Category — volunteer programs

I had the opportunity to speak at an annual meeting of volunteer leaders who support one of our state park systems. Although a small gathering, the enthusiasm and passion in the room was palpable.

It is extraordinary, I think, to consider the strength of a group of passionate people. I was there to give them ideas for building their fundraising programs but many also taught me about the success you can achieve with sheer strength of purpose. Most of these volunteer leaders came to their positions because of their enthusiasm for their favorite park – not because of the politics or networking potential or (heaven forbid) the thought that it would look good on a resume. 

Companies and foundations would be smart to put their efforts behind these groups. If you want to see your dollars stretched to accomplish miracles AND your brand warmly embraced by strong minded people, look no further than these parks volunteers. They may not have legions of members but they are vocal and dedicated.

So many funders in the current market seem to be looking for big numbers and high volume nonprofits to support – with the thought of making their gifts worth more to more people. Perhaps another approach is to give some of these funds to small groups with clear focus and driven purpose. Who knows, they may move mountains.

A few weeks ago, I presented two sessions at the annual conference for the Friends of Tennessee State Parks.  I have spoken at these types of events dozens of times and usually the audience and the experience is the same – some people listen and some appear more interested in the snacks to be offered at the next break. Not this group.

I have rarely worked with a group, particularly one made up almost exclusively of volunteers, that seems so dedicated to their work.  There goals are clear – they are there to support our state parks.  They are not there for politics, self aggrandizement, brownie points or anything else.  In my humble opinion, this makes them extremely powerful.  I bet they will accomplish anything they set their minds to.

During the past decade, as the money has been flowing freely and NPOs have benefited from a strong market, many new NPOs have sprung up. Some are great but many have not had the outside pressures to clearly define themselves or to achieve to their potential. Times are different now and only the most dedicated and focused NPOs will do well when the flow of funds slows to a trickle.

I predict that these amazing Friends organizations will be among those that thrive.  They are clear and razor focused.  Many are unsophisticated in their ways but funders would make a good bet in looking past the sparkles and fancy trim of other groups to see the true dedication that I found here.  Perhaps this economic downturn will help NPOs and companies alike to separate the players from the pretenders – not such a bad thing.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported on Monday about a national conference on volunteerism held in Atlanta.  One of the highlights of the event was a CEO roundtable at which companies discussed the long-term benefits of being socially involved corporate leaders and the importance of encouraging and supporting volunteerism among employees.

I am not usually one to read the comments posted in response to news stories of this type, but I happened to scroll down to the first comment and was amazed at what I found [link to article and comments here].  The comment was from a reader who said he/she did not want to be a volunteer and thought CEOs with the “stuffed pockets” should be doing the heavy lifting.  He/she went on to say “I have enough annoying stuff I have to do on the weekend.”  Wow.

All I can say to this person and others of similar thinking is that they are truly missing one of the greatest blessing we have as human beings.  Volunteerism, whether through employer affiliations or otherwise, is a gift that we give to ourselves AND to others.  There is a good reason why employers who support volunteerism see dramatic increases in employee satisfaction and retention rates.  Providing a forum for community activism is also a proven winner when recruiting talented staff.

Thankfully, most of the posts that followed disagreed with the cynical reader.  I cannot imagine living in a community (or on the planet at all) if everyone felt exhausted and bitter about helping others.  In fact, corporate leaders might consider their volunteer program as a good barometer of employee mindset. 

I would not want to see a climate where people are forced to volunteer time but evaluating the participation rates in such an employee-based program says a lot about the environment in which you do business and the people representing you to your customers, your clients and your community.