How Nonprofits Can Improve Volunteer Retention

Volunteers are more likely to commit to a nonprofit based on their expectations about the mission and its organizational effectiveness . . . Volunteers expect training and preparation. They expect safety, and they expect their efforts, skills, and time to be appreciated. Some volunteers expect a more transactional relationship and are more attracted to nonprofits that can offer them clerical or other behind-the-scenes work. Others have ideological motivations and seek out a value-driven position where they can easily see how their work benefits the community. Each of these differences in expectation affects the type of relationship volunteers build with nonprofits.

Successful nonprofits build a strong psychological contract with their volunteers by knowing what volunteers bring to the nonprofit, what volunteers want from their experience, and what nonprofits can do to meet those needs.