CNPE Training Addresses Volunteer Recruitment Strategies

Local nonprofits gathered Wednesday, August 28th at the Center for Nonprofit Excellence (CNPE), United Way of Central New Mexico to discuss volunteer management best practices including how to create volunteer position descriptions and volunteer recruitment strategies.

The Volunteer Management Roundtable, facilitated by Kira Luna, education manager at Center for Nonprofit Excellence and Drora Schub, volunteer program manager at Explora, used CNPE’s New Mexico Nonprofit Principles & Practices Guide to discuss priorities in volunteer development.

“Nonprofits should develop clearly defined written job descriptions including scope of work, necessary skills, expected time commitment and the impact and benefits of the volunteer service,” Luna said referencing the Guide.

Addressing these key aspects first allows organizations to set the tone for their volunteer program, Luna said.

These volunteer descriptions should also help guide conversations between the organization and the individual to determine if it’s a good fit for both, Schub said.

Luna also suggested nonprofit organizations should leverage their current volunteer base to help recruit additional potential volunteers within their networks.

“Don’t discount the fact that whatever volunteers you have, even if you have a small program, they are by and large your best ambassadors,” she said.

Shana Baker, founding member of Albuquerque Involved, an organization connecting individuals with volunteer opportunities, said the organization’s mission is to engage individuals who want to improve Albuquerque, but do not know where to start.

“Our goal is to introduce people to service and to particular organizations in Albuquerque and have them fall in love,” she said.

This gives people and easy, accessible introduction to your organization, she said. “We answer the question of people in Albuquerque about how to get engaged in their community,” Baker said.

The workshop ended with organizations collaborating to discuss their current recruitment strategies and best practices.

The Center for Nonprofit Excellence’s next workshop, “Spiff Up Your Annual Campaign” scheduled for September 12th will give nonprofit attendees more than 40 best practices to enhance traditional annual campaigns. Registration is still open.

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