GuideStar Blog

One challenge that many nonprofits face today is the ability to capture and truly understand the time supporters are providing their organization. According to an IRS study, 85 percent of U.S. charities have little to no internal staff. Most organizations were run by volunteers in 2018. Nonprofits that do not have a formal process for keeping track of volunteer hours, measuring the impact of volunteer time, and optimizing their program based on data are missing out on a substantial opportunity.

Chances are you want to make a positive impression on the community that your organization serves. Your mission may positively impact the community in a variety of ways but how are you using community engagement to reach, retain, and engage volunteers? In the last decade it has become harder to entice people to volunteer.

It is not uncommon for nonprofits to look at volunteers and monetary donors differently. Both provide tremendous value and allow an organization to reach goals and obtain its mission. Oftentimes nonprofits target these donor types differently and design different communication strategies/campaigns between the two groups. Diversifying targeting and campaigns may be beneficial for some organizations, but what happens when a supporter fits into both categories? New data is providing insights into the relationship between volunteers and financial donors. The results may surprise you.