Showing Appreciation for Nonprofit Volunteers: 5 Fresh Ideas

When thinking about your nonprofit’s people strategy, it shouldn’t just be your employees on your mind. Volunteers devote their time to your mission and are a vital part of your team, stepping in to support operational activities like answering the phone and staying after fundraising events to help clean up. Your nonprofit couldn’t run without them, even if they aren’t formally on the payroll.

Just as you implement strategies to recruit and retain employees, you should have corresponding measures in place for your volunteers. However, since volunteers don’t receive monetary compensation, you have to think outside the box for how you can show your thanks.

We’ll explore fresh ideas for sharing your appreciation with volunteers in this guide, as well as how to develop a supportive culture where volunteers feel valued.

Creating a Culture of Appreciation

Gestures, no matter how grand or well-intentioned, will ring hollow if volunteers have a poor day-to-day experience. Before launching a volunteer program or ramping up recruitment of your current efforts, take the following steps to design a positive program:

1. Communicate Clearly. Start by establishing what roles your volunteers will fill, and write up volunteer job descriptions so they know what to expect. When writing out your volunteer opportunities, include the same components that you would in a job description. Astron Solutions recommends including job title, job summary, an overview of your organization, day-to-day duties, qualifications, and any benefits.
2. Provide Role-Specific Training: Train all volunteers on how to complete their unique roles. As volunteers gain new skills and familiarity with your organization, Better Impact’s volunteer management guide recommends providing advancement opportunities, just like you would for high-performing employees.
3. Making Opportunities Accessible. By crafting various volunteer roles and offering flexibility when possible, you can make your opportunities accessible to a diverse group of volunteers. This allows you to connect with more supporters, recruit more volunteers, and better engage with your entire community.

Once you’ve laid the foundation of a great environment for volunteers to work in, it’s time to communicate your gratitude!

Volunteer Appreciation Ideas

We’ve compiled five fresh ideas that your nonprofit can use to show volunteers how important they are to your organization. There’s no need to limit yourself to just one appreciation idea, so experiment with any recommendations that you think will fit your unique volunteer base.

Mission-Themed Gifts

As you build relationships with your volunteers, take note of their interests and values. Of course, you’ll already know one important fact: they care enough about your mission to donate their time, talents, and energy.

Using that as a jumping-off point, put together a gift inspired by your mission. Here are a few examples:

• For nature-related nonprofits: A plant, seeds, or garden accessories like a watering can
• For literacy-related organizations: A book voucher, bookmark, or book-attachable reading light
• For animal shelters and animal advocacy groups: Toys, collars, or treats for your volunteers’ beloved pets
• For performing arts organizations: Free tickets to a show or a special backstage meet-and-greet with the performers

Choose a gift idea that fits your budget and scales with your program, so no volunteer goes unappreciated.

LinkedIn Recommendation

For volunteers you have worked with closely and can testify to their skills, consider writing them a LinkedIn recommendation. Having your support on their profile can help them grow their professional network and show off their skills to future employers.

Professional Mentoring

Support your volunteers’ professional endeavors by offering to mentor them. This can be a formal program matching volunteers with members of your board or senior executive staff. Or, create casual connections between volunteers and individuals within your own network who you think they would benefit from learning from.

The content of a mentorship program will vary depending on the mentor’s expertise and the mentee’s needs. However, a few common topics include:

• Building a network within an organization and the industry
• Developing professional goals and plans for achieving them
• Advocating for themselves in compensation and benefits conversations

Creating mentor-mentee relationships within your organization benefits volunteers, while also increasing their connection to your nonprofit.

Local Favorites Treasure Hunt

Delight your volunteers with a fun treasure hunt that leads them to all of their favorite businesses in your community. Partner with local businesses to organize this appreciation idea.

Volunteers will receive a clue from your nonprofit that points them toward the first spot, maybe a pottery studio or mini-golf course, where they’ll receive a voucher to participate in the activity. Once they’ve completed the activity, they will earn another clue leading them to another destination, perhaps a restaurant for dinner. The treasure hunt can include as many destinations as time allows.

Secret “Gratitude” Santa

This idea isn’t necessarily restricted to the holiday season, but takes the Secret Santa gift swap and repurposes it for your volunteer appreciation program. Pair up staff members with volunteers and have them surprise volunteers with small gifts and thank-you notes. Set a gift price limit so each volunteer receives a gift of equivalent value.

Implementing these appreciation ideas can encourage volunteer engagement and retention, and support your overall goal of creating a supportive, positive environment for everyone who works for your nonprofit, employees and volunteers alike.