Establishing Outcome Measures for Volunteer Involvement

Executives develop strategic plans with goals and objectives for all organizational programs, projects, and services and should expect volunteers to work toward those just as employees do. But it is helpful to consider exactly what you expect volunteer involvement to accomplish in any period. There is no reason to let abounding gratitude for donated volunteer time restrain an organization from setting standards of achievement. In fact, volunteers usually prefer to have some way to assess their service contribution.

In developing initial and then ongoing goals and objectives, bigger is not always better. Having “more” volunteers this year than last year does not self-evidently mean better service delivery or greater impact. Some organizations would actually be better off cutting their volunteer corps in half and holding those remaining to higher standards! The number of volunteers needed is a strategy determined by expectations of productivity….

Recognize, too, that the body count of how many people are in your volunteer corps does not translate into a standard number of hours contributed. Fifty volunteers each giving two hours a month provide the same output as five volunteers who can give twenty hours. The amount of effort necessary to recruit and support the larger number of volunteers is clearly much more intense, without the payback of more service. On the other hand, if your programmatic goal is community education, you may feel that getting fifty people to participate is more beneficial than just five. See? It depends.

Focus instead on the outcome and impact of volunteer activity. What results do you want volunteers to produce? As with employees, it is possible to monitor and measure the accomplishments of volunteers by stating goals and objectives at the beginning of a period—and then assessing whether these were achieved….

Outcome measures set for the volunteer component should correlate with the overall goals and objectives of the agency. I once conducted a management retreat with the department heads of a large hospital system, in preparation for which the CEO sent me an impressive eighty-page “Five-Year Strategic Plan” for the institution. I dutifully read the entire document, and when I arrived at the retreat, asked why—despite the current participation of almost six hundred volunteers—there was not one word about volunteers in the strategic plan. After much consternation, it became clear that neither the administrators nor their outside consultant had considered it possible to “plan” for volunteers!

As with every other aspect of organizational life, the amount of time you spend determining what you want volunteer involvement to be will directly affect the quality and creativity of what you get. Ignore this aspect of your organization, and maybe you’ll get lucky. But, if you incorporate planning for volunteers into overall agency planning, you will naturally take the steps necessary to assure that you reach those goals.

Author Info

Excerpted from From the Top Down: The Executive Role in Successful Volunteer Involvement, 3^rd edition, by Susan J. Ellis, © 2010, Energize, Inc. Found in the Energize, Inc. Online Bookstore at http://www.energizeinc.com/store/1-102-E-3.

By Susan J. Ellis

National Council on Citizenship reports Civic Depression

Although this study was released in August 2009, the information gleaned from this survey is as relevant as ever.

A study released in August 2009 by the National Council on Citizenship (NCOC) indicates that Americans began reducing their volunteer hours when the unemployment rate hit 9 to 10 percent.

According to David B. Smith, NCOC executive director, “Prior recessions have prompted an increase in volunteerism, but only to the point that the unemployment rate reaches a “threshold.”  Smith said, “People have moved from saying, ‘this is the time to rise up and help my community,’ to ‘times are really tough and I need to focus on making sure my family has what it needs to get through this hard time.’”

This study is  in contrast to information reported earlier in the year by the Corporation for National and Community Service which indicated a rise in volunteerism.

Smith said, “Growing need usually encourages more engagement. But when economic pressures on individuals and organization become too great, people turn inward.”

• 72% of individuals surveyed said that they cut back on time spent volunteering.
• 66% said that people are responding to the current economic downturn by looking out for themselves.
• 19% said people around them are responding to the recession by helping each other more.

The economic crisis has triggered civic foreclosure,” said Michael Weiser, NCoC Chairman, “The good heart of Americans is still very evident, though, as they refocus on basic needs.” Even though they are disproportionately affected by the economic downturn, low-income Americans are still finding ways to give back. Thirty-nine percent of individuals with an income less than $50,000 reported helping others by providing food or shelter, compared to 27% of Americans with a higher income.

Overall, 50% of Americans gave food or money to someone who was not a relative, while 17% allowed a relative to live in their home.  More than one-in-ten took in non-relatives.

