Volunteer Management Thesis

Challenges of Volunteerism: Methods of Attracting and Retaining Viable
Volunteers in the Non Profit Sector
Phelicia D. Hardy
A Practicum Paper Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the
Master of Public Administration

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Table of Contents
Executive Summary……………………………………………………………….……………...3
Introduction……………………………………………………………………………….….......5
Literature Review…………………………………………………………………………..…….8
Volunteers in the Non Profit Sector …………………………………………….....…...8
Reasons Individuals Volunteer…………………………………………….……………..9
Recruitment Strategies………………………….……………………………………….11
Recruitment Methods……………………………………………………………………13
Recruitment Problems……………………………………………………….…………..16
Methodology………………………………………………………………………….……….. 18
Discussion of Non Profits………………………………………………………………..18
Findings ………………………………………………………………………………...…......26
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………….30
References………………………………………………………………………………………..32
Appendix………………………………………………………………………………………...34

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Executive Summary
Nonprofit organizations play an important role in society, by providing support to many
in need and by filling voids left by governmental services. In order for nonprofit organizations to
work efficiently and effectively, they must be able to attract and retain volunteers. Although the
literature on methods of attracting volunteers and retaining them is very extensive, there are a
few methods that are constant in the literature that ultimately prove to be significant in primarily,
recruitment, and consequently in retention. Therefore, the issue sought to be addressed in this
research is how some Georgia nonprofits attract their volunteer staff and if it is the most viable
method of retaining volunteers.
Supplementary investigation is always helpful, so for this reason, the purpose of this
research is to study literature on recruitment methods and compare it against current methods
used by selected Georgia nonprofits to see if they are most useful in retaining volunteers. The
research is focused on the characteristics of volunteers, volunteer values, recruitment challenges
and how those challenges contribute to volunteer retention in the nonprofit sector. Furthermore,
the study provides information on common volunteer behavior, the most practiced volunteer
recruitment methods, and how they hold up against proven methods. For this research, five
Georgia nonprofit organizations are used for study and comparison. A representative from each
organization was interviewed by phone and/or by email, and findings were weighed against what
current literature classifies as existing recruitment and retention practices. In an effort to evaluate
the internal and external environment of each organization, a SWOT analysis was conducted.

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The SWOT analysis assisted in the examination of the strengths and weaknesses within the
volunteer programs, in an attempt to create recommendations. The results of the study indicate
that the considered organizations are in line with current methods, but could stand to become
skilled at learning new methods in order to attract more volunteers. Additionally, the research
findings indicate that nonprofit organizations should show their appreciation to volunteers as
well as engage volunteers on multiple levels of involvement. The SWOT analysis will merge the
readings and the current practices by comparison of what has been practiced historically and
what is tried and true with the tested organizations.

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Introduction
Although unpaid labor in nonprofit organizations is often seen as a menial task, volunteer
work must not be mistaken as unimportant lest program executives fall prey to the ineffective
utilization of the entire spectrum of organizational human power (Brudney, 1995). The single
observation of volunteers being insignificant exposes the myopic view of many people who are
unfamiliar with the essential duties that volunteers perform in delivering public services within
nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit organizations and volunteers play a prominent but little
understood role in delivering public services (Feiock, 2006), making it even more imperative for
people to understand how essential volunteers really are in the nonprofit sector. The involvement
of volunteers is imperative in the structure and function of nonprofit organizations, enhancing
agency/organizational capacity, as well as in containing costs. In a decade that has witnessed
growing constraints on the employment and use of human resources, the prospect of drawing on
a new source of labor that could be tapped without benefit of monetary compensation has very
great appeal, especially to financially strapped governments (Condrey, 1998).
As noted above, the importance of volunteer roles are sometimes misjudged by the
public, leaving volunteers inaccurately portrayed as being nonessential in the organizations that
they serve in, when in actuality volunteers play a major role in nonprofit organizations. The word
“volunteer” does not say anything about the nature of the service provided, except implying that
it is free and it is often assumed that something free is not valuable (Eisner, 2009). On the
contrary, volunteers are extremely valuable and the four underlying dimensions to volunteers
that researcher Stephen Condrey suggests makes up a true volunteer are as follows: the extent to
which the decision to volunteer is free or uncoerced, the extent to which the volunteer receives

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remuneration, the degree of structure to the volunteer activity, and the intended beneficiaries of
the activity (Condrey, 1998). Having a clear and accurate conception of who a volunteer is
erases any doubts or uncertainty as to the magnitude of the pool of volunteers available, as well
as the possibilities for attracting them to serve.
Volunteers can stretch the reach of nonprofit agencies into communities and increase
service capacity, not only to existing clients, but to new clients as well (Vinton, 2012),
displaying just how essential they really are. Volunteers are a critical human resource for many
organizations (Brudney, 1995) because they are the people that that ultimately assist in the
fulfillment of long term goals within the organization. Since these nonprofit organizations grow
steadily over the years, agencies rely quite heavily on the consistent help of volunteers.
While nonprofits have traditionally depended on volunteers in lieu of paid employees, public
organizations are now increasingly adding such workers to their ranks (Brudney, 1995).
Volunteers come from all walks of life, so even when unpaid workers lack the education,
training, or background in particular areas, they can still be utilized within nonprofit agencies as
long as they have a will to serve.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the volunteer rate in the United States
declined by 0.3 percentage point to 26.5 percent for the year ending in September 2012 (BLS,
2012) from September of 2011, which suggests there is an issue in volunteer retention. Fewer
than half of nonprofits that manage volunteers have adopted a significant number of important
volunteer management practices (Eisner, 2009), which results in two significant issues in the
nonprofit world, the issues of volunteer recruitment and volunteer retention. In a survey
conducted by The United Way of King County, respondents reported the volunteers that are most

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needed, are most difficult to recruit because organizations do not put a concerted effort into
recruiting (Lynch, 2009). Instead of the nonprofit organizations using a more active approach in
recruiting, 44 percent of volunteers initiate volunteer involvement with organizations by
approaching them on their own (BLS, 2012). The survey also indicates that volunteer retention
rates are especially low, only 17 percent of survey participants reported more than 75 percent of
their volunteers were still volunteering a year after their first involvement (BLS, 2012). Low
retention rates are a long-standing national trend (Lynch, 2009), but when volunteers are
provided with the necessary tools to be of effective humanitarian assistance with effectual
management, the volunteer turnover rate could decrease dramatically. Volunteers are crucial to
nonprofit organizations being effective and the biggest barrier to volunteer involvement is the
lack of time to manage (recruit and try to retain) volunteers (Lynch, 2009). Volunteers are
utilized in various ways and their diverse functionalities have proven to be the reason that
volunteerism is a great necessity within the nonprofit sector, therefore; volunteer management is
extremely significant in the progress of the nonprofit sector, both in effective volunteer
recruitment, and in preventing turnover. Without a consistent volunteer base and effective
development, the progression of service within nonprofit organizations is detrimental, which
eventually impacts each community.
The purpose of this research is to aid nonprofit organizations in better understanding the
challenges of volunteer recruitment and determining if the methods currently used are best in
retaining volunteers. In this study, various methods that some Georgia nonprofit organizations
use to attract volunteers will be explored, and trends that inhibit or influence volunteer
recruitment will be analyzed in an effort to discover if current retention methods can be

