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
Hands-On Help and Generous Giving: How Volunteering and Donations Fuel Each Other’s Impact
Studies show that giving and volunteering work collaboratively to support each other and that volunteers are 14.5 percentage points more likely to… more
Capacity BuildingStaff Training fundraising, giving and volunteering 2025
Resources for Internship Programs - Idealist
Several articles on interviewing, hiring, and training interns, as well as managing an internship program.
Interviewing VolunteersCapacity Building intern, internship 2025
Volunteering: An Antidote to the Epidemic of Loneliness
In this webinar, experts and global leaders explore how volunteering serves as a powerful antidote to the growing epidemic of loneliness. The… more
Capacity BuildingStaff Training loneliness 2025
20+ Volunteer Survey Questions to Improve Your Program
This guide covers the ins and outs of volunteer surveys, from the best questions to ask to top tips for making the survey process a success.
Staff TrainingCapacity Building surveys 2025
Let’s Make Volunteering Accessible to All
In this episode of Volunteer Nation, Tobi Johnson is joined by Allyson Ferrari, Director of Connections at Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually… more
Staff TrainingCapacity Building diversity, equity, inclusion 2025
If Volunteers Were Yelp Reviewers: Would You Get 5 Stars?
Imagine if volunteers could rate their experience with you like they rate restaurants . . . what would they say? This article suggests 5 ways to… more
Staff Training recognition, impact, appreciation 2025
6 Ways to Make Your Volunteer Opportunities Appeal to Short-Term Volunteers
Short-term volunteers bring invaluable fresh energy and a diverse skill set, contributing significantly to the success of initiatives. However, to… more
Engaging High Impact VolunteersStaff Training short term, job descriptions 2025
8 Volunteer Recognition Ideas to Show Your Gratitude
A few new ideas mixed in with some old ones . . . worth a look.
Staff Training recognition, appreciation 2025
Time Management for Volunteer Engagement Coordinators: Putting Volunteers to Work to Help YOU
This one hour webinar was recorded March 7, 2024, and was presented by Jennifer Bennett, CVA, Director of Education and Training for VolunteerMatch.… more
Staff Training time management, Program Assistant 2024
6 Strategies to Involve Young People in Your Nonprofit
Great suggestions from Nonprofit Tech for Good.
Millennials young volunteers 2024
Book to Action - Santa Barbara CA
A history of Santa Barbara Public Library's Book to Action programs since 2019.
Staff Training Book to action 2024
Introduction to LGBTQ+ Inclusion
This 90-minute webinar presented by All Children - All Families covers foundational information related to serving LGBTQ+ youth and families.
Topics… more
Staff Training LGBTQ+, equity, diversity, inclusion 2024
Disability Inclusive Volunteering Toolkit
Whether your organization already understands the benefits of welcoming volunteers of differing abilities, or has less experience with including… more
Staff TrainingCapacity Building disabilities, inclusive, inclusion, diversity, equity 2024
Neither//Nor: Stories of Life Beyond Binary Gender
More and more people are negotiating gender beyond the binaries of Male/Female/Man/Woman/Boy/Girl. 
This 60-minute webinar from the Human Rights… more
Staff Training diversity, equity, inclusion, non-binary, Gender 2024
Inclusive Volunteering Training Video
This 8 minute video is an accompaniment to the Disability Inclusive Volunteering Toolkit developed by Volunteer Fairfax.  You can find it here:… more
Staff TrainingCapacity Building disabilities, inclusive, inclusion, equity, diversity 2024
Neither//Nor: Stories of Life Beyond Binary Gender
More and more people are negotiating gender beyond the binaries of Male/Female/Man/Woman/Boy/Girl. This 60 minute webinar from the Human Rights… more
Staff Training equity, diversity, inclusion, Gender 2024
Inspiring Action: How Volunteer Stories Can Drive Recruitment & Engagement
Including the story and impact of volunteers in recruitment messages can help recruit more volunteers and can help build stronger connections and… more
Staff TrainingCapacity Building Recruitment, public relations, social media 2024
Designing Volunteer Training in Niche Academy
This webinar was presented on March 27, 2024 by Jessica Link, Library Volunteer Supervisor, Cedar Rapids Public Library (Iowa) and Amy Selmi Amy… more
Staff TrainingVolunteer OrientationJob Specific Volunteer Training Niche Academy, orientation, Training 2024
Successful Volunteer Interview Strategies
This webinar was delivered October 15, 2024 by Jennifer Bennett, Director of Education and Training at VolunteerMatch. She discussed why interviews… more
Staff TrainingInterviewing Volunteers Interview Questions, interview 2024
Volunteer Value Beyond Numbers, Hours and Dollars
A great summary from Sue Carter Kahl of alternatives we can use beyond just numbers, hours, and dollars to measure the value of volunteer engagement.
Staff Training ROI 2024