Volunteers Increase Your Profit Margin

When organizing a fundraiser, remember that the smaller your expense budget, the bigger your profits. Finding volunteers to complete certain tasks is a great way to keep your staff expenses low and still get the job done. Volunteers are a great resource for easy but time-consuming tasks such as preparing mailers, promoting your cause, and organizing the details of your fundraising event.

Finding Volunteers

The first place you should look for volunteers is in whatever group benefits the most from your organization or event. For example, if you are raising money for research on a particular disease, you might find volunteers within the families of patients with that disease. People who feel personally affected by your cause, for whatever reason, are more likely to be willing to donate their time.

You can also advertise in print and online sources to find volunteers in your area. There are numerous programs through which volunteers get connected with organizations and groups who need free help.

Once you have identified possible volunteers for your fundraiser, it is up to you to convince them to help with your event. Whoever is in charge of recruiting volunteers should be friendly, personable, and persistent. Your recruiter should have a “can do” attitude so your volunteers will follow suit.

Depending on the scope of your event, you may want to produce a pamphlet, flier, or other hand-out to be supplied to possible volunteers. This hand-out is a type of marketing letter, containing information about your cause and your event, including the nature of the event, its monetary goals, and how the money raised from the event will further your cause. If you have any incentives or prizes for volunteers, mention that in your literature as well.

Assigning Tasks

Before you dole out the tasks for your event, make a master list of everything that needs to be done, and determine which tasks you will delegate to volunteers. At that point, you can either have your volunteers divide up tasks amongst themselves, or an individual can assign tasks.

Draw on Volunteers’ Individual Strengths

As much as possible, pay attention to your volunteers’ strengths. For example, some volunteers may be great at face-to-face conversation (perfect for promoting your event), while others may prefer to sit quietly and work (perfect for organizational tasks). If your volunteers are happy, everything will work more efficiently and your event will be more successful.

Have Volunteers Promote Your Event

Before and during your fundraising event, part of the job of your volunteers should be promotion. Any volunteers who work on preparations for your fundraiser, or who provide staff for your fundraising event, should be well-informed about the background of your organization and your money-raising goals. They will help spread awareness of your fundraiser by word-of-mouth advertising and, more importantly, they will raise awareness for your cause.