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enhanced by better outreach practices. A volunteer program faces no more crucial challenge than
recruitment, and any successful volunteer program must surmount that challenge (Condrey,
1998), so this study will be structured to outline the most prominent challenges of volunteer
recruitment within the nonprofit sector. Because the work of a volunteer does not provide
prestige or even convey a sense of immediate completion, proper recruitment efforts must be in
effect to attract citizens to nonprofit agencies. The success of the volunteer program depends on
meeting the recruitment challenge to enlist volunteers in an attractive and worthwhile service in
the public sector (Condrey). This research will suggest that existing recruitment methods could
be improved upon, and lastly it will be determined if those methods are the most useful in
retaining viable volunteers.
Literature Review
Volunteers in the Non Profit Sector
The Independent Sector conducts biannual surveys of volunteering and giving in the U.S.
and estimates that there are approximately over 1.6 million tax exempt organizations registered
with the IRS and 501( c ) (3)s make up a majority of these tax exempt organizations, numbering
close to 1.1 million organizations in 2011 (Independent Sector). The nonprofit sector attracts
$805 billion in revenue (5.5 percent of the U.S. Economy) and as of 2010, had a payroll of 13.7
million employees, or approximately 10 percent of the country’s workforce (Independent Sector,
2014). The number of employees working for the nation’s nonprofit organizations is only a
portion of the required workforce, as volunteers make up the difference. Volunteers serve in
providing direct service to the nonprofit’s clients, administration, fundraising, and in supporting
duties. Without volunteers many nonprofit organizations could not provide their services, forcing

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the government sector to provide these services or forcing society to live without those services
(Wymer, 2001).
The Independent Sector estimates, based on its most recent survey, that about 64.3
million Americans gave 7.9 billion hours of volunteer service worth $171 billion in 2011
(Independent Sector, 2014). The highest rate of volunteering in the US based off of the
Independent Sector’s survey history was in 1998 where 109 million Americans volunteered at
least once in 1998 for a total of 19.9 billion hours of labor, valued at $225 billion (Wymer,
2001), and this great difference in numbers displays how, as the number of nonprofit
organizations grows, so does the demand for volunteers and the importance to develop effective
methods to attract volunteers to those organizations.
Given the benefits of volunteerism as a valuable and unique human resource,
organizations are recognizing that the key to their success is often dependent on the effective
recruitment and retention of volunteers (Karl, 2008). The success of the volunteer program
mainly depends on meeting the recruitment challenge to enlist volunteers in attractive and
worthwhile service in the public sector (Condrey, 1998). The challenge of attempting to enlist
potential volunteers oftentimes fails because organizations lack the appropriate methods to
recruit volunteers and effective strategies are not used. In lieu of the recruitment challenge, it
has been studied that to a great degree, people select themselves into their volunteer work
situations. This suggests that motives to volunteer may play at least some part in determining the
particular set of reciprocal obligations or expectations that volunteers hold concerning the
nonprofit’s actions toward them (Farmer, 1999).
Reasons Individuals Volunteer

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The reasons behind volunteering vary. Studies suggest that many individuals volunteer
for altruistic reasons; a sense of duty or obligation to reciprocate for services received by friends
or family members; personal development or career enhancement; the desire to feel useful,
productive or to occupy spare time and/or for social rewards (Karl, 2008). Out of the list above,
the most common debate on the reasoning behind volunteering is the assumption that individuals
either volunteer their services for either altruistic reasons, or for selfish reasons. Altruism
consists of a person’s unselfish devotion to the welfare of others and helping with no strings
attached, whereas volunteering for selfish reasons reflect egoism. An article in The Journal of
Applied Social Psychology suggests that volunteering driven by the desire to learn or exercise
skills (understanding), counter personal problems and negative feelings (protective), gain career
relevant experience (career), strengthen one’s own social relationship (social), or stimulate one’s
own individual growth and development (enhancement), reflects a focus on personal benefits;
whereas, volunteerism driven by a desire to act on important values, such as humanitarianism,
has a main focus that lies beyond immediate self-benefit, although it still has an expressive
function for the self (Cornelis, 2013). Whether volunteering reflects altruism or self-interest is
an ongoing controversy that parallels the altruism-egoism debate in social psychological research
(Cornelis, 2012), but whatever the case may be, nonprofit agencies depend on volunteers to get
their mission accomplished because oftentimes the company would not have enough funds to
pay a full-time staff (Bottiglieri, Kroleski, and Conway, 2011).
Chester Barnard suggests that people within organizations need incentives in order to
increase the effectiveness of the organization. He theorizes that people must be induced to
cooperate, or there will be no cooperation. Every type of organization, for whatever purpose,

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several incentives are necessary, and some degree of persuasion likewise, in order to secure and
maintain the contributions to organization that are required (Barnard, 104). From the viewpoint
of the organization requiring or seeking contributions from individuals, the problem of effective
incentives may be either one of finding positive incentives or of reducing or eliminating negative
incentives or burdens (Barnard, 97). Since nonprofit organizations do not provide monetary
remuneration, the material inducements provided are generally rewards for contribution.
Volunteers need to feel rewarded, whether intrinsically or extrinsically, in order to regulate the
volunteer’s state of mind, attitude or motives. The intrinsic rewards include satisfaction, a sense
of accomplishment and being challenged by the work itself, whereas extrinsic rewards are
benefits granted to the volunteers by the organization such as physical awards or ceremonies.
Many individuals use volunteering as a means for career exploration, others develop skills that
may enhance their paid positions. Some people volunteer as a way to contribute and give back to
the community, while others volunteer because they value the goals of the agency or because
they desire personal growth or external recognition (Pynes, 2009). Nonetheless, when recruiting
volunteers, the knowledge of their motives is very helpful in determining effective ways to
attract volunteers, and understanding the breadth of volunteer motives can help volunteer
managers strategize better recruitment methods.
Recruitment Strategies
Surveys confirm that recruitment poses a serious challenge for nonprofit agencies, so
human resource managers have used a variety of novel strategies to recruit citizens effectively
(Condrey, 1998) in an effort to attract the type of volunteers the agency needs. When
attempting to recruit volunteers, it is essential for volunteer managers to have a strategic plan,

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antecedent to the actual recruitment process, and three pertinent checkpoints should be addressed
before recruitment efforts are initiated. Authors Walter Wymer and Becky Starnes imply that
first managers should determine why the organization needs volunteers. An environment in
which volunteers are recruited simply because the organizations cannot afford paid employees
may create a negative culture, making recruitment more difficult and increasing turnover;
whereas, if the organization values the benefits volunteers bring to a nonprofit then that positive
climate supports recruitment efforts (Wymer, 2001). Secondly, meaningful job assignments with
clear job roles must be designed because without knowing what skills are needed by the
nonprofit, recruitment will suffer (Wymer, 2001). Some jobs require low level skills, while other
jobs require a professional from a specific field. All volunteers should have a role description
that includes an explanation of how the role fits with the work of the organization. This will
define the parameters for involvement, lets the volunteer know the scope for volunteer
involvement, and guarantees that the role meets the expectations that the volunteer has (Citizens
Information Board, 2008). Volunteer assignments should offer a clear outline of what the
volunteer’s duties are and what they consist of including timeframe, placement, and flexibility.
An organizational commitment to volunteers must be shown by having actions and written
policies and procedures which set out agency commitment to volunteer involvement (Citizens
Information Board, 2008).
Thirdly, nonprofit organizations must better understand volunteer behavior in order to
make better recruitment and retention decisions. Managers need to know what appeals and
tactics are likely to be most effective in recruiting prospects and understand influences that affect
a person’s decision to volunteer (Wymer, 2001). Volunteer fulfillment rests on more than just

