The ABCs of Managing an Effective Volunteer Program

This course will introduce all the components of an effective volunteer management program:

• recruitment, screening,
• training and orientation,
• support and recognition,
• and policies and risk management.

We will learn how and when volunteers are great to use, and when not to. We will learn how to value volunteer time to help your bottom line, as well as how to recognize all the hidden costs of managing volunteers. Hint: They aren’t free!

We will also discuss how volunteers can become great advocates and donors for your organization as champions of your mission. The intended audience for this course is a paid staff member of a nonprofit with some supervisory experience. We will be discussing developing a robust volunteer program, not just the management of a handful of people.

Learning Objectives 

• We will update old-fashioned concepts about who a volunteer is and what they can do for you
• We will learn how to set realistic tasks and clear roles for volunteers to manage expectations and deliver value to you and them
• We will learn the risks of a badly run volunteer program and best policies to have in place