss your ideas with your board or other staff members who may have their own suggestions and ways to engage your volunteers. Then, throughout the year find opportunities to personally offer meaningful appreciation, from the informal thank you plate of treats or verbal acknowledgement to a formal event.

When offering verbal appreciation to recognize a volunteer’s accomplishment, it is important to communicate effectively through a face-to-face discussion focusing on the volunteer’s efforts. Morand advises recognizing the person, not the work, by saying “you did a great job,” which emphasizes the individual’s contribution, instead of saying “this is a great job,” which focuses on the end result. Your comments also should be timely, occurring shortly after an achievement has been reached because the value of your gratitude diminishes as time passes.

Volunteers may desire different forms of recognition, just as they have different motivations for volunteering at your association. The Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration (MAVA) advises recognizing volunteers based on their generation.

Volunteers may desire different forms of recognition, just as they have different motivations for volunteering at your association.

years of service or honored with a plaque, pin, certificate or useful item. They may enjoy the annual volunteer banquet, a recognition program at a site where they volunteer or being recognized for achieving certain results. Having a photo with the guest of honor, being named volunteer of the year or having the chance to hand out all of the awards at the annual banquet also can be perfect recognition for the volunteer who is motivated by influence.

Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, seek recognition that emphasizes their leadership, expertise, hard work or commitment to the program; they also appreciate notes of thanks for sharing their time and like to be highlighted on websites and in newsletters. Generation X, born between 1965 and 1980, want to be recognized for their creativity or contributions through notes, cards or e-mails of appreciation, and inclusion of their family in one-on-one settings. Millennials, born after 1981, prefer recognition of their collaborative efforts through feedback, a verbal “thank you” and reference letters, according to MAVA.

Recognition, however, should be appropriate to the achievement. Morand says a paper certificate and a private thank you message are suitable for a few months of service, but a public dinner, speech with specific details on what was accomplished and the difference made, and an engraved plaque are fitting for a 10-year volunteer. However, consistency is key; Morand warns that honoring volunteers at a recognition dinner one year sets up expectations among other volunteers, so she suggests making sure the standards of recognition you establish can be maintained by the organization for years to come.

When volunteer efforts go above and beyond year after year, obviously special recognition is warranted. Nominating your volunteer for the Presidential Service Award or other state, county or local volunteer recognitions is one way to honor your most outstanding volunteers and recognize the impact they make on your organization. F

KSAE has a broad slate of upcoming programming for member education.

Me, Myself & My Camera: Implementing Video Production Solo

Monday, 8/2/2021 - 12:30 PM CT In today’s social media world, it is well known that video is king. In the association world, however, factors like small staff, limited resources, and lack of time and expertise may seem to hinder the ability to produce the video. Often, communicators will avoid utilizing video because they feel unqualified, undertrained, or unequipped to create video content. But, with a camera, tripod, and a few video tricks, implementing a video strategy is easier than you’d think. In this session, participants will learn how Nicole operates as a one-person video crew, see the equipment she uses, and learn tricks to make the editing process less daunting. 1 Total Credit: 1 CAE

Adding Value with Valuable Learning: Leveraging Adult Learning Theory

Wednesday, 8/25/2021 - 12:30 PM CT Associations are known for their ability to provide bestin-class training opportunities for members. This session

“I DIDN’T PLAN AN EVENT, I CHOREOGRAPHED IT.” That’s what you’ll be saying after creating your group event with us. Thanks to our adaptable spaces, fully-invested-in-your-success people, and total trip seamlessness, you’ll discover more Greatness for you and your group than even our name implies. KSAE 2021 Conference and Expo Oct. 21-22 Prairie Band Casino & Resort

KSAE is switching things up! Mark your calendars now, and look for details and registration opening soon.

will explore how to engage learners in a virtual or hybrid environment leveraging adult learning theory. Members boost their career prospects through learning and certification, so ensuring relevant, engaging education that improves the learner’s experience is critical. 1 Total Credit: 1 CAE

Creative Improv for Member Retention and Board Development

Wednesday, 9/8/2021 - 12:30 PM CT Non-Profit Board of Directors should rethink how they come up with new ideas for their organizations. During brainstorming sessions, we criticize while we are trying to create, which is the wrong approach. Phrases like “we can do that,” “we have tried that before, and it didn’t work,” or “we don’t have the resources to pull that off” kill the creative process.

The cure is to break the brainstorming process into two parts: divergent thinking and convergent thinking. Divergent thinking is the accumulation of all ideas without dialogue or critique—quantity over quality. Convergent thinking is assessing the ideas to see which one could be viable. This breaking apart the traditional brainstorming method is accomplished by adopting an improviser’s mindset. In improv, we say, “bad ideas are bridges to good ideas and no ideas lead to nothing.

This session will show you how to use the divergent thinking process to get the maximum number of ideas and learn how this same process works during convergent thinking. 1 Total Credit: 1 CAE

Advertising, OnBoarding and Retention: The Key to Lowering Your Turnover

Wednesday, 9/22/2021 - 12:30 PM CT This webinar will discuss the constantly changing advertising avenues such as social media and advertising boards. Hiring has gotten tougher and finding the right applicant is almost impossible. Learn how to sell your business to applicants and join an open discussion on how your industry retains employees. 1 Total Credit: 1 CAE F