Knowing the trends of volunteerism can play a crticial role in your efforts to recruit and retain them to your mission. Examination of six trends provide suggestions on how to build a volunteer-centric culture, be responsive to volunteer needs, demonstrate flexibility and creativity, avoid overload, create the right connections and stand out from the crowd.

1. Motivating & Engaging Volunteers Joyce Lewis-Andrews June 2011

2. What are the benefits?

5. Consider Six Trends Affecting Volunteerism Recognizing the current volunteer climate (market) allows us to better identify strategies for motivating and engaging volunteers

6. Volunteer Trend #1 In 2009, 63.4 million Americans or 26.8 percent of the adult population contributed 8.1 billion hours of volunteer service worth $169 billion. The 2010 estimated dollar value for volunteer time by Independent Sector rose to $21.36.

10. Volunteer Trend #2 Despite the challenges of a tough economic situation, the volunteering rate held steady between 2007 and 2008, while the number of volunteers slightly increased by about one million. The volunteer rate in 2010 was similar (62.8 million people), although down from 2009.

15. Volunteer Trend #3 Today’s volunteers want short-term assignments. Reluctance to commit to a long-term volunteer assignment is so prevalent that it's moving from a trend to an established fact.

19. Volunteer Trend #4 Nonprofit staff members are stressed and time-starved. Yet many have earned the reputation of rewarding good volunteer work with more volunteer work, meaning that we often burn out our best people.

22. Volunteer Trend #5 Pittsburgh ranks #16 in the nation with young adult (age 16-24) volunteer rates at 23.7% in 2009. However, WHY they choose to volunteer is very specific.

28. Volunteer Trend #6 As the economy struggles to recover, and nonprofit organizations continue to provide services on smaller budgets, volunteers become even more vital to the health of our nation’s communities. Almost no nonprofit organization is planning a decrease in their volunteer usage.

34. Motivating & Engaging Volunteers Thank You!