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fulfilling job role expectations, and since roles are often ill defined and formal reward systems
are nonexistent, it has been studied that volunteers may join an organization in part because they
share at least some of its core values (Farmer, 1999). Nonprofits offer little in the way of
remuneration or tangible benefits, so receiving support from the organization in the form of
recognition, being valued and feeling the organization cares about one’s well being, becomes
even more important (Farmer, 1999) in molding volunteer behavior.
Recruitment Methods
The kind of volunteers a nonprofit organization needs are those who appreciate being
needed, who have an opportunity to contribute something they value, and who receive
satisfaction from being able to make a difference (Rafe, 2013). Some of the most common
recruitment methods are to practice outreach, publicize the volunteer program, design positions
for volunteers that appeal to their motivations, exercise flexibility in job design, facilitate
volunteer involvement, and celebrate volunteer participation. Studies have found that there is a
weakening of norms of community participation and this trend is exemplified by steep declines
in membership in and volunteering for such mainline civic and fraternal organizations, and due
to factors such as increased residential mobility, the movement of women into the labor force,
and other demographic changes traditional sources of volunteers and stimuli for volunteer
participation are likely eroding (Condrey, 1998). Due to this trend, it becomes imperative to gain
effective methods of recruiting volunteers into a nonprofit organization in an effort to increase
volunteer participation.
As Condrey mentions, the initial responsibility pertaining to enlisting citizens into a
nonprofit agency is outreach and publicity. Donated labor was valued at $201.5 billion in year

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2000 from a survey conducted by the Gallup Organization (Hodgkinson, 1996), but because
national surveys routinely demonstrate such impressive statistics, observers may reasonably
question whether recruitment poses a genuine challenge to a volunteer program. Close
examination of surveys reveal that the estimated rate can be misleading: it includes all acts of
volunteering, formal and informal, regular and sporadic. Once the definition of volunteer is
clarified, the number decreases significantly (Brudney, 1995) and surveys of this group confirm
that recruitment poses a serious challenge on volunteer retention (Duncombe, 1985). Readings
imply that outreach is most important because it opens the avenue for most citizens to take the
time out of their busy schedules to at least entertain the thought of volunteering. Most volunteers
have been asked (directly or indirectly) to volunteer, so when there is a need for assistance and
the agency has been publicized and help has been solicited, often times those that have an
interest in the organization, or are likeminded, will step forward and volunteer.
In today’s technologically driven society, it is important for nonprofits to develop
different modes of communication. Most nonprofit organizations use direct mailing as a tool for
communication, but it is imperative to adjust to evolving times and utilize social media and text
messaging to recruit potential volunteers. It is up to the agency’s volunteer manager to utilize
effective methods of outreach that not only attract volunteers, but maintain outreach contact with
them because if the onus is placed on a prospective volunteer who has already taken the first step
forward by showing interest and wanting to know more but never hears another word will not be
well received (Rafe, 2013). Volunteers that make the first step in inquiring about a volunteer
role, but never receive follow up, may then develop a negative perception of the organization.

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After the initial perception is skewed, it becomes very likely that the volunteer will not make
another first step in pursuing an assignment.
Literature also suggests that in order to attract volunteers, human resource managers must
utilize methods that emphasize positive aspects of volunteering and celebrate volunteer
participation (Condrey, 1998). Connecting with volunteers include people who may or may not
know that an organization exists, and who may or may not have thought of volunteering before
(Citizens Information Board, 2008). According to The Citizens Information Board, the first step
in attracting the right volunteers to a nonprofit agency is by highlighting the positive
characteristics to volunteering with that agency, such as the opportunity to:
-Be a part of an organization working toward a specific goal
- Be a part of something that makes a difference
-Influence the work of the organization
-Learn new skills or use existing ones
-Meet new people
-Help the community
-Contribute in a way that fits with other commitments
Also, by highlighting what the volunteer can expect, such as an enjoyable experience, being a
part of a motivated team, a well organized volunteer program, and the option to get involved at
different levels, will make the message more appealing and the more potential volunteers the
agency will attract (Citizens Information Board, 2008).
The abovementioned text suggests that outreach design must be attractive to potential
volunteers and the position should be designed to appeal to a citizen’s interests and motivations

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by highlighting the perks of being a volunteer. As part of an effort to enhance recruitment and
retention, an investigative study done on “fun at work”, suggested that volunteers are more
attracted to a position that appeals to their attitude or perspective of “fun”. Volunteers that have
positive attitudes toward experiencing fun during volunteering are associated with job
satisfaction and lower turnover intentions. Although a “fun workplace” is ranked relatively low
in importance relative to other reasons why they volunteer, creating such an environment could
enhance retention (Karl, 2008).
Finally, it is essential in outreach to determine what reward, whether extrinsic or intrinsic,
will most motivate an individual to volunteer and continue volunteering. Chester Barnard
suggests that an essential element of an organization is the willingness of persons to contribute
their individual efforts to the cooperative system and is dependent upon the willingness of
individuals to cooperate and to contribute their efforts to the cooperative system (Barnard, 97). In
order for nonprofits to thrive and volunteers to remain motivated, volunteers must be induced to
cooperate, whether by finding positive incentives or by reducing or eliminating negative
incentives or burdens. Once the reward that a volunteer is seeking is known, it is easier to place
a volunteer where they will get the most satisfaction, which ultimately equals sustainability. In
order for nonprofit organizations to thrive, it is evident that volunteers must actually be attracted
to the organization. Successfully recruiting volunteers to work within an organization creates an
atmosphere of organizational sustainability. According to an article by Manasa Nagabhushanam,
organizational sustainability places importance on building sustainable organizations to achieve
sustainable development benefits (2010), and volunteers are the basis for those results.
Individuals that feel they are treated well by the organization that they are volunteering with,

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tend to fulfill the obligations they believe they have toward it. Organizational support then leads
to heightened employee attendance, performance, innovation, and retention/intentions to remain
(Farmer, 1999).
Recruitment Problems
Some recruitment problems result from organizational cultures or management decisions
that make workplaces invisible or unattractive to volunteers (Hager, 2011) and since volunteers
have the option to be selective, they may choose against volunteering for a specific organization.
Without effective outreach retention decreases, so nonprofit agencies must strive to build an
organizational culture receptive to volunteer involvement, in order for volunteers to be happy
and comfortable enough to stay with an organization. Volunteers placed in inappropriate jobs
will be dissatisfied and quit so it is important for people to be recruited for jobs they are suited
for and which they find meaningful (Wymer, 2001). Several studies associate low volunteer
retention with the types of outreach designs that are used in recruitment, as well as the lack of
program structure. Some of the reasons volunteers may not return are when agencies do not
match volunteers’ skills with assignments and when the assignments are not flexible (Pynes,
2009), so one way to retain volunteers is to create shorter term opportunities for involvement and
actively place volunteers where they are needed (Condrey 1998). Shorter volunteer assignments
can create an atmosphere of flexibility for an individual, as well as remove some of the hesitation
that comes from making a long term commitment. In turn, this increases the chances of a
potential volunteer making the first step toward volunteering. The lack of program structure also
accounts for low retention rates. Program structure is defined as the overall form of a program,
with particular emphasis on the individual components of the program and the interrelationships

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between those components. Program structure develops job descriptions which identify
parameters on the nature of jobs that a volunteer will perform and which work responsibilities
and the boundaries of their jobs; therefore, program structure appears to be one of the
foundations of volunteer retention (Pynes, 2009). Job descriptions show the purpose of the
position and the relationship to the organization, it lists all of the major duties and
responsibilities and it entails all of the special qualifications needed. “All other aspects of
volunteer management –recruitment, interviewing, screening, placement, supervision, training,
evaluation, and recognition-are based on job description”(Condrey 1998, 510). As mentioned
before, volunteer job description must be accurate, clear, and must meet the needs of the
organization. Without an adequate delineation of the duties the volunteer is supposed to
perform, they are less likely to stay within an organization due to the lack of that structure.
Management serves to develop a program structure that directs and maintains volunteer
involvement and the most essential part of a successful volunteer program is an accurate job/
duty description and the administrator’s duty to nurture the volunteer’s perception and belief that
they will receive a psychological return for their unpaid work. Surveys show that structure is
crucial in volunteer retention (Brudney, 1995).
Methodology
According to the research/literature review, the most successful methods for attracting
volunteers to a volunteer program are effective outreach and publicity (designing positions that
appeal to volunteer motivations), rewards, and program structures. Interviews were given to the
selected charities to compare their methods against the aforementioned methods that experts
suggest are most successful. After the interview questions were completed, a SWOT analysis

