Whether you are putting on a charity golf event, a 5k, or an annual gala, putting on a fundraising event requires all hands on deck. Finding enough dedicated, hard-working people to volunteer their time to help your cause can be challenging!
From pre-event preparations, to day-of operations, and finally post-event wrap up, there are lots of roles to be filled by willing volunteers.
When I worked at my Nonprofit it always took a lot of valuable time and energy to find enough volunteers to get the job done. I've compiled this list of 4 tactics you can use to find and recruit quality volunteers for your fundraising event.
1. Social Media 🙋♀️
Utilizing all platforms of social media is a great tactic for spreading the word and appealing to potential volunteers. You can use your organization’s Facebook and Instagram pages to inform potential volunteers that already follow you, but you can also use LinkedIn to target potential volunteers that might not be connected to your cause yet, but could be a great fit!
Publicize on your organization’s Facebook page that you're seeking Volunteers for an upcoming event. Encourage your co-worker's to re-share your post so you can reach a wider audience!
Create a visual or graphic and post to Instagram to draw potential volunteers into your cause.
Utilize LinkedIn by posting your volunteer opportunity, searching for volunteers, and connecting with them through messaging.
Pro Tip: Create a volunteer flyer on Canva to help spread the word on social media!
2. Utilize College Campuses 👨🏫
College campuses present great opportunities for finding willing volunteers. Certain classes, athletic departments, and clubs such as sororities and fraternities require volunteer or service hours. On top of these requirements, college students are eager to build their resumes and network with community members and leaders.
Reaching out to college students for potential volunteers is a win-win situation for both parties involved!
- Visit your local university or college’s community service center
- Reach out to volunteer coordinators for the athletic department at your local University
- Connect with local Sororities and Fraternities who are looking to fill philanthropy requirements
3. Tap into High School Organizations 🎓
High school students are a great resource for potential volunteers! When I was in charge of finding volunteers for past Nonprofit's I worked at, High Schools were always first on my list. Many schools these days have mandatory volunteer hours for students and it's a great resource to tap into!
Also, nothing looks better on a high school student’s college application than a wide range of volunteer opportunities. Check out the departments to find your next group of volunteers:
- Local school districts
- Athletic Teams
- National Charity Leagues
- Key Club
- National Honor Society
4. Use a Service that Connects Nonprofits and Volunteers 💻
If posting to social media, reaching out to high school organizations, and connecting with college campuses does not provide enough quality volunteers, you can always turn to websites and services that connect nonprofits and potential volunteers such as:
- VolunteerMatch
- Benevity
- JustServe
- Taproot Plus
- Catchafire
When it comes to quality volunteers, we know you can never have too many! These resources should help you find volunteers to fill all of the necessary roles for your next fundraising event.
