Finding the Right Fit as a Nonprofit Volunteer
As a volunteer for a nonprofit organization, you can gain the strength to “move mountains.” We each have the power to give but also receive. This life-changing experience is often overlooked because it quietly hides in the background, out of our sight and consciousness. You can receive more than you give if you approach volunteering with an open mind as well as an open heart.
It takes a leap of faith to be an active volunteer. Volunteering without full commitment will be a shallow experience and can possibly do more harm than good. However, with a little thoughtful planning and a promise to be an active volunteer, the rewards to you and the organization can exceed expectations.
I have had many opportunities to work professionally with volunteers and serve as a volunteer. From both sides of the window, I have learned a lot and enriched my soul while also helping nonprofits to do good, fulfill their mission, and enhance their value proposition.
To increase your chances for success, think about how the answers to the following “W” questions will optimize your search for volunteer opportunities.
Who – are the organizations that align with your interests and passion?
What – are they looking for from you?
When – do they need you?
Where – within the organization can you help?
Why – is this right for me?
After you consider the answers to the first four questions above, focus your attention on answering the “Why” question. Use these three questions to help frame and focus your search on why you are choosing to volunteer for a particular organization:
Do I believe in what they are doing?
Can I make a sincere and honest commitment?
Do I have the capacity and will to fulfill that commitment?
If the answer is “yes: to these questions, think about the different pathways to get involved with that organization. There are many opportunities to volunteer. Do not assume you have to start at the top level as a Board member. There are often worthy opportunities at lower levels (for example, volunteering to help at a fundraising event or serve on a new program task force) that could be a better starting point.
To provide some guidance on where to start, consider these factors:
Big vs. small organizations
Traditional vs. non-traditional roles
Brains vs. brawn
For big organizations there will be multiple volunteer service options at different levels. For small organizations there will be fewer service options to pick from, but more opportunities at the top level, including serving as a Board member, that might not be possible at a large organization.
Traditional vs. non-traditional volunteer roles relates to how your skills align with the organization’s needs, while brains vs. brawn focuses on aligning your wants to the organization’s options for volunteer service. To illustrate, the following is how I would use these factors based on my personal preferences and professional background when making a choice on which volunteer positions to apply to serve:
As a CPA, if I were volunteering for a state CPA society, I would tend to choose to serve on the scholarship committee (a non-traditional role) before serving on a finance committee (a traditional role). While the traditional role would be more in line with my professional background, a state CPA society would have access to many CPAs that could fill the finance committee role, but may be struggling to find members to serve on the scholarship committee.
As a CPA, if I were volunteering for a small social welfare organization, I would choose to serve on the finance committee (a brains role) before serving on the disaster relief committee (a brawn role). Disaster relief is a passion of mine, but it would be a brawn role for me since I am not an expert in this area, and serving on the finance committee would give me a way to help them with financial challenges that other volunteers might not have the expertise to handle.
This assessment is naturally subjective with no one “right” approach that works for everyone. For example, as a CPA I am usually offered a finance committee position or asked to serve as a treasurer, which is a brains role. However, I yearn to help organizations fulfill their mission with direct program committee involvement and interacting in the field, which is a brawn role that is not available to me in my everyday professional life.
Planning Tip – Before accepting a new role to serve on a nonprofit organization’s Board, first consider lower-level volunteer positions that will allow you to get to know the organization, experience the culture, and observe its governance practices. You can still be impactful, but without having to overly commit to a formal service term that might be harder to exit. Serving in lower-level volunteer roles will also help you to compete and be better prepared for future higher-level volunteer roles.
Finally, ask yourself what’s in it for me?
This is an interesting and somewhat selfish question, but an important one to answer. When a volunteer receives tangible returns such as opportunities to network, learn new skills, gain exposure to new causes, and even meet new friends, they will be even more motivated to commit themselves to their volunteer efforts, since they will be satisfying the needs of their mind as well as their heart.
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