Unemployment is one reason for the decline in volunteerism. The study also indicates that funding cuts in nonprofit organizations and agencies that provide opportunities for civic engagement may also be a contributing factor. Agencies are often cutting back on the very staff that coordinate volunteers.

Related Articles:

Recession Prompts Many Americans to Stop Volunteering, Study Finds, by Caroline Preston, Chronicle on Philanthropy, Aug 26,2009
Civic Health Index Finds America in the Midst of Civic Foreclosure,  EarthTimes, Aug 27, 2009
Job Lows Don’t Mean Volunteer Highs, Marketplace, National Public Media, Aug 27, 2009
A Gift of Time:  Many start giving of themselves in these tough times, Courier-Journal.com, December 29, 2009

Seventy-nine million boomers will change the world – again

(ARA) – Changing the world is not an easy assignment – but baby boomers did it once and they’ll do it again.

They tackled civil rights and women’s rights and ushered the country into the digital age of communication and entertainment media. They demanded better health care and more efficient automobiles. They worked alone and worked together to influence both their neighbors and their political leaders. Their list of achievements over the past 60-plus years is undeniably remarkable.

The boomer generation has “never just migrated through stages of life,” says Ken Dychtwald, a specialist on aging. “They always transformed them as they went . . . boomers are not going to grow old like any generations we’ve ever seen.”

And now this cohort of baby boomers – this largest of all generations, born between 1946 and 1964 inclusively – is redefining what retirement means and is on the verge of changing the world again through active volunteerism. Sometimes referred to as the “Senior Tsunami,” this 79 million-member group will begin turning 65 in 2011 and while many now must work longer than expected, large numbers are still likely to commence rolling in waves out of the work force. This powerful tsunami will continue through 2029 and beyond.

Not content to sit on their laurels
Thankfully, the boomer generation is a generation with heart, a generation that is already stepping up, recognizing that they can leave the world a better place for their children and grandchildren. It’s a strong and healthy group with a passion for helping others. Demographers predict the boomers will live longer lives and remain in better physical condition than any predecessor generation.

So, for many, knitting afghans and raising roses will not suffice. Volunteering will become the pathway of choice for many boomers. It will provide a way for them to maintain a social network with people who express their values in similar ways. Some volunteer experiences will also offer an element of adventure – something many boomers desire – without being unsafe or disorganized.

Boomer-rich companies taking note
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, a Fortune 500 financial services organization based in Minneapolis, Minn., has 2.6 million members of which approximately 40 percent are baby boomers. When Thrivent reached out to those members to determine what sorts of charitable activities the organization should support, the resounding reply was Habitat for Humanity. Many of these 45- to 60-something Thrivent members were already pounding nails on Habitat construction sites across the nation. They wanted Thrivent Financial to support those efforts.

Based on that information, the company formed a four-year $125 million alliance with Habitat for Humanity International, called Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity. The alliance supported not only the work of the popular home-building nonprofit, it also provided an enhanced means for Thrivent members to become involved or stay involved in an active and meaningful way. Members were offered opportunities to help build homes in their own communities or they could travel in teams with like-minded people to help build homes in specific U.S. locations or abroad.

Thrivent’s approach to connecting with their own boomer members through this alliance was highly successful. They were correct in anticipating that hundreds of thousands of them would be attracted to such an action-packed opportunity. The tangible result is that in just four years a combined total of more than 2,000 homes were built in the United States and in over 30 other countries.

Retiring “to,” not “from”
Along with the sheer size of the boomer generation, its vision of an active retirement is what will spur the group on to changing the world once again. In essence, boomers imagine themselves retiring to a new life, rather than retiring from an old one. They want to be part of something larger than themselves, something they can believe in. The opportunity to contribute something valuable and lasting, to engage their interests, skills and resources, to make a difference in a modicum of time and to slot in a bit of adventure will become paramount.

One of the ways they will meet all those criteria is through volunteerism. The legacy of millions of learned, talented, self-sacrificing people stepping forward to help those less fortunate is thrilling to consider. Imagine a more compassionate world where millions are volunteering and benevolence is the new norm. Those boomers just might pull it off – based on sheer numbers, if nothing else.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Why Volunteers Stop Serving

Introduction

In spite of the economic downturn, many individuals continue to serve in their communities–helping their neighbors and organizing service projects.

