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Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
10 Data-Driven Ways To Boost Volunteer Engagement
Volunteers are an invaluable resource for nonprofits. With many organizations operating under limited budgets and staffing constraints, people freely offering their time and skills significantly increases operational productivity and efficiency while reducing costs. However, nonprofits do face challenges when it comes to retaining volunteers. Strategically leveraging data can offer nonprofit leaders key insights, helping them gain a better understanding of where volunteer programs are going wrong, boosting volunteer engagement, and driving real, sustainable change. Below, 10 Forbes Nonprofit Council members share how nonprofit leaders can use data to effectively measure the impact of volunteer engagement and improve their volunteer programs. 1. Take A Dual Approach To Uncover Patterns The most valuable insights often come from a combination of open-ended survey responses and longitudinal trend analyses. This dual approach not only reveals meaningful patterns, but also uncovers personal narratives that inform more empathetic and targeted improvements. It also fosters psychological safety by helping volunteers feel seen, heard and genuinely valued. - Yujia Zhu, 2. Determine Why Volunteers Disengage Looking at the volunteer retention rate is a great indicator of engagement. This data can help nonprofits identify patterns and understand what is causing increased attrition among volunteers. By understanding which volunteers may be more likely to disengage and why, nonprofits can prioritize their outreach efforts to keep individuals involved. - Scott Brighton, Bonterra Forbes Nonprofit Council is an invitation-only organization for chief executives in successful nonprofit organizations. Do I qualify? 3. Examine The Reach Of Volunteer Messaging And Resources Empower your volunteers with a clear message and a toolkit to share it, then track how far it travels. Measuring shares, referrals and peer-to-peer reach gives you real data on their impact. This approach helps volunteers feel like true partners while giving your organization insight into what messaging or activities move people to act. - Karen Cochran, Philanthropy Innovators 4. Determine What Drives Engagement And Retention Track volunteer retention and reengagement rates alongside post-engagement surveys. This data reveals not just who shows up, but also who stays and why. This helps leaders strengthen training, drive recognition and match volunteers to roles where they will thrive and stick around for the long haul. - Michael Bellavia, HelpGood 5. Initiate More Face-To-Face Conversations Please get out and speak to volunteers to improve volunteer programs! People are afraid these days to have face time and ask the important questions, but human interaction is important when you want true data. Not everything will be answered via a survey, as people want to talk and express themselves. - Rhonda Vetere, Laureus Sport For Good 6. Ask Questions 'Philanthropy' refers to the giving of time, talent, treasure or testimony. The best data tool is to simply ask questions. Find out who's connected and why they are supporting your cause. The word 'question' comes from the root word 'quest,' which means to go on an adventure. Collect stakeholder data by going on an adventure. - Aaron Alejandro, Texas FFA Foundation 7. Capture And Prioritize Impact Stories Track stories, not just hours. The real value of volunteer engagement isn't how much time was given; it's what changed because someone showed up. That's qualitative data. Capturing those stories helps you improve the experience and gives you powerful narratives to share. Using data this way turns volunteer work into word-of-mouth fuel that builds belief, trust and long-term support. - Cherian Koshy, Kindsight 8. Link Volunteers' Time To Outcomes Measure hours served against program outcomes. For example, track volunteer time alongside community impact metrics to see where contributions make the most difference. This can help refine roles and better allocate resources. Nonprofits can start by linking volunteer data to mission results. - Alan Thomas, Association for Materials Protection & Performance 9. Purposefully Share Data If you are going to collect data, then make it available. If you have exceeded your volunteer recruitment goal, let people know. If your nonprofit logged more volunteer hours than in the past, share the news. If you have compelling data that indicates volunteer involvement had a significant program impact, don't just hide that in your annual report. Instead, make sure you deliver that message loudly. - Victoria Burkhart, The More Than Giving Company 10. Turn Feedback Into Action The simplest form of data is feedback surveys. Ask volunteers what their needs and benchmarks for success are and whether those needs are being met, and quantify those results with your strategic plan. You will be surprised what you find out when you simply ask questions for planning. - Erin Davison, Scouting America
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
17 Proven Strategies For Boosting Fundraising Success
Fundraising is an ongoing process for nonprofits. With economic uncertainty and changing donor priorities presenting growing funding challenges, developing different methods to engage with current donors and reach new ones can ensure a nonprofit is able to continue its mission and achieve organizational goals. Below, members of Forbes Nonprofit Council discuss fundraising strategies they've found to be particularly effective. Read on to learn more about why these methods work well, as well as how other nonprofits can adopt the same strategies. 1. Pair Core Values With Passion The core values of the organization, coupled with a contagious passion, are a very effective combination. A compelling story or testimony coupled with core values like respect, integrity, sound management and transparency makes for ease of operations and donor support. Pay attention to details and connect individual or corporate stakeholders with what fits best for them. - Aaron Alejandro, Texas FFA Foundation 2. Take A Relationship-Centered Approach One consistently effective strategy is relationship-based fundraising. Instead of leading with an ask, we prioritize listening, getting to know donors, understanding their values and aligning them with our mission. This approach builds trust and loyalty, resulting in stronger long-term support and giving, which often increases over time. - Alan Thomas, Association for Materials Protection & Performance Forbes Nonprofit Council is an invitation-only organization for chief executives in successful nonprofit organizations. Do I qualify? 