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was conducted on the selected nonprofit organizations’ outreach methods to test for any
impediments of organizational growth in the volunteer program as it pertains to volunteers.
Typically a SWOT analysis is used as a planning method to evaluate strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, and threats involved in an organization or business venture, but it is also a
technique that can be used for projects, products, places, industries and even for people. The
SWOT analysis conducted in this research, allowed an effective assessment of the internal and
external environment of each organization as it relates to volunteerism in an effort to identify
factors that are favorable or unfavorable in volunteer outreach, as well as factors that that result
in volunteer retention. The next portion of this research will be introduced by each
organization’s mission, statements, and goals. In the discussion of each organization, findings
from their website (if applicable) regarding volunteers will be reviewed to see if there is
accessible volunteer related information, as well as a synopsis of answers given in each
organization’s individual interview. The interview synopses will highlight the methods each
nonprofit utilizes in an effort to compare it against what the literature suggests as the most
successful methods.
1. Does your organization have effective outreach and publicity methods?
2. Does this organization appeal to volunteer motivations and offer rewards to volunteers?
3. Is there a specific program structure in place that will guarantee retention?
Discussion of Non Profits
Atlanta Mission

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Mission Statement: Atlanta Mission transforms, through Christ, the lives of those facing
homelessness.
The first selected nonprofit was the Atlanta Mission in Atlanta, Georgia. Atlanta Mission
is a Christian based organization that was established as a soup kitchen in 1938, but expanded to
serve the needy by providing life resources and shelter for the disenfranchised. The Atlanta
Mission serves men, women, and children with emergency shelter, residential discipleship, job
attainment services and transitional housing. Based on information provided on the website, the
Atlanta Mission serves 2,050 meals and 905 individuals on a daily basis by volunteers. The
website for Atlanta Mission is very user friendly and appeals to the potential volunteer by having
accessible, pertinent information on ways to volunteer, as well has how volunteers are currently
contributing within their organization.
Interview Synopsis
1. Does Atlanta Mission have effective outreach and publicity methods? According to the
Manager of Partnership Services for the Atlanta Mission, their organization does not do a
lot of active recruiting/outreach. They have found that since they have been a pillar in
Atlanta since 1938, word of mouth has been the primary and most effective source of
publicity. Although word of mouth is primary, Atlanta Mission utilizes several
recruitment methods, such as leaflets, social media and their website. They believe their
website is the least effective recruitment method due to the lack of information on the
website.

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The interviewed representative for The Atlanta Mission believes that volunteers have
motivations that range from school credit, experience, how it makes them feel, and
altruistic reasons. She states their organization currently does not have a rewards system
for volunteers, other than occasionally sending thank you notes.
3. Is there a specific program structure in place that will guarantee retention? According to
The Atlanta Mission representative, they have a balanced retention rate. A lot of their
volunteers have been with the organization over the span of 20 years, but in that same
token, alot do not come back. The lack of retention could possibly be in direct correlation
to the lack of this organization’s position of an onsite volunteer manager in the evenings
and weekends, which happens to be the time most people come in to show interest in the
organization or current volunteers come in with need for guidance or direction with
issues. As far as program structure goes, this organization just created volunteer job
descriptions a year ago. They found that the descriptions provide clarity for volunteers, as
well as the organization, and develops parameters and structure for the volunteers, which
eventually leads to retention.
Voice Today, Inc.
Mission Statement: To raise awareness to help prevent and inform about child sexual
abuse
Voice Today, Inc. is an organization located in Marietta, Georgia. This organization is
geared toward informing the public about child sexual abuse and preventing it. Their goals are
to spread their movement globally in an attempt to end abuse, as child sexual abuse increases
vulnerability to commercial sexual exploitation. The values of Voice Today are God

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centeredness, excellence and integrity, innovation, education, teamwork, and empowerment.
The website is informative, it lists past and future events that the organization has had and is easy
to navigate. Volunteer opportunities are not listed on their website, but there is a place to submit
contact information if interested in receiving volunteer information for their organization.
Interview Synopsis
1. Does Voice Today, Inc. have effective outreach and publicity methods? According to the
founder of Voice Today, this organization has effective outreach methods. They utilize
social media, word of mouth, event website, email, radio, television, and press releases to
attract potential volunteers. The founder believes that each method they use brings
different people into the organization, so it is difficult to determine which method is most
effective, as they all are utilized and are effective in their own respect. Voice Today has
effective publicity methods. Along with the outreach methods listed above, they also
have awareness campaigns, networking and fundraising events.
The founder for Voice Today stated that she thinks the primary motivation for volunteers
is the payoffs of seeing their work reach the organization’s goal audience. She believes
volunteers find purpose and meaning when they volunteer for an organization that they
feel strongly about, and many individuals volunteer time because that is the only
available resource that they have. Voice Today facilitates their motivation through
helping volunteers achieve that satisfaction. Regarding extrinsic rewards, Voice Today
shows appreciation by giving volunteers t-shirts and other keepsakes/memorabilia when

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they volunteer. Voice Today also has annual Legacy balls and Volunteer appreciation
parties that acknowledge volunteers and their contributions to the organization.
3. Is there a specific program structure in place that will guarantee retention? Voice Today
has a recruitment plan structured to attract volunteers by having an extensive outreach
technique involving social media campaigns, constant email contact, volunteer websites
and word of mouth. The founder agrees that written job descriptions are imperative to
successful recruitment and they do utilize the descriptions to develop parameters, as well
as guarantee the volunteers feel that their gifts and talents are being used to benefit and
grow the organization.
AID Atlanta
Mission Statement: To reduce new HIV infections and improve the quality of life of its
members and the community by breaking barriers and building community.
AID Atlanta was incepted in 1982, and was founded as a “grass-roots” response to the
initial outbreak of the AIDS epidemic. AID Atlanta is the southeast’s largest and most
comprehensive AIDS service organization. This organization not only provides HIV prevention
education, but provides services to those who are living in the metro area with the virus. AID
Atlanta’s website is full of extensive information for potential volunteers. The website not only
lists all of the volunteer positions that the organization offers, but it gives a detailed job
description, lists availability and even lists a required skill set for potential volunteers.
Interview Synopsis
1. Does AID Atlanta have effective outreach and publicity methods? This interview was
given to the AID Atlanta program manager, who stated AID Atlanta does have effective

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outreach and publicity methods. This organization attracts volunteers in a slightly
different way than most organizations. Many of their volunteers hear about the agency
through their companies and their schools or through special HIV/AIDS testing events.
For this organization, aside from the internet, the most effective publicity is through
community engagement. Volunteers and staff engage the community in dialogue that
addresses the issues for that particular audience. AID Atlanta’s most effective methods of
outreach and publicity are through their community AIDS 101 Action and Awareness
Seminars and through dialogue with specific groups that are affected by HIV.
This organization uses surveys as a tool of evaluation to determine what motivates their
current volunteers. The majority of their volunteers state personal growth and a belief in
AID Atlanta’s mission is their biggest motivations. The main rewards this organization
provides are rewards that make the volunteers feel appreciated, like volunteer
acknowledgement in newsletters, or rewards that motivate them to continue volunteering,
like incentives.
3. Is there a specific program structure in place that will guarantee retention? AID Atlanta
utilizes volunteer descriptions in an effort to assist the individual in assessing where there
is a match for skills, their beliefs, and if the position will be of value to them. Throughout
the years, the average retention rate for volunteers is about 5 years, which is an extremely
long time.

