Using your volunteers in a fundraising capacity

Volunteering is a complicated subject. Although most fundraising departments could do with the extra hands it is often seen as a hindrance rather than an asset as volunteers need managing and controlling, but are often so dedicated to the cause that they can often create conflict. Here are some suggestions:

Create a volunteering strategy within your team by asking the following questions:

What jobs do you have (list menial to projects that could do with the extra hands)?
Divide these jobs into sections, for example those jobs that are mundane and those that require specific skills over a period of time. For the latter create a relatively simple job description.
List what resources you need to use these volunteers (e.g. do they need computers and e-mail facility, are their desks for them if they come in regularly, can you offer to pay their expenses).
Ensure your letter to them lists everything you expect and any organisation policy that you are a permanent staff member has to follow (e.g. charity policy etc). Don't forget to train if necessary.

About volunteers

What people want from volunteering varies greatly. Some may want to come in 3 times a year and just help out (stuff envelopes, tidy up databases etc); others often want to offer their skills - these should be treated more clearly and may prefer to work on projects over the course of a year so they see the 'completion' of the project.

Don't forget that although volunteers are very enthusiastic they must be lead by you. Volunteers (i.e. non professional fundraisers) are sometimes so enthusiastic that they cannot understand when other people (outsiders) are not. Make sure they understand that it is OK when people do not want to give to that particular cause.

Other jobs volunteers can help you with:

Being part of your donor support system and commenting on literature you are about to send out.
Checking and sourcing suppliers if you do not have time.
Sourcing freebies you may need e.g. paper, envelopes, furniture etc.
Circulating press releases. Someone with e-mail from home could help with press releases as and when.
Database entry. If you don't have the resources for a database manager or assistant you may be able to encourage a volunteer (mother who wants to get back into the workforce, a recently retired person) to help with the database. All fundraisers could do with someone dedicated to looking and tidying up their database!

Finally

Get to know your volunteers well. Why are they volunteering? Use this to develop jobs for them. Someone may want something challenging and another may simply want to help with administration. Use these people wisely and they will help you tremendously.
Pick a team as if you were recruiting, look at your volunteer list, speak to them, pick the people who you can work with as a team, pick them as if you were to employ them and pay them. Make it clear that they are taking on a responsibility if they take the job.
Last but not least, reward them, mention them in your newsletter, invite them to wherever the campaign takes place, reward them if you have a celebrity supporting you, by getting a personally signed photo of the celebrity and the volunteers, perhaps a free campaign T-shirt, sweatshirt or keying. You would be surprised how grateful people are to receive gifts from the charity that they support. After all, they believe in your cause and they are proud of it, so any form of memorabilia that they can carry, they will carry and of course, word of mouth is also very strong in the voluntary sector. Remember to invite them to any project launches that they will have been involved in.

Manage them

Like your own in-house team volunteers need managing and need training if they are to represent your organisation. That means following your own procedures and answering to you. This should be made clear in your agreement between your organisation and the volunteer.

Other fact sheets in Organizational planning
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