In  2008, 61.8 million adults donated approximately 8 billion hours of time, and yet, over one-third of these individuals (35.5%) stopped volunteering and did not serve with any organization the following year.  This high rate of volunteer turnover has forced nonprofits to focus on replacing volunteers instead of maximizing impact and building organizational capacity.

A July 2009 report titled Pathways to Service posted on Volunteering In America identified five barriers that may keep individuals from volunteering or returning to service.

Key Findings

1.  Personal invitations to serve are more appealing to prospective volunteers.

Many individuals said they had never volunteered because they had never been asked. These same non-volunteers also said that if they were asked, they would be open to volunteering.

Organizations need to address this misconception in order to effectively recruit new volunteers.  Having existing volunteers share their stories can help non-volunteers see that they are just like those who serve.

2.  Non-volunteers see themselves as essentially different from volunteers.

Non-volunteers saw volunteers as retired, without children, and with an abundance of free time. While this may be true for some volunteers, data shows that the majority of volunteers tend to have busy schedules filled with work, children, and other commitments.

Organizations need to address this misconception in order to effectively recruit new volunteers.  Having existing volunteers share their stories can help non-volunteers see that they are just like those who serve.

3. Non-volunteers worry about having enough time to volunteer.

The term time poverty was coined over a decade ago.  Organizations are competing with people’s free time and time with family and friends.  They need to offer a variety of jobs—both short and long term.

Data shows that 65.5% of all US volunteers are episodic volunteers (volunteering less than 100 hours a year with all organizations) whereas 34.5% of individuals are intensive volunteers (volunteering 100 hours or more per year).

4.  Poor volunteer management turns people off of service.

Individuals who had a bad experience volunteering with one organization often did not volunteer again.  Individuals complained about poorly trained and unprepared leaders,  inadequate orientation and  skills training, restrictive volunteer assignments, lack of recognition and more.

5.  Skills-based volunteering can bring in new volunteers.

Non-volunteers reported that using their skills and learning new skills was important to them.  Pro bono and skills-based volunteering gives nonprofits access to needed expertise at a time when many are short staffed.

Organizations need to develop sound business strategies, models, and protocols. In support of this effort, the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation recently initiated a challenge to leverage $1 billion in skilled volunteering and pro bono services from the corporate community. This three-year campaign, titled A Billion + Change, is led by the Corporation for National and Community Service to help nonprofit organizations benefit from professional skills, skills-based volunteering, and pro-bono contributions.

To see the full report:

“Pathways to Service: Learning from the potential volunteer’s perspective,” July 2009.

For another excellent report see:

The New Volunteer Workforce, By David Eisner, Robert T. Grimm Jr., Shannon Maynard, & Susannah Washburn, Winter 2009

Too Many Volunteers?

by Fonda Kendrick, VolunteerHub.com

It’s a perfect storm when it comes to volunteerism in America right now, based on several factors that we’ve blogged about in the past. The baby boomers are retiring, the unemployed are looking for activities to hone their skills for resumes and simply to fill their free time, and President Obama has issued a massive call to action on the volunteer front. Based on these three streams of supply, nonprofits are currently seeing an unprecedented demand for volunteer opportunities.

In an ironic twist, many organizations that have seen a rise in their volunteer numbers have also seen a downturn in resources. Lindsay Firestone of Taproot comments, “It’s like a Greek tragedy. We’re thrilled to have all of these volunteers. But now organizations are stuck not being able to take advantage of it because they don’t have adequate funding.”

Just a few months ago, The New York Times reported a huge surge of volunteers in areas all across the country. (One hundred thousand in New York City alone!) Suddenly, many nonprofits nationwide are saying something they never thought possible: we have too many volunteers! In fact, the Times quoted one anonymous nonprofit exec as saying, “Can you make them stop calling? Everybody’s inspired by Obama,” he noted. Then he tacked on, “They also don’t have jobs.”

Others echo the executive’s sentiment. Bertina Ceccarelli of United Way in New York, states: “It’s sad but true, but the irony is that sometimes it’s almost more work to find something for a volunteer to do than to just turn them away.”