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Family Promise of Greater Houston County
Mission Statement: To mobilize community congregations that partner with social service
agencies to end homelessness, one family at a time.
Family Promise of Greater Houston County (formerly known as Interfaith Hospitality Network)
is a nondenominational 501( c ) 3 organization founded in 1986 for families who have are
homeless and are in transition. This organization brings various communities together to help the
families regain housing and independence by providing shelter, meals, and support services to
those families through a network of local congregations. The website for this organization broke
down the 5 components to their program and “volunteers” were listed as one of the main
components. Volunteers at this organization are needed to cook and serve meals, play with
children or help with homework, interacting with guests or providing overnight security.
Interview Synopsis
1. Does Family Promise of Greater Houston County have effective outreach and
publicity methods? According to the Executive Director of this organization, they
publicize by utilizing social media, their website, and through the faith community.
This organization consistently has about 90 volunteers, so the Executive Director
believes they do a great job attracting volunteers. Family Promise has contracts with
the various churches in the community, so their most effective mode of outreach is
word of mouth within/though the church community.
2. Does this organization appeal to volunteer motivations and offer rewards to
volunteers? The representative interviewed for Family Promise recognizes that
volunteers are different and have different motivations, but believes this organization

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appeals mostly to those who’ve had some type of personal experience that connects
them to this organization. Family Promise considers their annual volunteer
appreciation event as a great reward for volunteers. It is there, that Family Promise is
able to show appreciation for volunteer’s time and talents.
3. Is there a specific program structure in place that will guarantee retention? Family
Promise is structured to recruit volunteers continuously within the various
congregations that are involved. When asked if she believes if there is a relationship
between written job descriptions and successful recruitment and retention, she stated
that she believes there is a relationship with a typical nonprofit, but within her
program there is not.
W.I.N.G.S. (Women In Need Of God’s Shelter)
Mission Statement: To empower the survivors of domestic violence to make informed
choices that will lead to self-sufficient, violence free lives through provisions of safe shelter
and supportive services.
Interview Synopsis
Women In Need Of God’s Shelter (W.I.N.G.S.) was established in 1991 as a shelter in middle
Georgia that houses abused women and their families. This nonprofit organization began as a
donated home within the community and has evolved into transitional housing for victims of
domestic abuse. W.I.N.G.S. offers a variety of comprehensive services based off of client need
and educational backing. W.I.N.G.S. has two websites, and both are very informative for a
prospective volunteer. WINGS has a volunteer policy handbook, which is very organized and it

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details the different types of volunteers needed and gives a thorough description of what
qualifications the volunteer must have, as well has what their specific job would be.
1. Does W.I.N.G.S. have effective outreach and publicity methods? W.I.N.G.S. has
effective publicity and outreach methods. According to the volunteer coordinator for this
organization, word of mouth and social media are their most effective methods.
W.I.N.G.S. has a website that has information for volunteers, and also has a volunteer
coordinator in place to ensure maximum publicity and to ensure that all modes of
outreach are utilized.
The volunteer coordinator interviewed for W.I.N.G.S. said that most of their volunteers
are volunteers that have experienced domestic violence or have been closely affected by
it in their lives, so she feels that most of their volunteer motivations come from their
desire to reciprocate the help that was given to them in the past. W.I.N.G.S. rewards
their volunteers with thank you notes and appreciation phone calls and also has events
throughout the year that recognize volunteers and rewards them with prizes.
3. Is there a specific program structure in place that will guarantee retention? W.I.N.G.S.
has effective outreach, so this plays a positive role in a leveled retention rate. They have a
volunteer handbook that outlines volunteer duties, grievance procedures, and information
on the volunteer coordinators role throughout their service, along with insuring
volunteers that they will be treated fairly and given the same treatment as paid staff.
Findings

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The SWOT analysis below is a collective assessment of the internal and external
environment of each above stated non profit in an effort to identify if their methods are favorable
or unfavorable in volunteer outreach. The assessment is a general evaluation of the common
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that these organizations face in a broad
spectrum. The most common strengths found within the organizations chosen were their
longevity within their respective communities and the utilization of various modes of outreach.
These organizations are all well known with good reputations within the community and their
locations are perfect for the services they provide, which ensures opportunities for growth and
for the continued need for volunteers. Most of these organizations had websites that were easy to
navigate, but unfortunately, did not have enough volunteer information on their site. Hence, one
of the most common weakness found was the lack of volunteer information on the nonprofit’s
website. When the information a potential volunteer needs is not just a click away, this
technological inefficiency could hinder potential volunteers from volunteering. Available
volunteer opportunities not being listed on websites could create an adverse affect on attracting
potential volunteers as well.
The other common weaknesses found were the lack of written job descriptions, low
retention due to lack of volunteer rewards, lack of active recruiting, and due to the lack of
publicity, limited public awareness regarding the need for volunteers. Since most of these
organizations have been in the community for a while, the most common opportunities identified
are their influential connections, social factors, and the growing community (opportunity to
service more people and attract more volunteers). Finally, the most common external threats are
staff shortages (lack of full time onsite volunteer manager deters potential volunteers from

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getting started and discourages current volunteers because they do not have a direct person to
contact with concerns), and demographic changes.
STRENGTHS
Longevity in respective communities
Accessible websites
Advantageous locations
Experienced staff
WEAKNESSES
Limited volunteer information on website
Lack of volunteer job descriptions
Lack of publicity
Lack of active recruiting
Limited volunteer rewards
OPPORTUNITIES
Influential connections
Social factors
Rapidly expanding community
Technology
THREATS
Staff shortages
Demographic changes
Money
Ability

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As stated previously, literature suggested that the most successful methods for attracting
volunteers to a volunteer program are effective outreach and publicity (designing positions that
appeal to volunteer motivations), rewards, and program structures. In outcome, the selected non
profit organizations, when weighed against literature, all utilize current outreach and publicity
methods. The majority of the nonprofits have accessible websites, which is great for today’s
society, but some lacked the information needed for volunteers to easily navigate available
positions and show initial interest in the organization. All of the organizations are in optimal
locations and have history in their communities, so this is a positive aspect when it comes to
publicity and word of mouth. The organizations studied, faced most of their challenges in the
area of rewards and program structure. Although they are in line with literature as it relates to
actually having those methods, a few of them could stand to improve their efforts because
according to literature, rewards are a big factor in creating or nurturing volunteer motivation,
whatever their specific motivation may be. These nonprofits recognize that rewards are needed,
but are still somehow simultaneously challenged in that area. Based on their responses, rewards
do not appear to be recognized as an equally important tool in effort to retain volunteers because
the rewards offered are minimal. As it relates to program structure, the majority of the selected
organizations realize how important detailed volunteer job descriptions are, but some are tasked
in that area because they lack volunteer coordinators.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this paper aimed to explore the most effective outreach methods by
identifying challenges and trends in the nonprofit sector. By researching literature on volunteer
recruitment, I was able to explore trends outlined in literature and judge the accuracy of those

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recruitment methods against the current recruitment practices of the five selected Georgia
nonprofits. Overall, this research indicates that the selected nonprofit organizations essentially
follow what literature suggests are effective methods of recruitment, but there are weaknesses
that may effect the totality of effective recruitment and retention. The major recommendation is
to educate and inform nonprofits on the long term effects of the outlined methods. Nonprofit
organizations should have full time volunteer coordinators who substantiate those efforts through
corroboration with the organization. If nonprofit organizations are not more aware of the
significance of volunteer rewards and structure, eventually these deficiencies will create a
negative impact on volunteerism. It is imperative for these organizations to celebrate their
strengths, but also recognize and identify their weaknesses in order to attract and retain
volunteers for sustainability and future growth.

