Building and managing a volunteer program.

Volunteers are people, not resources

The language of “volunteer management” can be dehumanizing. Volunteers aren’t resources to be optimized. They’re people giving you something precious—their time—because they believe in what you’re doing.

Treat them accordingly.

Recruitment

Ask everyone

Every supporter is a potential volunteer. Every conversation is an opportunity to recruit.

“Would you be interested in volunteering? We need help with [specific thing].”

Be specific about what you need

“We need volunteers” is vague. “We need three people to knock on doors Saturday from 2-4pm” is specific and easier to say yes to.

Make it easy to sign up

Online signup form. Clear options. No friction. Capture:

• Name and contact info
• What they’re interested in doing
• When they’re available
• Any relevant skills

Use your networks

Ask current volunteers to recruit their friends. Personal asks convert better than mass appeals.

Onboarding

First impressions matter

A volunteer’s first experience determines whether they come back. Make it welcoming, clear, and rewarding.

Training

Even simple tasks need training. Don’t assume people know what to do. Walk them through:

• What they’ll be doing
• Why it matters
• How to do it well
• What to do if they have questions

Pairing

Pair new volunteers with experienced ones. Shadowing is easier than figuring it out alone.

The volunteer experience

Respect their time

Start and end on time. Don’t keep people waiting. Don’t ask them to stand around with nothing to do.

Give meaningful work

Volunteers want to make a difference, not stuff envelopes forever. Rotate tasks. Offer progression.

Feed them

Seriously. Snacks, coffee, pizza—whatever is appropriate. People who are fed are happier and stay longer.

Create community

Volunteering should be social. People come back because they enjoy the company. Build time for connection.

Types of volunteer work

Door-knocking (canvassing)

Going door-to-door talking to voters or community members. The most impactful voter contact.

Volunteers need:

• Script and training
• Territory assignment
• Walking app or paper materials
• Debrief process

Phone banking

Calling supporters or voters. Good for GOTV, surveys, fundraising.

Volunteers need:

• Script and training
• Call list
• Quiet space
• Tracking system

Event support

Staffing events—check-in, setup, teardown, greeting.

Volunteers need:

• Clear role assignment
• Point of contact
• Timeline

Data entry

Entering canvass results, petition signatures, or other information.

Volunteers need:

• Training on the system
• Clear instructions
• Quality control process

Specialized skills

Design, writing, web development, photography. Match skilled volunteers to appropriate tasks.

Tracking

Track who shows up

Check in volunteers at every shift. Know who’s reliable, who flakes, who’s enthusiastic.

Track hours

Cumulative hours matter for recognition and planning. Make tracking automatic if possible.

Track preferences

Some people love door-knocking. Others hate it. Know what each volunteer prefers.

Recognition

Thank immediately

Thank volunteers at the end of every shift. In person. By name.

Thank publicly

Recognize volunteers in emails, at events, on social media (with permission).

Thank personally

A handwritten note goes a long way. Personal acknowledgment matters more than generic appreciation.

Milestones

Acknowledge milestones—10 shifts, 100 hours, first GOTV. Make people feel their contribution matters.

Retention

Why volunteers leave

• They don’t feel appreciated
• The work isn’t meaningful
• The experience is disorganized
• They had a bad interaction
• Their circumstances changed

You can control most of these.

Why volunteers stay

• They feel valued
• They see impact
• They enjoy the community
• The work feels important
• They’re given increasing responsibility

Create these conditions.

Difficult situations

No-shows

People will sign up and not show up. Plan for it. Don’t over-rely on any single volunteer.

Difficult volunteers

Some volunteers are high-maintenance, argumentative, or otherwise challenging. Address problems early. Sometimes the right answer is asking them to step back.

Burnout

Volunteers who do too much burn out. Watch for signs. Encourage balance. Sustainable volunteering is better than intense bursts followed by disappearance.

Building a volunteer culture

Make it part of the identity

Being a volunteer for your organization should feel like belonging to something. Create that sense of community.

Volunteer leadership

Experienced volunteers can recruit, train, and manage other volunteers. Create paths to leadership.

Continuity

Volunteers who stay engaged between high-activity periods are gold. Find ways to keep them connected.

Getting started

1. Create a volunteer signup form
2. Plan your first volunteer activity
3. Personally invite 10 people
4. Train and support them well
5. Thank them genuinely
6. Ask them to come back