Volunteers are foundational to nonprofit success. Their expertise, time, energy, and effort propel your organization forward and make your mission statement an achievable reality. They do all this and more during their free time because they believe your cause matters.

In fact, over 70% of volunteers work with only one organization per year, meaning your organization can count on their dedicated support. That said, does your nonprofit have an effective volunteer Appreciation strategy that recognizes their efforts?

In this guide, we’ve compiled a list of our top volunteer appreciation ideas, which can be broken down into: 

• Communication-Related Volunteer Appreciation
• Recognition-Related Appreciation
• Celebratory Appreciation

Remember that it’s best to incorporate these volunteer appreciation ideas into your daily habits. By saying “thank you” regularly, you can ensure that volunteers feel valued and stay committed to your cause. Let’s get started!

Volunteer Appreciation: Why it Matters

Before we jump into our top volunteer appreciation ideas, let’s review why volunteer appreciation matters in the first place. Going the extra mile can translate into some practical benefits, including:

• Turnover Reduction: At a base level, effective volunteer appreciation is a failsafe against turnover. As mentioned, volunteers tend to stick to one organization to offer their time, and receiving gratitude can be a significant differentiator.
• Validation: Expressing gratitude makes volunteers feel validated for their efforts. Whether they’ve chosen to volunteer abroad or help with a local campaign, thanking them makes them feel recognized for their contributions.
• Motivation: Thank-you messages can be motivating. In fact, there’s nothing more demotivating than not feeling appreciated for your time. That’s why showing your appreciation can provide that extra boost of motivation to see a volunteer project through. 
• Community building: A community of gratitude keeps volunteers and nonprofit staff upbeat and ready to build new relationships. And, as an outsider, an organization that uplifts its employees and team is attractive. 

Now that you know some of the tangible benefits of consistently expressed appreciation, it’s time to research some gratitude ideas that work for your volunteer base. Keep in mind that knowing your volunteers personally is critical to expressing appreciation. People feel appreciated in different ways, so choose a method to make them feel individually valued. 

16 Volunteer Appreciation Ideas 

Volunteer appreciation ideas can be organized into three categories—communication-related appreciation, recognition-related appreciation, and celebratory appreciation. Many times, these ideas can be incorporated together as a part of a larger strategy. Let’s break down the differences between them. 

Communication-Related Appreciation

As a direct message to volunteers, communicated-based appreciation can take many forms. The more specific and personal you are in your communication, the better. In other words, address volunteers by name and thank them for their direct impact. Here are a couple of communication methods to consider: 

Thank-You Notes

Handwritten thank-you notes will never go out of style. You can handwrite them using digital tools like eCards to make your volunteer feel appreciated. 

Be sure to note a volunteer’s hours within these messages. For a volunteer helping for five or ten years, directly mention your gratitude for dedicating much of their time. Consider adopting an email appreciation strategy for new volunteers to instantly thank them and provide more information about involvement opportunities following their first volunteer session.

Phone Calls or Texts

For more immediate communication, consider personally contacting volunteers to thank them. Having a board member or executive leader take the time to express their appreciation over the phone can mean a lot to volunteers.

Additionally, you can send short thank-you text messages to appeal to Millennial and Gen Z-aged volunteers, as texting is a popular communication channel among this demographic. Address them by name and thank them for their specific contribution to add personalization.

Volunteer Handbook

As part of an effective volunteer program, using a centralized volunteer handbook to keep volunteers updated on their roles and responsibilities can be convenient. That way, volunteers can easily refer back to an accessible source of information should any questions arise.

Your organization’s volunteer handbook is an ideal spot to highlight your appreciation. Consider including a note or quote from your nonprofit director on the first page to thank each volunteer. 

Recognition-Related Appreciation

Gratitude in the form of recognition translates into exciting opportunities for your volunteers to enjoy. Depending on the level of appreciation your organization wishes to bestow, you can use different recognition methods, such as: 

Volunteer of The Month

Award hardworking volunteers with the title “Volunteer of the Month.” Then, add their name and image to your social media posts and tag them as a thank you. Or, you can hang their photo within your nonprofit’s headquarters. 

Standardize the process for how you select your volunteer of the month. For instance, you might award the volunteer with the most hours or have your team vote on who demonstrated greatness in the previous weeks. 

Dedicated Community Spot

Honor your volunteers by adding their names to a dedicated spot in the community, such as on a park bench or in a garden. Volunteers are uniquely invested in serving their community, so receiving public recognition can make them feel seen and appreciated for their time and energy.

You could build a brick vegetable or flower garden to brighten the local community if you have a large volunteer database. Include volunteer names on individual bricks or add a bench or two with their names on a plaque. 

Thank-You Video

Host a thank-you video to commemorate volunteer impact. Include beneficiary testimonials and a brief statement from your nonprofit executives thanking them for their service. These videos don’t have to be long to be meaningful.