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References
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_____Yong Suk Jang. Classics of Organization Theory. Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. 97-106.
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_____Nonprofit Organizations. Journal of Business & Economics Research, 51-58.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/news.release/volun.nr0.htm
Condrey, Stephen E. 1998. Handbook of Human Resource Management in Government.
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Cornelis, Ilse, Alain Van Hiel, David De Cremer. 2013. Volunteer Work in Youth Organizations:
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Karl, Katherine A. and Joy V. Peluchette, and Leda M. Hall. 2008. Give Them Something to
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***APPENDIX
Organization: AID Atlanta, Inc.
Your name and title: Loreen Maiorino Krug. Program Manager GA AIDS/STD InfoLine
and Volunteer Services Manager
The length of time you have worked in the nonprofit industry: First as a volunteer: 9 years;
employed by AID Atlanta 12 years; total 21 years.
The length of time you have served in your current position: 41/2 years
Date: 03/17/14
1. How important are volunteers to nonprofit organizations? Do you believe that volunteers
are often times seen as insignificant to the outside world? I cannot speak for other
organizations. Since our organization has always been volunteer driven, our volunteers
are very important/crucial to not only to deliver the message or prevention to the
community, but without our family of volunteers, the day-to-day work that needs to be
accomplished could not be done without our volunteers. There is nothing menial about
the contributions for which our volunteers give from their hearts. I cannot speak on the
way others see volunteers, since I was an AID Atlanta volunteer years ago, and still do
volunteer work for this agency off hours.
2. Is there a specific type of volunteer that you look for to volunteer within this
organization?

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Volunteers’ willingness to make a difference, interested in the community and individuals
who realize that all jobs are meaningful within the agency and will make a positive
impact to further the mission.
3. What are the top 5 characteristics in a volunteer that your organization looks for?
Of course, skill sets but above all, a willingness to learn tasks and skills, compassion, and
dedication to our cause and message. We look for candidate’s willingness to assist
others without judgment and the volunteer work is meaningful to the potential volunteer.
4. How do you think your organization is perceived by the public? Do you feel as though
your image needs to be improved to attract the right volunteers? We have a large
following and the community looks to us for partnerships with their specific communities.
We are always finding ways to improve in order to attract and retain a diverse
population, young adults to seniors. AID Atlanta is in Transformation to a holistic
approach assisting our members and the community. This, I do believe will attract even
more individuals to become part of our volunteer family.
5. Knowing what motivates someone to volunteer is important in assessing whether you can
meet his or her expectations. What do you think motivates volunteers to volunteer and
how do you determine what motivates them to volunteer? We have surveyed our
volunteers and the majority state personal growth and a desire to learn about their
community and assist with solving the problem, and a belief in our mission.
6. Does this organization have specific plans/procedures/policies for recruiting and
selecting volunteers? If so, what are they? If not, do you think they are needed? We
recruit in several ways, through our website, Volunteer Match, at AIDS 101 Seminar,

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Schools and colleges and corporate companies, and through different outreach events,
large and small.
7. What is the relationship between written volunteer job descriptions that develop
volunteer parameters and successful recruitment? Is there a relationship?
For us, a written volunteer job description assists the individual assess where there is a
match for skills, a connection with the community, their beliefs, and is of value to them.
8. If a nonprofit faces difficulty in attracting volunteers, is it a result of poor organization
and management? It depends; in some cases the nonprofit may not have grown to a point
of needing more volunteers to enhance their program. The agency may not have a
definitive core of goals and objectives and the mission statement may be too broad.
9. In your expertise, what have you noticed as the most common outreach methods in the
nonprofit sector? Community engagement, volunteers and staff who engage the
community in meaningful dialogue that addresses the issues for that particular audience.
Interest is aroused and questions of how to get involved are asked.
10. What recruitment methods does your organization utilize? Most of our volunteers hear
about our agency through their companies and schools. When we go to special testing
events and there is an Aid Atlanta tabling at the event, people come up to the staff or
volunteers to find out more about whom we serve and us.
11. Which recruitment methods within this organization have proven to be most effective?
Least effective? Our outreach to specific groups that are affected by HIV, youth to
seniors. Our Community AIDS 101 Action and Awareness Seminar.

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12. If you could implement a better method of outreach, what would it be/involve? More
social media, meeting the volunteer where they “live”. This question is right on track.
13. Does your organization have a system set in place or front line staff to deal specifically
with inquiries? If not, do you think that would make the recruitment process more
effective? Yes, the program coordinators will receive inquiries about their specific
program and if there is a match, I will receive the request for this volunteer. Also, I
receive direct requests from Volunteer Match where there is detailed information
concerning a job description for a specific program. We also recruit through our AID
Atlanta Website and all potential volunteers are required to attend AIDS 101 before any
active volunteering.
14. How does your organization evaluate the success of recruitment? Are there any indicators
(like little or no interest, interest from the wrong people, people not taking up offers,
volunteers starting but not staying) that indicate that the current recruitment method isn’t
working?
15. What rewards (intrinsic or extrinsic) does your organization offer volunteers? Do you
believe these rewards are necessary for retention? Volunteer acknowledgment in
newsletters, incentives, upgrading skills, offering in-service trainings to enrich
knowledgebase to name a few.
16. Are the retention rates high with this agency? If not, why? We have many folks that have
been in our volunteer family for over 10-20 years. The average is around 5 years.
17. What is the relationship between successful recruitment and retention? We have found
that over the years valuing our volunteers in whatever capacity they choose is part of the

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retention. Making them know in several ways, that they are crucial to our programs and
without their dedication, we are unable to succeed in our mission.
18. Has volunteerism (recruitment, participation, retention) risen or decreased in the last 5
years? Our numbers have been about the same- approximately 400 all year and during
the AIDS Walk, about 1,400. We have noticed due to the economic situation, volunteers
are more difficult to retain. Many are looking for employment and when a position is
secured they cannot continue is the capacity as before employment. However, we are
able to retain many of the volunteers for special events that take place through out the
year.
19. Does effective retention reduce the need for recruitment? Yes it does. By offering
volunteers challenging rolls in the agency, it is more likely that volunteers will remain
with programs for which they have interest.
20. Does effective outreach increase retention rates? Yes, outreach is one of our means of
recruiting volunteers.

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Organization: Family Promise of Greater Houston County
Your name and title: Nicole Rosser, Executive Director
The length of time you have worked in the nonprofit industry: 11 years
The length of time you have served in your current position: 1 year
Date: 3/21/14
1. How important are volunteers to nonprofit organizations? Do you believe that
volunteers are often times seen as insignificant to the outside world? The importance
of volunteers at nonprofit agencies can vary based on the services that the agency
provides. I believe that most people that volunteer or have worked with volunteers
understand the significance of their involvement, but those who have not may not
realize what a great part of the nonprofit sector that volunteers make up.
organization? I look for volunteers that work well with diverse groups since we serve
many different populations.
Committed, flexible, compassionate, enthusiastic, caring.
4. How do you think your organization is perceived by the public? Do you feel as
though your image needs to be improved to attract the right volunteers? We are a
national organization but a new affiliate in Georgia. I think the public has really
taken notice to us and the accomplishments of our organization in a short period of

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time. Because of the structure of our program, and Family Promise being a 90
volunteer run program, I think we do a great job attracting volunteers.
5. Knowing what motivates someone to volunteer is important in assessing whether you
can meet their expectations. What do you think motivates volunteers to volunteer and
how do you determine what motivates them to volunteer? Every volunteer is different
as to what motivates them. Often times it is a personal experience that connects them
to this program. I think the best way to determine what motivates them, is an
evaluation after they’ve completed their tasks. If they leave, then retention drops,
which means apparently there wasn’t enough motivation for them to stay.
selecting volunteers? If so, what are they? If not, do you think they are needed?
Please see our national or local website for the structure of our program. We recruit
volunteers on a continuous basis with all the congregations that are involved.
volunteer parameters and successful recruitment? Is there a relationship? I believe
there is a relationship between job descriptions and volunteer parameters, but with
the uniqueness of this organization not as much.
8. If a nonprofit faces difficulty in attracting volunteers, is it a result of poor
organization and management? I would say 50% of the time this may be the case.
Difficulty in attracting volunteers can weigh heavily on the particular community the
organization is located and the number of other nonprofits in the area.

