volunteers

With so much attention over the past few years focused on Baby Boomer volunteers, it would be easy to overlook another tremendously abundant resource of volunteers: The Millennial generation. The Millennial generation is comprised of those born in the late 1970s through the mid-1990s and is characterized as the generation that has come into adulthood with the turning of the new millennium. Millennials are currently in their teens and twenties – and are just as socially conscious – and just as numerous as their parents’ iconic generation, the Baby Boomers.

The stories are devastating; the images heart wrenching; and the future even worse. The earthquake in Haiti has shaken the world and the emotional aftershocks reverberate every time we turn to the news. As individuals, we all want to help – but it’s difficult to find a way to help when we live hundreds or thousands of miles away. As professionals in the nonprofit and service sectors, we are driven to help – even if disaster relief is not part of our organizations’ core mission. But how? Organizations who work as first responders, search and rescue, and direct relief often have built-in infrastructures to respond and support. For the rest of us, though, there are ways to leverage our existing structures and rally our constituents and volunteers to respond. We can make a difference.

With the launch of a new year, it’s hard to ignore the nostalgic reflections on the past year – and we enjoy a healthy review of the year’s successes and challenges as much as anyone. But, now that it’s January and we’re firmly rooted in 2010, we’d like to look ahead. The upcoming JFFixler eQuarterly newsletter will focus on some compelling forecasts by the Chronicle of Philanthropy and others about what nonprofits will face in 2010 and share a few proven strategies to consider in your 2010 organizational plans. In this, our first blog posting of 2010, we’d like to share our own thoughts about what to expect in this new year. The time to shift from reminiscence to informed action is now.

by Jill Friedman Fixler and Beth Steinhorn

It's that time of year, isn't it?  No, not the holiday season! It's time for the year-end solicitation, right? We know that, just like retailers depend on the holiday shopping season to bring them into the black each year, nonprofits have come to rely on the year-end solicitation to adjust the bottom line a bit more favorably.  So, we'd like to share with you the Top Ten reasons to ensure that your year-end solicitation strategy includes an intentional and strategic "ask" directed to your volunteers....

You have heard it (we’re sure of that) and we ourselves have said it (many times) over the past few months: The numbers of skilled individuals seeking meaningful volunteer work has increased dramatically as millions deal with lay-offs or cut-backs and seek new skills to remain competitive in a challenging job market. But, what about those small business owners whose work has slowed down, but not closed down?  They, too, are seeking ways to meaningfully engage with the community, keep their employees busy, and cultivate marketable relationships for the future. 

So, what does this new spin on volunteering mean for your organization? It means that there are others out there seeking to develop relationships and you can take advantage.