Volunteers are Donors Too, and Other Trends in Nonprofits

I listened to a Webcast recently highlighting some trends for improved fundraising. The guest speaker, Jayne Cravens, quoted some interesting stats and information, some of which I have included in this post. Cravens says yes to databases. I agree that a good DATABASE IS ESSENTIAL to effective fundraising. In addition, I agree with Cravens that it is important to enter information for every person that comes into contact with the organization--including those who volunteer, not just those who have given money. Remember: Volunteers are Donors too! (or at least potential donors). Cravens also encourages fundraisers to ask volunteers to become donors. She quoted a statistic that says volunteers give ten times the dollars non-volunteering donors give. If someone is willing to commit time and talent, they are very likely willing to support your mission financially too. It also takes fewer resources to ask an individual for a monetary gift if they are already invested in your mission. Instead of valuing volunteer hours with a dollar amount for their "free work", Cravens suggests that the best way to respect our volunteers and value their input into our organizations is to talk about the impact of the volunteer core. Cravens also offers perspective on Talent Managers (Volunteer Coordinators)--who can match volunteer skills to a project or job that will benefit the organization. I have provided a link to the Webcast below. The trends in nonprofits are relevant to those who raise money, bring in resources, run programs and manage volunteers...so in other words, everyone who works for a nonprofit could benefit from listening. Check it out, download the documents and share it with your peeps. On-Demand Webcast: Volunteer Management: 5 Trends That Can Improve Your Fundraising Bottom Line