Better Impact Blog - English

Activating Volunteers: How Volunteer Leaders are Boosting Engagement with Better Impact

Jonathan Taylor — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 17:41:51 GMT

You've done the hard part: someone is interested in volunteering with you. Now the sign-up process, the reminders, and the back-and-forth emails all run through you. In this session, Jonathan Taylor and Oliver Waters of Better Impact share how self-scheduling, automation, and better volunteer data can help you activate volunteers, take the logistics off your plate, and spend more time with the people who make your mission possible.

Built to Last: 5 Lessons on Resilience from VMHC 2026

marketing@betterimpact.com (Better Impact) — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 14:19:29 GMT

VMHC 2026 brought together more than 2,300 volunteer leaders from 45 states and 8 Canadian provinces. The clearest lesson of the day: the biggest risk to volunteer programs isn't a shortage of people, time, or money. It's programs built for a world that no longer exists.

Job, Career or Calling – Signs You Should Pursue Volunteer Engagement

Adam Janes, Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 15:41:51 GMT

Let’s center on these words and how there are so many diverse perspectives about being in our profession. Where do you see yourself?

jobnoun — a piece of work; a task or duty; a position of employment.

Driving thought: “What do I need to accomplish today?”

careernoun — a profession or occupation followed as a long-term pursuit; a course of progress through working life.

Driving thought: “How do I do this better over time?”

callingnoun — a strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action, especially a vocation or profession to which one feels strongly drawn.

Driving thought: “How can I contribute to this profession to make it better?”

Volunteer Engagement, from my perspective and what I hear from others, is often talked about as a tough job. Many across the not-for-profit and other sectors treat leading volunteers as a job, a bundle of tasks. Some organizations don’t formally recognize it, even when there are large, complex, or diverse needs in how the organization connects with the people giving their time, talent, and care.

Maybe right now this is simply your job. And that's okay. Every profession must start somewhere. You learn the work, find your people, develop your practice, and over time, deeper engagement happens. The goal is to engage volunteers well and keep going.

From Volunteer Manager to Volunteer Leader: Webinar Recording and Key Takeaways

Karin Henderson — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 17:01:07 GMT

Most people don't set out to become volunteer leaders. They inherit a spreadsheet, a binder, and a long list of responsibilities, then figure it out as they go. In this session, Karin Henderson, CVA and Angela Williamson, CVA shared the building blocks that help volunteer leaders move from managing tasks to leading volunteer engagement, plus a simple one-hour exercise for planning 2027.

Terminating Volunteers When There’s Just No Other Option

Karen Knight — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 16:12:57 GMT

You’ve mentioned your concern to them. You’ve emailed them friendly reminders. You’ve sat down with them to work out a plan for improvement. And they still skip shifts / use inappropriate language / neglect safety procedures / you fill in the blank.

The Strategic Role of Volunteer Centers in Corporate Social Responsibility

Timothy Sarazen — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 21:53:10 GMT

Corporate volunteerism is having a moment: nearly 60% of companies now offer paid volunteer time, 77% of companies report an increase in employee participation in volunteer opportunities this year, and 71% of employees say it's important to work somewhere the culture supports giving and volunteering.

Volunteer Scheduling Software: FAQ + Top 10 Providers

Timothy Sarazen — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 20:41:26 GMT

If your organization has a well-established volunteer program, you likely already have a strong community of supporters who are eager to give their time and energy to your cause. Now, it’s just about equipping your team with the best tools to make coordinating those efforts simple and effective. Technology is particularly important when it comes to scheduling volunteer shifts, which can feel like a juggling act without the right software to make sure all roles are filled when you need them to be by skilled volunteers who can and want to be there at that time.

Top 10 Volunteer Recruitment Platforms for Your Organization

Timothy Sarazen — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 20:01:54 GMT

It’s no secret that recruiting dedicated volunteers is essential for growing any successful volunteer program. However, one in four volunteer coordinators cited volunteer recruitment as their biggest management challenge in a 2025 survey. As your organization expands, addressing this common pain point usually requires moving away from manual spreadsheets and adopting specialized digital tools.

Beyond Hours: Communicating Volunteer Value to Your Board

Beth Steinhorn, President, VQ Volunteer Strategies — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 13:00:03 GMT

Here's an irony: Board members are volunteers themselves. Yet, volunteer engagement strategy and impact often receive surprisingly little attention in the boardroom.

When volunteer engagement does make it onto the agenda, the conversation frequently centers on familiar numbers: How many volunteers did we engage? How many hours did they contribute?

There's nothing wrong with those numbers. But they rarely tell the board what it most needs to know: what difference did volunteer engagement make, and was the organization's investment in it worthwhile?

That's a missed opportunity. Organizations that engage volunteers strategically are better positioned to expand capacity, adapt to changing needs, and sustain and scale their impact. Helping the board understand that value can build support for—and investment in—a robust volunteer engagement strategy.

So how do you get the board's attention? Start by talking about what the board already cares about.

Boards are responsible for ensuring that organizations fulfill their missions while remaining financially sustainable, strategically focused, ethical, and accountable to the public. Don't ask the board to care about volunteer engagement as one more issue. Show how volunteer engagement advances the issues already on its agenda.

Volunteers and Fundraising: Doing It Well

angelawilliamsoncva@gmail.com (Angela Williamson, CVA) — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Have you thought about volunteer strategy as a way to boost fundraising? Or has it been hiding in plain sight? Or maybe you've been hesitant to ask volunteers to give financially, worried it might risk losing them?

There are ways to involve volunteers that can backfire. Let's talk about how to do it well.

Volunteers, when led, cultivated, and engaged the right way, can be some of your biggest cheerleaders. If trained well, they already know your mission, vision, and the impact you make in the community. They talk about your organization naturally—over coffee, at school pick-ups, and in neighborhood conversations. That goodwill can translate into financial support too.

Not every volunteer will want or be able to give. That's okay. As you ask for support, always be clear that giving is an option, not a requirement. Tone and words matter—you want volunteers to feel informed, not pressured.

Train Volunteers On

Mission, vision, and impact — help them tell your story clearly.
Ways people can give — financial donations, in-kind support, or other creative ways to contribute.
Who to contact — staff who can answer questions and make the process seamless.
Tools and resources — flyers, handouts, social posts, QR codes, and anything they can access and share easily.

As with any role, volunteers need clear responsibilities that match their skills. Staff support, follow-up, and appreciation are key. Without it, even the most enthusiastic volunteer can get frustrated.