Having too many volunteers can be chaotic and counterproductive; both volunteer coordinators and volunteers can become frustrated with this situation. However, as we researched deeper into this topic, we found some tips for regulating volunteers within an organization:

• Before recruiting new volunteers, take stock of your current needs. List the tasks you would like to assign to volunteers, how many people you will need for each task, and how many hours per week should be devoted to these assignments.
• Write up a “wish list” focusing on a variety of areas within the organization. What have you been wanting to do/try? In particular, you may want to focus on fundraising efforts, marketing/PR/graphic design, and maybe even maintenance work such as cleaning or painting. Again, assess the hours and number of individuals needed for these tasks.
• Create a “crowdsourcing” area on your website. Have members of your organization brainstorm on challenges that hinder them from attaining some of their goals. Ask your volunteers (or the public in general) to offer ideas for solutions, then use those suggestions, in tandem with volunteers, to put those plans into action.
• Get creative. What new programs or teams could you start with additional volunteers, even on a shoestring?
• Develop a list of tasks that can always be done with little direction/supervision.
• Hold monthly informational meetings for potential volunteers to find out more about your organization and its volunteer opportunities. This will minimize time spent on this aspect of recruiting and maximize the amount of individuals reached each month.
• Cultivate one or more volunteers to manage and/or train other volunteers.
• Start a waiting list for volunteers. As we all know, some volunteers have a short-lived enthusiasm. If some drop out of your volunteer pool, it helps to have more ready and willing contacts at your fingertips.

Handy hint: Once you have new volunteer opportunities planned, don’t forget to use VolunteerHub’s event slot limit feature to set boundaries on the number of volunteers registering. (Make sure to use the waitlisting feature, too!)

Remember, with a surplus of volunteers, this is your time to be selective. You have the right — and the responsibility — to interview volunteers to make sure they are a good fit for both your organization and the projects you have outlined. And, by partnering with other organizations in your community, you can refer individuals that do not mesh well with your agency to other groups to which they may be better suited.

Perhaps most importantly, keep in mind that this is your chance to make a lasting impression on your volunteers. Take the time to evaluate your need for volunteers and match those willing to help with challenging, meaningful tasks. If they have a fulfilling, well-planned experience, your volunteers are likely to maintain their ties to your organization for years to come.

Related article:

“From the Ranks of Jobless, A Flood of Volunteers,” by Julie Bosman, in the New York Times, March 16, 2009

United We Serve

On June 17th, President Obama announced a new initiative to encourage service in America United We Serve and asked Americans of all ages to volunteer over the summer.

“I’m calling on all of you to make volunteerism and community service part of your daily life and the life of this nation,” said President Obama in a video release. “And when I say ‘all,’ I mean everyone young and old, from every background, all across this country. We need individuals, community organizations, corporations, foundations, and our government to be part of this effort.”

Click here for the entire announcement:  http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/United-We-Serve

Click here for Michelle Obama announcement:  http://www.allforgood.org/

Related links:

Online resource for service:  http://www.serve.gov/

Notes from 2009 National Conference on Volunteering and Service:  http://philanthropy.com/news/conference/

Conference blog:  http://www.casefoundation.org/blog/united-we-serve-new-rally-cry

Related article:

Jobless Professionals Yearn to Do Good, Kyle Stock, The Wall Street Journal, June 9, 2009

Add Tech Volunteers to Your Team

It’s almost impossible to effectively recruit and manage volunteers today without fully engaging technology.  Successful volunteer managers increasingly…

• Use volunteer management software to streamline their operations
• Maximize their organization’s website by posting volunteer applications, newsletters, position descriptions, photos,  videos, and more
• Utilize social networking sites
• Post and update volunteer positions on online recruitment sites
• Take advantage of free online software and tools like wikis and Google docs
• Blog and Twitter
• Employ multiple methods to communicate with volunteers including text messaging, Skype, and list-serves.

If you don’t have the staff or skills to manage this brave new world, you can improve your chances of success by adding tech volunteers to your team.  And, these individuals don’t  have to live in your community to be helpful!

Before you go in search of help, be sure to download TechSoup’s free manual,  Working with Technical Volunteers: A Manual for NPOs. This recently updated guide includes the latest tech specs to use during volunteer interviews. The manual also includes comprehensive worksheets, sample applications, volunteer contracts, and questionnaires.

