Training Materials

Learn more about best practices in volunteer recruitment and engagement, and how to get the results you need.

NOTE: These are examples from public libraries and should be reviewed and modified to ensure fit with local policies and culture.

Title Keyword Tags Year
You Can't Fire Me, I'm a Volunteer!
This quick read from Blue Avocado focuses on addressing volunteer dissatisfaction points to the right way to handle disgruntled volunteers.
Staff Training Fire, disgruntled 2018
Writing Accurate & Useful Volunteer Position Descriptions
This one hour Get Involved webinar was presented on March 25, 2020 by Jennifer Bennett, CVA, Senior Manager of Education and Training with… more
Engaging High Impact VolunteersCapacity Building Position Descriptions, job descriptions 2020
Working with Volunteers who have Full Time Jobs
This 5 minute video explores working with volunteers who have full time jobs with Cathy from the Sacramento Public Library, and one of her working… more
Capacity BuildingStaff Training 2015
Why Should We Pay Attention to Volunteer Trends?
If we could see the coming volunteering trends, we could prepare for them, right? Thirty years ago, were there signs that volunteers wanted more… more
Capacity BuildingEngaging High Impact Volunteers trends, corporate 2018
Why Don't People Volunteer?
This brief article from PTO today discusses the importance of not only knowing why people volunteer, but why they don't.
Volunteer RecruitmentEngaging High Impact Volunteers Volunteer Recruitment, Motivation 2015
Why Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Matter for Nonprofits
This article from the National Council of Nonprofits not only describes the issue, but suggests ways to start making changes, and provides a number… more
Capacity BuildingStaff Training racism, diversity, inclusion 2020
Why Company Sponsored Volunteer Programs are Keeping Millennials Happy at Work
What motivates millennials to stay in a job is having an impact on corporate social responsibility.
Volunteer RecruitmentMillennials Millennials, high-impact volunteers, Recruitment 2016
White Supremacy in Volunteerism - Perfectionism
This video clip was prepared for the Get Involved Initiative by Breauna Dorelus of Connecting the Cause - https://www.connectingthecause.com. After… more
Staff Training White Saviorism, diversity, equity, inclusion, white supremacy 2022
Where Do I Go From Here? Engage Volunteers in New Ways
Jennifer Bennett, CVA, Senior Manager of Education and Training for VolunteerMatch presented this webinar for the Get Involved Initiative on February… more
Staff TrainingCapacity Building Webinar 2021
When and Where to Use Volunteer Replacement Rates (Or Not) for Volunteer Value
In this 2023 blog post, Dr. Sue Carter Kahl thoughtfully discusses the pros and cons of using volunteer dollar values. The most common forms of wage… more
Staff Training ROI, Return on Investment 2023
What Should I Do? (COVID Exposure Flow Chart)
This great flow chart from the Gail Borden Public Library District (Elgin IL) describes steps to take if you, an employee or volunteers has been… more
Staff Training COVID-19 2020
What Leaders of Volunteers Can Do to Gain Executive Attention
A list of steps to take when trying to engage senior management in understanding the importance of the volunteer program by Susan J. Ellis of… more
Engaging Staff and Unions staff buy-in, Staff Resistance 2011
What Do Volunteers Want?
This article discusses the importance of following up with volunteers -- keeping them in the loop through good communication.
Capacity BuildingEngaging High Impact Volunteers communications, followup 2020
Ways to Appreciate Volunteers Without Centering Them as the Hero
This video clip was prepared for the Get Involved Initiative by Breauna Dorelus of Connecting the Cause - https://www.connectingthecause.com. After… more
Staff Training recognition, diversity, equity, inclusion, White Saviorism, appreciation 2022
Want to Write a Volunteer Program Annual Report? Here's How to Start
VolunteerMatch blog guest post by Elisa Kosarin. This post originally appeared on Twenty Hats.
Your volunteers tell a compelling story. It’s time to… more
Capacity Building 2019
Volunteers: More Work? or More Work Force? - Idaho Commission for Libraries
This is a 30 minute archived webinar, presented May 15, 2017 by Sheila Winther, Volunteer Coordinator for the Idaho Commission for Libraries. This is… more
Staff Guides for Working with VolunteersCapacity BuildingStaff Training volunteer coordinator 2017
Volunteers are the Reputational Assets Your Organization is Overlooking
A great reminder in a brief article by Erin Rebecca Spink.
Capacity BuildingStaff Training 2017
Volunteers and the Law: Legal Considerations
A good summary of legal issues from Tobi Johnson & Associates, 2021.
Staff Training law, legal 2021
VolunteerMatch Recruitment Tool - Volunteer Recommendations
Did you know that VolunteerMatch has a cool new feature that recommends volunteer opportunities to the thousands of potential volunteers with… more
Volunteer RecruitmentVolunteerMatchVolunteerMatch Tools and Resources Recruitment, VolunteerMatch, Volunteer Recommendations 2014
VolunteerMatch Re-Posting Tutorial
Reposting is THE MOST IMPORTANT step you can take to get your opportunities noticed on VolunteerMatch. Why? Because VolunteerMatch searches are… more
VolunteerMatch Tools and Resources VolunteerMatch 2018