Welcome to the Volunteer Nation Podcast!
Weekly interviews, big hat thinking, quick wins, and smart strategy to help you
engage your community and make a bigger impact.
Welcome to the Volunteer Nation Podcast!
Weekly interviews, big hat thinking, quick wins, and smart strategy to help you
engage your community and make a bigger impact.
About the Show
Nonprofit leadership author, coach, and expert Tobi Johnson shares weekly tips to help charities build, grow, and scale exceptional volunteer teams. Discover how your nonprofit can effectively coordinate volunteers who are reliable, equipped, and ready to help you bring about BIG change for the better.
Rather than continuing to “do more with less,” achieve abundance for your organization by engaging community talent that helps you do more with more.
Society is evolving and so, too, is volunteerism. With over 25 years of experience working in nonprofits, public sector agencies, and grassroots campaigns Tobi is known for her modern “big hat” thinking and straight talk about what it takes to achieve success in today’s world.
You will learn how to coordinate volunteers, improve the volunteer experience, recruit volunteers, appreciate volunteers, and do it all more efficiently with the right volunteer management software and digital tools. It’s a mix of interviews and solo shows you’re not going to want to miss.
So, if you’re ready to ditch the stress and harness the power of people to fuel your good work, you’re in exactly the right place. Hit subscribe and let’s DO this!
Your Host
Tobi Johnson, MA, CVA is an internationally sought-after expert, consultant, advisor, and master trainer in volunteer engagement. She is known for her modern thought leadership, highly practical evidence-based strategies, and innovative, “big hat” thinking around engaging, supporting, and acknowledging the work of volunteers. She is the President of Tobi Johnson & Associates, a consulting firm whose mission is to help nonprofit organizations make connections with remarkable volunteers. In 2015, she founded VolunteerPro, an online training and networking community for leaders of volunteers. She is also co-host of the Time + Talent Podcast with Jennifer Bennett of VolunteerMatch.
Tobi has over 30 years direct experience in nonprofit management, program development, program coordination, training delivery and learning design across a wide range of charities and government agencies. She wrote Chapter 1 of Volunteer Engagement 2.0: Ideas and Insights for Transforming Volunteer Programs in a Changing World. Each year, her firm also conducts the Volunteer Management Progress Report, a global state-of-the-industry survey. In 2022, over 1,300 professionals from 28 countries participated.
A native of the Pacific Northwest, Tobi is a graduate of the University of Washington and has a master’s degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She now lives in East Tennessee with her husband and feline office assistant, Bailey.
Latest Episodes
085 – BIG Volunteer Goals for 2024 – Four Examples
November 23, 2023 Episode #85: BIG Volunteer Goals for 2024 - Four Examples In this Volunteer Nation host, Tobi Johnson, dives deep into the art of goal-setting. She shares practical tips and real-life examples to inspire and guide you in establishing [...]
084 – Building An Inclusive Culture at Your Volunteer Organization with Advita Patel
November 16, 2023 Episode #84: Building an Inclusive Culture at Your Volunteer Organization with Advita Patel Our host, Tobi, is joined by the incredible Advita Patel, an expert in internal communications and inclusive workplaces. Together, they discuss the challenges faced by [...]
083 – Make the Most of Corporate Partnerships with Alyson Gallaher
November 9, 2023 Episode #83: Make the Most of Corporate Partnerships with Alyson Gallaher In this episode, Tobi and guest Alyson Gallaher dive into the world of corporate-nonprofit collaborations. They shed light on the changing dynamics of corporate partnerships, emphasizing the [...]
082 – Nonprofit Strategic Planning for 2024 in 3 Simple Steps
November 2, 2023 Episode #82: Nonprofit Strategic Planning for 2024 in 3 Simple Steps In this episode, we're diving deep into the world of nonprofit strategic planning for the year 2024. We understand that the process can often feel overwhelming, but [...]
081 – How Vol Services & Nonprofit Marketers Can Work Together with Kivi Leroux Miller
October 26, 2023 Episode #81: How Vol Services & Nonprofit Marketers Can Work Together with Kivi Leroux Miller In this episode, sits down with Kivi Leroux Miller, an expert in nonprofit marketing to discuss the importance of collaboration between volunteer services [...]
080 – A Sneak Peek of My New Book for Volunteer Leaders
October 20, 2023 Episode #80: A Sneak Peek of My New Book for Volunteer Leaders In this episode, Tobi provides you with an exclusive sneak peek into the key concepts and insights shared in her upcoming book for volunteer leaders. Tobi [...]
079 – Nonprofit SEO: How to Get Found on Google
October 12, 2023 Episode #79: Nonprofit SEO: How to Get Found on Google In this episode of our podcast, Tobi Johnson dives deep into the world of nonprofit SEO and how it can revolutionize your volunteer recruitment efforts. SEO might sound [...]
078 – Finding Skills-Based Volunteers the Easy Way with Tyler Manley
October 5, 2023 Episode #78: Finding Skills-Based Volunteers the Easy Way with Tyler Manley In this episode, Tobi sits down with Tyler Manley, an expert in skills-based volunteering from Catchafire, to delve into the topic of finding skills based volunteers the [...]
077 – Engaging Communities in Social Change with Vichi Jagannathan
September 28, 2023 Episode #77: Engaging Communities in Social Change with Vichi Jagannathan In this episode, Tobi has a fascinating discussion on engaging communities in social change with Vichi Jagannathan. Vichi shares her personal journey and experiences in working towards social [...]
076 – Flipping the Script on Nonprofit Fundraising with Sandy Rees
September 21, 2023 Episode #76: Flipping the Script on Nonprofit Fundraising with Sandy Rees In this episode, Tobi engages in a thought-provoking discussion with Sandy Rees, CEO of Get Fully Funded, about innovative strategies for nonprofit fundraising success. Sandy Rees is [...]
075 – How to Recruit Volunteers Using Social Media with Julia Campbell
September 14, 2023 Episode #75: How to Recruit Volunteers Using Social Media with Julia Campbell In this episode, Tobi sits down with Julia Campbell, a seasoned expert in nonprofit marketing and communications. Together, they explore proven strategies for attracting and engaging [...]
074 – Secrets to Retaining Volunteers Revealed
September 7, 2023 Episode #74: Secrets to Retaining Volunteers Revealed In this episode, Tobi delve into the crucial topic of volunteer retention. As the pandemic has left many feeling tired and exhausted, people have become more selective in how they spend [...]