Did you know that the benefits of volunteering extend well beyond the nonprofit? Not only does volunteering impact the individual volunteer, but companies that offer volunteer opportunities for their employees see a direct correlation between retention and leadership development. Check out other benefits below!  

Impact on Nonprofits: 

• Volunteers help nonprofits maximize their resources.   
• According to the United States Census Bureau, 30% of Americans volunteer, serving an estimated 5.8 billion hours annually equating to $147 billion. 
• Individual volunteers boost a nonprofit’s visibility and create built-in advocates of a nonprofit’s mission. 
• Volunteers can help a nonprofit grow and build capacity. 

Impact on Businesses:   

• Opportunities to volunteer at work improve employee satisfaction and foster employee engagement.  
• The Macquarie Graduate School of Management found that 93% of employees who volunteer through their company report being happy with their employer, and 54% of those who are proud of their company’s contributions to society are engaged at work. 
• Volunteerism in the workplace creates a sense of connection and boosts retention.  
• Employess develop leadership skills and have enhanced team cohesion. 

Impact on Individuals: 

• Improved mental and physical health. 
• An instilled sense of community. 
• Opportunity to gain work/career experience.  

Volunteering, as evidenced, is important, but without effective volunteer management, it can be a moot point.  A volunteer program is a systematic way of leveraging the power of volunteer time, mobilizing individuals and groups, and maximizing impact. With more than 30% of nonprofits reporting they do not currently have the infrastructure to effectively deploy volunteers (Deloitte), how can real change begin?   

This provides a unique opportunity for foundations and corporations to not only financially support nonprofits in building their capacity, but to strategically put their name at the forefront of supporting local communities during a time of rising needs and decreasing resources.  

At Jersey Cares, we understand that investing in a volunteer program with volunteer management at its core creates a purposeful partnership and adds up to a quadruple win for grantors, volunteers, nonprofits, and benefiting communities alike. That is why we have curated our newest initiative the Volunteer Engagement Consulting Program. Through a 12-week customized curriculum, we help equip nonprofits with the tools, training, and expert support they need to maximize the power of volunteers AND provide funders with an opportunity to strengthen their community impact by investing in nonprofits’ volunteer management programs.  

It’s time to make volunteer management a priority; we all deserve to reap the benefits.