Once you’ve developed your plan and written your volunteer position descriptions, you”ll want to begin your search.

Here are a few suggestions for building your team and finding individuals with the right skills:

1. Contact your local volunteer center, RSVP, or national volunteer matching programs such as http://www.volunteermatch.com or http://www.techsoup.org.
2. Get permission to put a notice on an electronic bulletin board or get included in an in-house newsletter at local corporations and high-tech companies.
3. Check with instructors at area high schools, colleges or technical schools for qualified students who may want some actual experience designing web sites and working on similar projects.
4. Try contacting university departments and campus organizations related to technology such as engineering and computer science.
5. Ask  colleagues at other nonprofits in  your community where they go for technical volunteers.
6. Ask board members and volunteers if they know of someone or if they can tell you where to post a job description.
7. User groups or clubs meet either in person or online to discuss different types of hardware and software. Look for them in your local computer newspaper (if you have one) or on the Internet. Yahoo! and Google user groups, Craigslist.org, and Yahoo’s hardware user groups are good places to start.

Related articles:

“Engaging Techie Volunteers,”  Judicious Web, April 23, 2009

“Technology Acceleration: Grab Hold and Hang On,”  Susan Ellis, Energizeinc.com, June 2007

How The Recession Is Affecting US Volunteering

Unemployed people are spending large amounts of their time volunteering. Recent evidence of this includes:

• NYC Service had 30% more visitors in February 2009 than in February 2008.
• The Philadelphia Chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters had a 25% increase in inquires about mentoring from February 2008.
• The Taproot Foundation, a San Francisco-based organization that places skilled professionals in volunteer positions, had more people sign up on one day earlier this year than in an entire month a year ago.

Benefits of volunteering:

• Volunteering gives people something to do while job hunting that allows them to feel good about themselves.
• Volunteering is a way to stay active and stay in touch.
• Volunteering fills a gap in one’s job history and answers the questions, “What have you been doing?”
• Volunteering can lead to new job opportunities.
• Hard economic times give people a renewed sense of compassion and a better understanding of how others are struggling.
• Volunteering relieves stress from constantly thinking about economic matters.
• Because of the current economic climate, teens have become more aware of the needs of others and are volunteering.

The impact of increased number of volunteers on nonprofit organizations

• Smaller organizations without volunteer coordinators are struggling to absorb the influx of volunteers many of whom are highly skilled.
• Funding cuts can make nonprofits less able to take advantage of volunteer support.

Courtesy of Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory.

Adapted from:

“From Ranks of Jobless, a Flood of Volunteers,” by Julie Bosman, in the New York Times, March 16, 2009

“Some US jobless find hope and solace as volunteers” by Andrew Stern in RUETERS, February 24, 2009.

Related links:

“How Will the Economic Crisis Affect Volunteering”   by Susan Ellis, energizeinc.com, November 2008.

“Turning Down Volunteers”  by MBA Publishing, volunteertoday.com, May 2009.

Shifting Course: Why You Should Be Preparing For The New Volunteer

If you did a survey of hospital volunteer programs, you would discover the majority of them were formed in the early-to-mid 1950’s.    These programs were organized by GI Generation women, many of whom had worked and volunteered to support the war.  Once their soldiers returned, the women returned home too, raising children and putting their time, organizing skills, and energy into volunteering and raising funds for civic organizations…and community hospitals.

Many in the GI Generation were shaped by two world wars and a great depression, and so were their workplace values.  These are the values that have defined hospital volunteer programs for more than 50 years–serving on a regular-ongoing basis, performing repetitive, lower skilled, highly defined roles. An annual banquet and a pin for their service hours were standard and desirable forms of recognition.  A pink pinafore was a source of pride.  Now the youngest members of the GI Generation are 85 years of age.

What is your healthcare institution doing to create new systems and new opportunities for the next volunteer generation?

Your volunteer pool is dwindling and you are not alone.  But looking to younger volunteers to work in “old” systems won’t succeed.   This next generation says they prefer short-term commitments.  They want meaningful work and opportunities to use their professional skills.  They want autonomy, self-direction and lots of choice when volunteering.  They are time-poor and you are competing for their recreational time and time with friends and loved ones.  What they want in exchange is a valuable experience-reflective of their ideals, their skills, and their values!

