10+ proven strategies to recruit volunteers for nonprofits

The world has many problems today, and someone needs to step in. At this point, non-profit organizations come into play, working towards resolving these issues without expecting anything in return. While they may intersect at certain points, thousands of organizations each focus on different topics, striving to make our world a better place. 

A non-profit organization is a legally established entity that functions for the common good, public welfare, or social benefit, unlike a business entity whose primary goal is profit generation for its owners. These organizations generally have revenues that are less than their expenses, which is why non-profit organizations, whether operating regionally or internationally, rely on volunteers to carry out their work.

So, how does the recruitment of volunteers take place? How can non-profit organizations reach more volunteers? How can you create a volunteer application form? In this post, you will find the answers to these questions and more. 

What is volunteer recruitment?

Volunteer recruitment is the recruitment of volunteers by non-profit organizations to help carry out various projects and activities.

Non-profit entities operate in fields like social support, environmental preservation, education, healthcare, and other sectors that contribute to societal well-being. Due to their non-profit nature, these organizations typically lack a stable income. As a result, their operations heavily rely on volunteer work, with periodic recruitment drives for new volunteers.

How to attract and recruit volunteers effectively: Top 10 strategies

There are many helpful people in the world who can be volunteers. However, many of them are either completely unaware of the existence of non-profit organizations or have limited knowledge about them. Consequently, they do not volunteer due to this reason. 

So, how do you recruit volunteers for an event? Which volunteer recruitment strategies are useful?  In this section, you will learn ten helpful volunteer recruitment ideas to attract them.

Top strategies to recruit volunteers

1. State your expectations and goals

If there is something more crucial than having a large number of volunteers for non-profit organizations, it is having qualified volunteers. Even for the simplest tasks, certain competencies may be required. Therefore, your website should clearly and in detail explain your expectations for potential volunteers.

2. Promote on social media

In today's rapidly accelerating era of communication, the most functional way to introduce your organization to people is through social media. By utilizing social media advertisements, your organization can reach broader audiences, enhance visibility, and thereby increase the chances of attracting more volunteers.

3. Make presentations

While it is important to promote your organization through the communication options brought by the modern world, do not neglect the use of traditional methods. Visit communal spaces such as schools and workplaces, introduce your organization through presentations, and establish one-on-one connections with people.

4. Encourage adaptability in volunteer opportunities

To appeal to a varied group of volunteers, it's crucial to provide options that cater to the diverse demographics and schedules of potential volunteers. This includes flexible schedules, virtual or remote volunteering possibilities, and a variety of tasks that align with different skill sets and interests, ensuring you can meet the preferences of a wide range of volunteers.

5. Create an application form

For your organization to run smoothly, your volunteers must be qualified. Therefore, you should prepare a form where you can also learn about the candidate's skills and competencies. You can learn how to prepare an application form in detail in the next section.

6. Be open to new ideas

Every idea is precious. Therefore, provide opportunities for your volunteers to share their ideas regarding the organization's development easily. This could be in-person or online in the traditional suggestion/complaint box format.

7. Send online volunteer projects

Some may wish to be part of a non-profit organization but, for various reasons, cannot physically participate in volunteer activities. You can contact these individuals by offering online volunteer projects and obtaining volunteers who can contribute remotely.

8. Use current volunteers contacts

People sometimes seek the assurance of a familiar face to participate in something. Therefore, ask your existing volunteers to request those around them to become volunteers for your organization.

9. Collaborate with other organizations

The sole purpose of non-profit organizations is to provide assistance and organize activities in line with their mission, and therefore, there is no competition among them. Whether your organization shares a similar or different mission, you can collaborate with other non-profit organizations to gain experienced volunteers.

10. Retain the volunteers

Last but not least, retaining your existing volunteers is as important for your organization as acquiring new ones. Strengthen the relationship between your volunteers and the organization with occasional small rewards, such as financial incentives and gestures that express your spiritual appreciation.

How can forms.app helps you get more volunteers?

Having a large number of volunteers is advantageous for non-profit organizations. However, turning everyone into a volunteer may disrupt the functionality of your organization. Therefore, it is essential to prepare a well-crafted form for your volunteer recruitment because it can make your nonprofit organization more effective. 

At this point, forms.app can be your greatest ally. Now, you will learn how to create a volunteer application form with the forms.app in four steps.

1. Choose a free template, start with a blank form, or create with AI

Starting options for your form

You have the option to build your online volunteer form from the ground up using the forms.app. However, for added convenience, forms.app provides a variety of free pre-designed online volunteer forms. 

Additionally, you can utilize the forms.app AI feature to generate your forms effortlessly by providing a single prompt.

2. Edit the questions or add your own

Add questions to your form

It is essential to identify the particular skills, time availability, and roles required for volunteers in your organization. Therefore, create inquiries directly addressing the necessary volunteer experience, roles, skills, and interests, such as driving abilities or proficiency in foreign languages. 

Do not forget to ask for the prospective volunteer's contact information. You can choose your questions from our article on non-profit survey questions or create them based on your own needs. You also have the option to utilize or modify the questions provided in the volunteer form template.

3. Customize the looks of your volunteer application form

Choosing a ready-made theme for your form

How your form looks is essential. People may bored when filling out the form when it is full of just text or questions. So, adding some pictures or changing the design is better for your form. This way, you prevent the candidate from leaving the form incomplete.

forms.app provides a range of manual customization features and pre-designed themes, allowing you to change your form's visual style and design according to your preferences. Plus, you have the option to enhance the appeal of your form by incorporating images.

4. Share your form online to gather applications

Sharing options for your volunteer recruitment form

Now, you can share your volunteer application form on your website. After that, by sharing the form's link across your organization's social media platforms, you can extend your reach, attracting a larger audience and garnering more volunteer applications.

You don’t have time for all of these? Then, create your form using forms.app, the best form-builder webpage for creating any form.

💡If you need further tips to create a survey form for nonprofits, you can check out the article. 

Frequently asked questions about nonprofit volunteer recruitment

So far, you have learned what volunteer recruitment is, how to attract more volunteers for your organization, and how to create a form for volunteer candidates to easily apply. You may still have some lingering doubts despite having answers to all these questions. We have attempted to address a few of these for you.

Conclusion

In our world, where there are many issues, such as violence against women, animal slaughter, and deadly diseases, non-profit organizations work towards solutions without expecting any compensation. Of course, to carry out these efforts, they require a large number of volunteers. However, finding more qualified volunteers can be hard sometimes for non-profit organizations.

This article covers the concept of volunteering, strategies to attract more volunteers for your organization, and the process of crafting a compelling online volunteer application form using forms.app. Now, let's proceed to create an effective form for your organization!