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9. In your expertise, what have you noticed as the most common outreach methods in
the nonprofit sector? Most non-profits tend to reach out to the faith community for
support. Family Promise does as well, but it is a contract with the various churches,
so there is a full term commitment for volunteer support.
10. What recruitment methods does your organization utilize? Our website and social
media, as well as promotion through the congregations that partner with Family
Promise.
11. Which recruitment methods within this organization have proven to be most
effective? Least effective? Recruiting outside of the church has been least effective
for this program.
12. If you could implement a better method of outreach, what would it be/involve?
Involving more volunteers (students from high school and college)
13. Does your organization have a system set in place or front line staff to deal
specifically with inquiries? If not, do you think that would make the recruitment
process more effective?
We don’t currently have a system set in place for inquiries. I think that would make
the recruitment process more effective because potential and active volunteers would
have direct and concise source for information. The lack of a volunteer coordinator,
is a downfall for our organization.
14. How does your organization evaluate the success of recruitment? Are there any
indicators (like little or no interest, interest from the wrong people, people not taking
up offers, volunteers starting but not staying) that indicate that the current recruitment

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method isn’t working? We evaluate success of recruitment by the longevity of the
volunteers as well as the response from our clients.
believe these rewards are necessary for retention? We provide a yearly volunteer
appreciation event. I believe it is very important to recognize individuals for their
time and talent. Rewards are necessary for retention, because it is the primary way to
make volunteers feel appreciated.
16. Are the retention rates high with this agency? If not, why? They are steady. We have
a pretty solid volunteer base, since we appeal to the spiritual community.
17. What is the relationship between successful recruitment and retention? Successful
recruitment means that it is effective. When there is effective recruitment, volunteers
stay within an organization longer.
18. Has volunteerism (recruitment, participation, retention) risen or decreased in the last
5 years? This will vary based on the community. Because we are located near a
military installation and we utilize the religious community, our volunteerism remains
steady.
19. Does effective retention reduce the need for recruitment? Yes.
20. Does effective outreach increase retention rates? Yes. These things go hand in hand.

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Organization: WOMEN IN NEED OF GOD’S SHELTER
Your name and title: MELODY WATSON- VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
The length of time you have worked in the nonprofit industry: 11 years
The length of time you have served in your current position: 11 years
Date: 3/15/2014
1. How important are volunteers to nonprofit organizations? Do you believe that
volunteers are often times seen as insignificant to the outside world? Yes. Sometimes
they are. We realize that volunteers are very important to our agency, we utilize
volunteers in all aspects of what we do here at the shelter, and some grants require
volunteer hours as match.
organization? We do attempt to match appropriately the volunteer to the appropriate
volunteer positions.
3. What are the top 5 characteristics in a volunteer that your organization looks for? We
look for qualified volunteers, someone who has a passion for our victims, someone
who is responsible, someone who shows patience and kindness.
4. How do you think your organization is perceived by the public? Do you feel as
though your image needs to be improved to attract the right volunteers? No, we
believe that our agency is perceived very well in the community; we are very
fortunate and have wonderful community support.

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5. Knowing what motivates someone to volunteer is important in assessing whether you
can meet their expectations. What do you think motivates volunteers to volunteer and
how do you determine what motivates them to volunteer? Through the interview
process we are able to assess our volunteers, assessing their desire to help, give back
because they have received help. Some may say rewards motivate volunteers, but we
believe providing them with a good volunteer experience will make them want to
come back.
selecting volunteers? If so, what are they? If not, do you think they are needed? Yes,
see attached volunteer policies.
volunteer parameters and successful recruitment? Is there a relationship? Absolutely.
Without written volunteer job descriptions, volunteers don’t have a clear idea of what
their job entails. In order to promote effective service and effective outreach, the
potential volunteer must know exactly what they are signing up for.
8. If a nonprofit faces difficulty in attracting volunteers, is it a result of poor
organization and management? Yes. Without effective management and organization,
there is no order. Volunteers can sense when there is disorganization within an
organization, and tend to steer away from those environments.
9. In your expertise, what have you noticed as the most common outreach methods in
the nonprofit sector? These days the most common and most effective outreach
methods are word of mouth and social media. Grants, fundraising events, donations,

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previous clients, community presentations, resource fairs are also pretty common in
this community.
10. What recruitment methods does your organization utilize? Word of mouth from
volunteers that are currently volunteering, Health Fairs/Job Fairs, Facebook,
Internet Web Page, Church Bulletins, Facebook and website: www. wings03.org.
11. Which recruitment methods within this organization have proven to be most
effective? Least effective? Word of mouth from other volunteers has been most
effective; resource fairs have been least effective.
12. If you could implement a better method of outreach, what would it be/involve? It
would definitely involve going to more churches and jobs. These places are where a
lot of abused women are and the information could be made available to them
(privately), without their spouses becoming suspicious.
13. Does your organization have a system set in place or front line staff to deal
specifically with inquiries? If not, do you think that would make the recruitment
process more effective? Our agency does have a Volunteer Coordinator, who is
responsible for the handling of inquiries.
14. How does your organization evaluate the success of recruitment? Are there any
indicators (like little or no interest, interest from the wrong people, people not taking
up offers, volunteers starting but not staying) that indicate that the current recruitment
method isn’t working? There are no indicators that our methods are not working. I
think every organization looks for ways to improve retention though. If the
recruitment is effective though, generally retention will remain steady.

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believe these rewards are necessary for retention? Yes, we always send thank you
emails and place thank you phone calls to those who have volunteered. We also have
special events that recognize our volunteers and reward them with prizes. We should
probably come up with a better rewards system to show our volunteers how much
they are appreciated.
16. Are the retention rates high with this agency? If not, why? They are steady. We have
methods set in place to keep volunteers coming back, such as outlining their duties
and making them feel needed and appreciated within the organization.
17. What is the relationship between successful recruitment and retention? Positive. If the
recruitment is effective, there will be scarce retention issues.
18. Has volunteerism (recruitment, participation, retention) risen or decreased in the last
5 years? (if you have any numbers to support, please share) It is about the same.
19. Does effective retention reduce the need for recruitment? Yes. If volunteers are not
leaving the organization, there will not be a great need to push for excessive
recruitment.
20. Does effective outreach increase retention rates? Yes.

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Organization: Voice Today, Inc.
Your name and title: Angela Williams, Founder
The length of time you have worked in the nonprofit industry: Six Years (10 years prior)
The length of time you have served in your current position: Six Years
Date: March 17th
2014
are often times seen as insignificant to the outside world?
a. Volunteers are essential to nonprofit organizations. Volunteers play a vital role
within the non-profit sector because, they bring strength by numbers to the
organization which allows it to grow, reach more people, and contribute more to
the community. It also provides much needed expertise not often afforded by non-
profit budgets.
organization?
a. Voice Today looks for responsible, dedicated, passionate and loving volunteers
who want to help end the cycle and silence of child sexual abuse.
a. Passionate
b. Eager
c. Dependable
d. Flexible

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e. Compassionate
f. Qualified at chosen task
g. Steadfast
your image needs to be improved to attract the right volunteers?
a. VOICE Today has an impeccable reputation but a difficult subject matter. Often
volunteers struggle because the issue has touched their lives and though they
want to help have not completely healed. We also lack the resources needed to
get the job done easily and efficiently thus most jobs are labor intensive.
meet their expectations. What do you think motivates volunteers to volunteer and how do
you determine what motivates them to volunteer?
a. I think many volunteers find purpose and meaning when they volunteer for an
organization they feel strongly about. They feel helpful and gain a sense of
contributing or giving back to their community. Many people volunteer or donate
their time, because that is often the only available resource they can give. I think
what motivates volunteers is the payoff of seeing their work reach the goal
audience. For example, Voice Today’s mission is to break the silence and cycle of
child sexual abuse and when a volunteer comes in to help, whatever they are
doing they want to see that their work is useful and helping reach that goal.