By 2010, nearly 64 million Boomers will be poised to retire.  Because of the long-term effects of the current recession, many will have to work, but not all of them full time.  Research tells us almost two-thirds of Boomers plan to volunteer. Serving community becomes more important to them as they age.   They are willing to roll up their sleeves to solve society’s problems, but it may be between jobs or on a project basis.

What can you do to attract this next volunteer generation?   Consider…

• Hire a professional volunteer director–preferably one who has completed their Certified Administrator of Volunteer Services (CAVS) designation through the American Hospital Association.  Or support your existing director in getting certified.

• Give your volunteer director time and resources to create new volunteer management systems.

• Expand volunteer opportunities for highly skilled individuals.   Use words like pro bono consultant, team leader, virtual volunteer and entrepreneur words when marketing.

• Train employees to work with a more educated and professionally trained volunteer workforce.   Recognize and compensate them for doing so.

• Create a new range of incentives for a more diverse volunteer team.

Create a win-win for all

An AARP poll found that nearly 54% of volunteers and 48% of non-volunteers would give 15-hours a week if they were provided compensation such as reduced drug costs, gas, and small monthly stipends.   For individuals who have just lost a job and half of their retirement, a stipend (contract labor at below market wages) could create a win-win for all.  The poll also found that the 50+ volunteer workforce could be doubled through small inducements such as learning new things, making friends, and putting career skills to use.

Changing a half century-old volunteer management system requires time and strategic planning.  Current volunteers will need to be brought on board.  And, it will take time to find out what works, change what doesn’t, and make course corrections.

What are the benefits to you?

• Because they are “private citizens,” volunteers are free to advocate on your behalf.

• They extend the budget by providing time philanthropy, and, if managed effectively, can have a large impact on your ability to reach your mission.

• Volunteers have the luxury to concentrate their time and expertise on a particular issue, customer or service area.

• They are an abundant resource that can compliment your workforce.

• Volunteers are twice as likely to donate money as non-volunteers.

Healthcare volunteer programs have been making incremental changes for decades.  But shifting demographics and transformational changes now occurring in our country and healthcare institutions, have made it critical that hospitals make fundamental and meaningful changes in how volunteers are recruited, managed and supported.

Volunteers can improve your hospital’s effectiveness and services to both patients and your community.  Are you ready to succeed with this new talent pool?

Tracking the Value of Volunteer Contributions

I was cautioned early in my career, never to say that volunteers save money.  Unless you are prepared to deduct all program expenses, it’s best to look at volunteers as enhancing services to clients and community and building organizational capacity.

Tracking volunteer hours is important to funders, good data for annual reports, and important when recognizing volunteer contributions.

The Independent Sector tracks the value of volunteer hours. The most recent figure is $19.51, which includes a 12 percent estimate for fringe benefit costs. This figure does not adequately account for  individuals who provide specialized skills like attorneys.

By 2010, almost 64 million boomers are poised to retire. They represent a highly educated work force. As they begin knocking on nonprofit doors and offering more specialized skills, it is in your organization’s best interest to find a simple way to track the value of these hours.

One way is way is to utilize volunteer management software.  My favorite is Volgistics. You determine the value of the job based on what the local market will bear, plug in the figure and the software does the rest. Volunteers enter hours through your website portal and they are downloaded into your database.

The Points of Light Foundation has created a free tool, a calculator, which makes it possible to estimate the appropriate wage rate for volunteer time based on the volunteer’s position.

The calculator is simple to use! You just need to search for the job description and enter the number of hours given by the volunteer. Repeat this process until all volunteer hours have been entered. The system will automatically calculate the total for each job category and for the total across all volunteer jobs.

Calculating the value of volunteer hours is just one step in measuring your volunteer program’s effectiveness.

For more information about tracking volunteer hours and determing their value, check out the following articles:
• “Tracking Volunteer Time to Boost Your Bottom Line,” by Dennis Walsh, CPA.
• “Pro Bono Work Pegged At $120/hour,”  The Nonprofit Times, March 30, 2009.

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