How to Design a Volunteer Training Program that Boosts Learning When designing a volunteer training program, the biggest challenge is how to create a training process that doesn’t scare volunteers away. Often, the programs I work with have daunting amounts of information volunteers must learn in order to perform with confidence. Programs must be assured [...]
Whether you are trying to recruit volunteers, raise money, or advocate for an increased budget there’s nothing quite like a captivating testimonial to build support. The only problem is that it’s hard to come up with factual stories “on demand” when you need them. That’s where storybanking comes in
To help nonprofit leaders better persuade others to support their missions, I've been studying what motivates human behavior, more specifically what motivates us to switch direction, away from our well-worn path toward something new.
As our economy evolves, I hear the frustration expressed that volunteers aren’t available any more. Two reasons are often cited -- 1) Older volunteers are delaying retirement, and 2) Unemployed volunteers are returning back to work. But, I wonder of this is the case.
If you’re like most volunteer program administrators, you “wear many hats.” The constant need to multi-task is a critical issue that needs to be addressed. But, given the current economic climate and budget shortfalls, it’s not likely that help is on the horizon. To succeed in this environment, we may need to work smarter, not harder.
The Problem with Hidden Biases and a Strategy to Reduce Bias Have you ever been in a volunteer or board meeting where one person suggests a course of action and everyone just goes with it, without really questioning the viability of the solution? Conversely, have you ever been in a meeting where the group sees a [...]
In his recent Ted Talk, “The way we think about charity is dead wrong,” author and fundraiser Dan Pallotta raises some serious questions about our current mindset in the social sector. He argues that a discriminatory belief system about nonprofits stunts our growth and capacity. This also impact how we think about and resource our volunteer programs.
In volunteer programs, we often attempt to institutionalize socialization by creating a single orientation event that’s meant to, among other things, shorten the time it takes to get volunteers acclimated. But, does this really work?
All kinds of businesses have loyalty programs. Why don’t nonprofits create loyalty programs for their supporters? Could a loyalty program help you better capture the attention of a group of people dedicated to your cause and then continue to build their trust over time?
It’s that time of year, where we (in the US) wait eagerly for our wage, income, and tax statements to arrive and we scramble to find all those receipts we need to complete our federal tax returns. Why not help your volunteers get all the deductions they have coming?