how to be a great skilled volunteer
TRANSCRIPT
Topics: • Where to find opportunities • What is in it for you • Orientation • Diagnose and triage • Make a proposal • When to walk away
About MAS Consulting:
Mission = build capacity in non-profit sector 50+ Volunteer Consultants = Professional Volunteers • Strategy • Governance • HR • Marketing • Fundraising
www.masadvise.org
About me:
www.Marke*ngForNonprofits.ca
Professional Volunteer: • Projects need expertise • Management
Volunteer? vs Professional Volunteer? Drivers Event Coordinators Sports facilitators Docent Social media managers Call centre volunteers
HR Volunteer MBA student Board member
25 1
What areas do you want to volunteer?
• HR • Marketing • Fundraising • Strategy + Governance • Accounting
3 ways - Professional Volunteer
• Board member + lead subcommittee
• Subcommittee member
• Volunteer consultant = One-time project
Typical marketing project Small Large
Rebrand - Promotion audit - Write and create website - Create brochures - Give tutorials 35 hours my time, 15 hours client time
Analyze revenues Analyze donor churn Gaps in Touch Points 80-150 hours my time
“help us we have nothing” “help us work smarter”
intellectual stimulation intellectual stimulation - creative -analytical sense of accomplishment human connection
What’s in it for you?
Honesty = Ok to trust you
What’s in it for you?
Build your career • resume? • learn a new industry? • learn consulting? • learn new skills? Stretch intellectually? • share your expertise? • sense of accomplishment? • feel needed and important? Connect with a cause? Meet new people? • want to give back but fear mundane tasks
What’s in it for you?
• Build your career? • Stretch intellectually? • Connect with a cause? • Meet new people? • Other?
What’s in it for nonprofits? • Expertise that fills a gap • Short term • Outside perspective
What attributes will nonprofits look for? • Expertise • Listening skills • Candor • Language • Collaboration
Topics:
✔Where to find opportunities ✔What is in it for you • Orientation • Diagnose and triage • Make a proposal • When to walk away
Orientation from your nonprofit ✔ about them ? about their cause ✗ facts about the industry ✗ soft stuff
Source: Imagine Canada, Narra*ve Tool Kit
Other
Hospitals, universi*es
Interna*onal
Law, advocacy, poli*cs
Environment
Health
Business assoc, unions
Educa*on, research
Development, housing
Arts and culture
Grantmaking
Social services
Religion
Sports and recrea*on
# Nonprofits # Donors Dona-on$
Charity? Non-profit?
Charities are a subset of nonprofits
Non-profit - Exempt from tax
Charities are a subset of nonprofits
Non-profit - Exempt from tax
Charity - Tax receipts
Non-profits have a life cycle
High energy, everyone involved, no formal structure
Formalize mission, small staff, founder burn out
Formal board + committees, staff focus on managing
Professional management, strategic alliances
Stagnating, declining interest, lost funding
Where are you? Transitioning?
There are 2 bottom lines:
Conflicting measures of success:
Speed of decision making:
Hierarchy Consensus building
Partners vs competitors
Alternate providers
Earn credibility:
Expect resistance:
Be sensitive:
?
Expect to learn:
Expect to feel good:
Topics:
✔Where to find opportunities ✔What is in it for you ✔Orientation • Diagnose and triage • Make a proposal • When to walk away
No commitment yet
Ask questions
Diagnose and triage:
Non-profit asks ... You discover... Facilitate session falling membership
Spokesperson training no clear messages
More donors acquisition or retention
Make a proposal: • action plan • benefits • costs + time • completion date • what you need
When to walk away: • Hesitation about project • Hesitation about you • Overwhelming • Chemistry • Not right for you • No project manager assigned
Topics:
✔Where to find opportunities ✔What is in it for you ✔Orientation ✔Diagnose and triage ✔Make a proposal ✔When to walk away
www.Marke*ngForNonprofits.ca