3. Get To Know Your Target Audience Know your audience and learn what makes them tick. Ask donors if they believe in the mission and cause. I have seen many people fail when they make random calls or just send texts to their Rolodex, and it often ruins their credibility for future asks. - Rhonda Vetere, Laureus Sport For Good 4. Determine Why People Don't Give Ask non-donors why they don't give to your organization. Listen to what matters to them, then find ways to match their passions with your organization's needs if there's mission and values alignment. Listening with sincerity is one of the most important skills in philanthropy work. - Krishan Mehta, Toronto Metropolitan University 5. Show How Your Work Helps Them Reach Their Philanthropic Objectives Success with prospective donors is all about demonstrating that an investment in your organization leverages the philanthropic investments donors are making elsewhere. If your work complements or supplements other gifts a donor has long made, you don't need to demonstrate why your cause is worthy. Instead, you can show that you can get them closer to their collective objectives. - Patrick Riccards, Driving Force Institute 6. Align Donor Goals With The Mission We stopped guessing what donors wanted and started asking. By aligning their goals with our mission, we built trust fast. Then, we delivered real access, real results and real partnership. That clarity and transparency turned short-term gifts into long-term investments. - Nicole Lamoureux, NAFC 7. Tell A Good Impact Story The best fundraising strategy I've found is having the ability to tell a good impact story. A good story illustrates who you're serving, the challenges they face, how your organization makes a difference, and what the outcomes have been because of your intervention. Data is important, but statistics can never supplant a good story that leaves the donor feeling like their giving can have an impact. - Danielle Moss Cox, Oliver Scholars 8. Develop A Storytelling Micro-Campaign Create storytelling micro-campaigns. For example, these campaigns can be done over 10 days and include 10 authentic, compelling stories, each paired with a clear ask. This works because it builds empathy, urgency and clarity. Others can replicate this strategy by sharing authentic stories, setting time-bound goals and linking each narrative to a tangible impact. It's a low-cost, high-connection and mission-aligned strategy. - Yujia Zhu, 9. Host 'Friendraisers' 'Friendraisers' get more buzz than fundraisers. Tasking your board to bring a new friend (or two) to an event can take some pressure off them. It's a great way to expose your organization to potential donors and new friends while offering board members an opportunity to 'give' in another way. - Tara Chalakani, Preferred Behavioral Health Group 10. Invest In Established Donor Relationships Donations are always the result of trust, and building trust takes time. Investing time in relationships can come at a real cost to the rest of your responsibilities. Designing a thoughtful way to prioritize these connections and mitigate the costs of human investment will be a much more effective fundraising strategy than constantly relying on an entirely new group of donors each year. - Anne Marie Dougherty, Bob Woodruff Foundation 11. Invite Key Influencers To Learn About You At Annual Events One strategy that has worked well for us is to use our annual community banquet to invite key influencers to learn about our organization as guests. We treat the event as an investment, not a fundraiser or profit center. Using the opportunity to begin building a relationship with potential future donors has been beneficial and has resulted in several significant gifts. - Tom Ulbrich, Goodwill Industries of Western New York, Inc. 12. Start An Annual Donor Campaign Implement an annual donor campaign. Annual donors are one of the largest groups of donors for any nonprofit. Not engaging with them throughout the year and not encouraging them to increase their annual investment leaves more money on the table than any other fundraising plan. From $10 a month to $1,000 a month, cultivate each donor and make that a priority. - Erin Davison, Scouting America 13. Implement A Gift Acceptance Policy Beware of gifts that eat. Just because a gift is big doesn't mean you should take it. If it doesn't align with your mission or will cost more than it's worth, say 'no.' Your job is to be a trusted advisor, helping donors align their intent with your mission. A gift acceptance policy is a strategic tool that can help you navigate difficult donor conversations while protecting your organization. - Karen Cochran, Philanthropy Innovators 14. Combine Peer Fundraising With Ambassador Training We've seen strong results from pairing peer-to-peer fundraising with thoughtful ambassador training. When supporters share personal stories and fundraise within their networks, it builds trust and reach. It works because your success story becomes their success story, too. - Michael Bellavia, HelpGood 15. Diversify Funding Sources With Technology Leveraging technology to diversify funding sources is key to building long-term resilience in the social good sector. Many nonprofits still rely on a few large funders, but those tapping into a broader base of smaller, more diverse sources tend to raise more overall. This demonstrates how software-driven strategies can unlock both sustainability and scale. - Scott Brighton, Bonterra 16. Express Gratitude Say 'thank you.' Recent data from the Fundraising Effectiveness Project confirms what we all know—the strongest strategy is one that retains donors. - Laura MacDonald, Benefactor Group 17. Follow Up When Others Stop One strategy that works is following up when others stop. A second 'thank you' or an unexpected update months later is where loyalty is built. It works because generosity isn't a moment; it's a relationship. Most organizations treat fundraising like a finish line, but donors remember who shows up after the gift. If you keep that conversation going, you'll turn one-time gifts into long-term belief. - Cherian Koshy, Kindsight
