MLKing It: Making the Most of Your Volunteer Program

In 1994, Congress dedicated Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a day of national service. Since President Obama’s 2009 Inauguration speech, this federal holiday has experienced unprecedented participation rates.



While the statistics from 2010’s recent day of service are being tallied, we are left to ponder the role of volunteerism in contemporary society. Statistics demonstrate that rates of American volunteerism are increasing (and certainly, with such days of service, volunteerism awareness is on the rise as well). Increased volunteerism is especially apparent among recent retirees and boomers, as well as a younger generation seeking committed, intensive volunteering opportunities. Concurrently, the economy has forced cutbacks for many nonprofits, and volunteers are becoming ever more crucial to operational success.

In such a climate, volunteer management has become vital to the continued programming of many nonprofit agencies. Volunteer management can take many forms, from a simple thank you letter sent out by the office manager to a dedicated department committed to addressing volunteer inquiries and administering programs. Regardless of its form, it is increasingly evident that volunteer management is essential to the recruitment and retention of quality volunteers.

Local organizations are recognizing the necessity of successful volunteer management programs. An interview with Cambridge Cares About AIDS reveals an organization in transition from a decentralized approach to volunteer management. Cambridge Cares has now designated a single point person as the primary contact for volunteer inquiries. This ensures that inquiries, applications, support and recognition are most easily coordinated. Streamlining the process in this way allows for enhanced inquiry tracking, efficient collection of volunteer input, and the opportunity to establish and connect with a “volunteer alumni” network.

In addition to facilitating volunteer-related operations, volunteer management can help an organization to obtain first-class volunteers. This is particularly relevant to organizations which typically seek a longer-term commitment from its volunteers. For example, Cambridge Cares provides programming which can most easily accommodate volunteers who commit to working for at least several weeks. This means that the volunteer matching process must pay careful attention to scheduling needs, necessitating a more intensive approach to volunteer management. In an organization which offers many one-time volunteering opportunities, however, volunteer management may not require such a dedicated matching process. (The University of Texas at Austin provides a superb guide for determining your organization’s volunteer management approach – see "Maximizing Volunteer Engagement".)

Cambridge Cares also noted several characteristics of its volunteer pool. First, most adult volunteers come from within the city of Cambridge. These adults are drawn to Cambridge Cares because of personal experiences, a desire of connecting with the greater community, or as a way to gain insight and experience in a new field. Students also represent a large fraction of volunteers at Cambridge Cares; they are often looking for a meaningful way to spend a school break or to give back to their local community. The Cambridge volunteer pool is highly skilled, highly motivated, and deeply dedicated to its local community. With overall numbers of volunteers on the rise, resourceful volunteer management is key in recruiting and retaining those volunteers who offer the best match for your organization.