You can shoot this video content on your own or go through an external provider to make your thank-you video come to life. Partnering with a video provider can also help your organization avoid major roadblocks like sound or video quality issues while cleaning up your vision in post-production. 

Letter of Recommendation 

Writing a letter of recommendation is one of the best ways to pay your volunteers back. Mention volunteers in LinkedIn endorsements to help them get ahead in their careers. You never know; an endorsement may lead to a new job opportunity or promotion for volunteers!

If a volunteer is not interested in a letter of recommendation, think of other ways you help them reach their career goals. Perhaps you can set up a networking opportunity for them through your nonprofit’s contact list or host an entire networking event for your volunteers. 

Career Building

Along the same lines, providing volunteers with additional career-building opportunities can be helpful. Consider hosting workshops for younger volunteers or those in between jobs or interested in working in the nonprofit sector.

Chat with your staff and see if you can offer mentor or shadowing opportunities so that volunteers can experience a day in the life of a nonprofit leader. Recommend certificate programs or start a career-building book club for volunteers to gain additional skills and knowledge. 

Job Offer

After offering career training and mentoring opportunities, your team might decide to extend a job offer to a dedicated volunteer. And, if you want to keep your ideal volunteers for the long run, giving them a job is the best way to do that.

After all, volunteers know the ins and outs of your organization better than most other candidates. Even if they may not be interested in a position, volunteers can also refer individuals who would be a good fit for the job. 

Celebratory Appreciation

Now for the fun bit—celebratory appreciation! Events, gifts, and experiences fall into this more traditional category. It’s likely that your organization already employs some of these appreciation methods, but we’ve provided some fresh ideas for you to shake things up. 

Branded Gifts

Your organization’s branded merchandise can make for unique volunteer appreciation gifts. When volunteers receive something tangible for their efforts, it makes them feel uniquely connected to your cause. 

Common branded gifts include:

• T-shirts
• Hoodies
• Hats
• Blankets
• Mugs or Tumblers

Opt for quality over quantity regarding branded merchandise, and ensure your brand remains consistent across products. That includes using the same logo, color scheme, and typography regardless of whether you’re handing out shirts or mugs.

Flowers 

Flowers are a wonderful thank-you gift. Have them delivered to volunteer homes or offices, or physically deliver a bouquet yourself. Depending on your budget and needs, you could also partner with a local flower shop depending on your budget and needs.

It’s also a good idea to include a personalized thank-you note within your flower arrangement as well. Bonus points if you have it signed by your nonprofit president or executive director. 

Tickets to Local Events

Gift your volunteers tickets to local entertainment to show your appreciation. Research local performances, movies, comedy shows, or sporting events. You could partner with a local sports team or decide to distribute tickets individually.

If you find a great ticket deal, add a dinner certificate to the experience to have your volunteers feel celebrated all night long. Bundling experiences can really show volunteers how much your organization cares. 

Volunteer Appreciation Dinner

Take your volunteers out to a team dinner. If you’re up for planning a fancier night, find a nice dinner venue and plan a couple of short speeches as a thank you.

Ask volunteers ahead of time for their input on their favorite restaurant location. Be mindful of any dietary restrictions, allergies, and food preferences. 

Gift Cards

Gift cards are a tried-and-true form of appreciation that you can pair with almost any gift or give as a standalone gift. Get to know where your donors like to spend their extra cash, and track down some gift cards to show your gratitude.

If you’re unsure where to get a gift card, grocery store cards or meal kit certificates are a safe choice. That way, a volunteer can get a few meals for free!

Game Night

Foster some healthy competition with a fun, family-friendly game night. Host your game night in your decorated office space, or make it a fun picnic. Invite volunteers and their families to bring their favorite games and maybe bring some prizes for board game winners.

Ask volunteers to RSVP beforehand and ensure enough games are available for everyone to play. That way, no one is stuck taking turns or waiting to play. 

Organizational Perks

Finally, think about offering organizational perks as a gift. If volunteers are interested in the inner workings of your nonprofit story or mission, offer them a behind-the-scenes look. It could include an all-access pass to nonprofit events or an inside look into your planning. Or, offer volunteers the ease of a dedicated parking spot to make volunteering even simpler for them. 

Volunteer Appreciation Summary

Expressing gratitude to volunteers takes consistent effort, and the more appreciation you show, the better. Plan to show your thanks on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual basis. For instance, you might go with a volunteer of the month award for shorter-term appreciation and an annual thank-you video to show thanks for volunteer efforts over the calendar year. Doing so will help your nonprofit build a loyal and engaged volunteer base that supports your mission for years to come. 

The post 16 Volunteer Appreciation Ideas to Strengthen Relationships appeared first on funds2orgs.com.