164. Moving from Volunteer Compliance to Building Your Nonprofit Community

In this episode of Volunteer Nation, Tobi Johnson unpacks a powerful mindset shift in the nonprofit world: moving beyond volunteer compliance and toward building a thriving volunteer community. 

Tobi explores the delicate balance between ensuring accountability and fostering genuine connection, trust, and shared purpose among your volunteers. Through real-world insights and practical examples, she contrasts the limiting effects of compliance-heavy approaches with the energizing impact of community-focused strategies. 

You’ll discover how overemphasis on rules can dampen enthusiasm and engagement, while leading with mission, mutual respect, and collaboration can boost volunteer retention, motivation, and teamwork. 

Full show notes: 164. Moving from Volunteer Compliance to Building Your Nonprofit Community 

Nonprofit Community - Episode Highlights 

• [01:04] - Shifting Paradigms: Compliance vs. Community 
• [03:27] - Exploring Volunteer Compliance 
• [05:04] - Defining Community in Volunteerism 
• [06:27] - Comparing Compliance and Community Approaches 
• [09:08] - Impact on Volunteer Experience 
• [14:35] - Balancing Compliance and Community 
• [20:52] - Practical Tips for Building Your Nonprofit Community 

Helpful Links 

• Volunteer Management Progress Report  
• VolunteerPro Impact Lab  
• Volunteer Nation Episode #162 - The #1 Secret to Deep Volunteer Participation 
• Volunteer Nation Episode #127: Volunteer Centric, Community Centric, Organization Centric: What’s the Difference?  

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Volunteer Nation podcast. If you enjoyed it, please be sure to subscribe, rate, and review so we can reach more people like you who want to improve the impact of their good cause.

For more tips and notes from the show, check us out at TobiJohnson.com. For any comments or questions, email us at WeCare@VolPro.net.