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6. Does this organization have specific plans/procedures/policies for recruiting and selecting
volunteers? If so, what are they? If not, do you think they are needed?
a. Voice Today, Inc. uses many recruiting techniques to build up their volunteer
base. We use social media campaigns, constant contact email newsletter blasts,
volunteer websites, such as Volunteermatch.com, and we reach out to the local
colleges and universities. We also use the method of word of mouth to draw
people in and connect them with their skills and how they can benefit volunteering
with Voice Today.
a. The relationship between written volunteer job descriptions and parameters are
important to successful recruitment, because volunteers need specific jobs that
utilize their talents and allow them stability in working with the organization. It is
essential that volunteers feel that their gifts and talents are being used to benefit
and grow the organization.
and management?
a. I think that a non-profit can face difficulty in attracting volunteers if the
organization overwhelms or has volunteers engaging in or helping in areas they
are uncomfortable working in. Volunteers need a specific position that they can
master and feel comfortable in and if volunteers feel they are learning too many

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jobs they can often get overwhelmed and feel their skills are not be effectively
used.
nonprofit sector?
a. Social media, events, word of mouth, and overall exposure of the organization to
draw people in.
10. What recruitment methods does your organization utilize?
a. Social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram), awareness
campaigns (White Out), word of mouth, event and volunteer websites, networking
(BNI), fundraising events (Wine Tasting, 5K, Tennis Tournament, etc.) Email
blast (Constant Contacts), radio and television interviews, and lastly, news and
press releases.
Least effective?
a. I believe that each method we use brings different people into our organization.
Social media, event and volunteer websites, and the email blasts draw people in
to get involved. When we host events or fundraisers we are able to bring people to
volunteer or donate. Networking and word of mouth methods allow us the
opportunity to make partnerships and sponsorships. Lastly, radio, television, and
press releases bring awareness to the issue and build a bigger audience to reach
the community.

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a. I think one day we hope to reach millions of communities through our
organization by being in all communities. As of right now we run out of Marietta,
Georgia, but we hope to reach people all of the country as well as the world. To
be a national and international movement, with offices in every big city, working
together for the same goal.
effective?
a. Yes, we have an Administrative Assistant that takes inquires through the many
methods and answers questions or concerns, sets up volunteer orientations,
training volunteers, and lastly setting up schedules and jobs in which the
volunteer will be working.
working?
a. I think the majority of people we get to come into Voice Today have a special
interest and passion to help protect children, but unfortunately volunteers do not
stay very long. I believe that it can contribute to the subject matter we are dealing
with or the work load that they encounter.
believe these rewards are necessary for retention?

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a. Volunteers are given T-Shirts and other items – also there is one Volunteer
acknowledged at our 2014 Legacy Ball and a Volunteer Appreciation Party in
December.
16. Are the retention rates high with this agency? If not, why? We have volunteers that have
worked with VOICE Today for the past 6 years and others that come and go. I would say
those that here for the right reasons have remained.
17. What is the relationship between successful recruitment and retention? Successful
recruitment gives organization and specific tasks to volunteers gifted in those specific
areas.
years? (if you have any numbers to support, please share) Volunteerism has increased
19. Does effective retention reduce the need for recruitment? No not if an organization is
going to continue to grow.
20. Does effective outreach increase retention rates? Yes

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Organization: Atlanta Mission
Your name and title: Jennifer Hutchinson, Manager of Partnership Services
The length of time you have worked in the nonprofit industry: Nine years (Same company,
different positions)
The length of time you have served in your current position: ( 6 Months)
Date: March 17, 2014
are often times seen as insignificant to the outside world? Volunteers are essential to non
profit organizations. Without them many nonprofits would cease to exist as there is not
enough money to meet the needs of the people that nonprofits are seeking to serve. I think
that volunteers can be seen as insignificant in both the outside world as well as
sometimes by staff in the nonprofit world who may feel that volunteers sometimes get in
the way or are scared that volunteers are going to take their job.
organization?
Our organization looks for people who are able to meet the needs of our clients. We used
to just let anyone come to us who wanted to volunteer and plug them in somewhere,
however we have changed to a model in which we are intentional about identifying our
clients needs and plugging volunteers into those needs. If what they want to do, does not
help meet our clients needs then we either gently try to redirect their heart in a way that
meets our clients needs or politely decline.

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-Committed
-Compassionate
-Trustworthy
-Flexible
-Caring
your image needs to be improved to attract the right volunteers? Atlanta Mission has been
in existence in Atlanta since 1938 so we are fairly well known in the city and tend to have
a good reputation. We don’t do a lot of recruiting for volunteers as we find that we get an
abundance of volunteers by word of mouth of what is going on at Atlanta Mission.
meet their expectations. What do you think motivates volunteers to volunteer and how do
you determine what motivates them to volunteer?
I have learned over the years that volunteers are motivated by many different things,
some of which include, school credit, experience, how it makes them feel, having gone
through a similar experience themselves, and genuinely wanting to help others.
Sometimes it is as simple as asking a volunteer why they volunteer and other times, it
comes out through conversations, their attitude, or how they volunteer.

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6. Does this organization have specific plans/procedures/policies for recruiting and selecting
volunteers? If so, what are they? If not, do you think they are needed?
We are in the process of developing a process for selection and recruitment of volunteers
as well as procedures, and policies as we have been lacking this in the past.
For the first time our organization created volunteer job descriptions last year. We have
found that this really helps provide clarity for both the volunteers as well as the
organization. It makes it clear to us what we are looking for in a volunteer and it makes it
clear to the volunteers that this is what we are looking for and at that point they are able
to choose whether or not it is something that would be a good fit for them.
and management?
It can be, however it can also be a case of poor recruitment strategies or lack thereof.
nonprofit sector?
Word of mouth, leaflets, social media, websites
10. What recruitment methods does your organization utilize? (word of mouth, leaflets,
kiosks, social media etc) Word of mouth, leaflets, social media (Facebook, Twitter, and
Instagram), website

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Least effective? Most effective- Word of mouth, Least effective –Website (poor
information)
I would definitely increase the information on our website as a lot of people tend to
search for things on the internet for more information. I would include specific job
opportunities available and the details as well.
effective? We have a Manager of Partnerships at each site, who is responsible for
inquiries among many other things. We are in the process of looking for a
database/online management system to assist with this as we spend an unnecessarily
large portion of our time on inquiries that could be better handled by an automated
information and sign up system.
working?
We are in the process of designing better evaluation tools and measurements as right
now it is all subjective.

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believe these rewards are necessary for retention? We are working on coming up with a
rewards system for our volunteers, currently we send some of our volunteers thank you
notes. I think for us the biggest reward they get is seeing the change in the life of the
client.
16. Are the retention rates high with this agency? If not, why? I would say they are balanced.
We have a lot of volunteers who have been with us for over twenty years, while we also
have a lot who do not come back. I think what keeps people from not coming back is not
having a volunteer manager onsite in the evenings and weekends and a lot of people
especially when first coming in need someone to be there guiding and directing them in
the moment.
17. What is the relationship between successful recruitment and retention? If you do a better
job on the front end of recruiting the right fit of volunteers you will have a better chance
of retaining them. It also decreases your workload and wasted time.
years? (if you have any numbers to support, please share) I would say there has been an
increase with the rise of the social justice movement, as well as often it is a requirement
for students for school.
19. Does effective retention reduce the need for recruitment? Yes.
20. Does effective outreach increase retention rates?
Yes.

Volunteer Management Thesis

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