Volunteer Nation

Who else is excited to welcome 2023 and to say goodbye to 2022? It just feels like a fresh start and a great place to put a stake in the ground to confidently say we’re moving forward, and we’re going to build our best year yet!  Before we do that, though, Tobi takes a look back at some of the trends in volunteerism over the last few years, both pre-and post-covid, to make some predictions on where the sector is headed and what’s going to be important for leaders of volunteers in the coming year. Full show notes: 039-Predictions and Trends in Volunteerism for 2023 - Tobi Johnson & AssociatesThanks 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.

Here at VolunteerPro, our focus for 2023 is all about optimization of all our systems. We have an awesome team and great systems in place to to keep everything running smoothly, but we can always do better.   We’re using the next twelve months to find (or create) ways to fill in the gaps, look at our data, and perfect everything we do.  Our big question: how can we do this better? In this episode, Tobi challenges you with the same question: what can you do better, especially when it comes to engaging the community in your work? To get the ball rolling, Tobi offers her suggested list of six New Year’s resolutions that all nonprofits should consider implementing as part of their 2023 strategy. From expanding your engagement in the local community, to rethinking the roles that volunteers could play in your organization, to building coalitions with other nonprofits, this list is sure to boost your volunteer program’s impact and help your organization remain resilient and thrive, even in uncertain times.  Full show notes: 038-New Year's Resolution Ideas for Nonprofits - Tobi Johnson & AssociatesThanks 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.

Did you Know: in addition to producing two podcasts (Volunteer Nation and the Time+Talent Podcast with Jennifer Bennett), Tobi also writes a weekly nonprofit blog? There are literally hundreds of in-depth posts, each with a wealth of information you can apply to your volunteer program. And as a holiday gift to you, Tobi is counting down the top 10 fan favorites from both the VolunteerPro and Tobi Johnson & Associates websites to get you started.  These are the posts that garnered the most attention and visits, and they’re sure to be of high value to you, too! BONUS: in addition to the blog posts themselves, Tobi also shares which ones include free templates and downloads!   Full show notes: 037-Our Top 10 Nonprofit Blog Posts of 2022 - Tobi Johnson & AssociatesThanks 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.

Your volunteer program’s KPIs are like your vital signs. Think about it – when you go to your doctor, what does the nurse do first? Check your vitals – weight, blood pressure, pulse oxygen, urinalysis, blood work. These numbers help to quickly assess your level of wellness, and they give your medical team direction to locate problems and determine whether a treatment plan is working. The same goes for nonprofit programs, including your volunteer engagement strategy. Knowing your nonprofit KPIs for volunteers can help you identify early issues and assess whether certain interventions are making a difference. Full show notes: 036-5 Nonprofit KPIs Your Volunteer Program Should be Tracking - Tobi Johnson & AssociatesThanks 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.

The last 2+ years have been undeniably challenging, and many nonprofit leaders have struggled to keep a sense of passion for their work. Even when you love what you do like Tobi, you’re not immune to the symptoms of burnout and fatigue. First of all, what is burnout? Tobi shares a definition from the World Health Organization, and examines the three main indicators to watch out for. Tobi also shares a great resource from  Christina Maslach, one of the world’s pre-imminent researchers on burnout in the workplace. Maslach has identified five levels of people’s work experience, and this helps us understand the phenomenon with more subtlety.  Tobi shares six practical and doable steps to prevent burnout before it sets in and increase your effectiveness at work.  Most importantly, Tobi reminds you to build these burnout-busting techniques into your annual strategic plan, so you (and your team) remember to practice them on a regular basis.  Full show notes: 035-6 Ways to Prevent Burnout in Nonprofits - Tobi Johnson & AssociatesThanks 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.

Here’s a question: when you take a quick scan of the past year, how would you describe it in a word or two?What did your 2022 feel like?  What did you achieve? What did you wish you would have achieved?  If you’re a mission-driven person who sets high goals for yourself, you might have used the words – disappointing, an uphill battle, confusing, chaotic, and exhausting.  Now, imagine your best outcomes for 2023 – what words would you use at the end of the year? What would you achieve? How would volunteers be involved? How would you feel about it?   This is where strategy comes into play, and in this episode Tobi shares what YOU need to build an effective nonprofit strategic plan. Full show notes: 034-Your Nonprofit Strategic Plan for Volunteers – What to Include - Tobi Johnson & AssociatesThanks 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.

This week, Tobi sits down with strategic volunteer engagement expert and consultant Dana Litwin to talk about a brand new research project in the volunteer sector, and how the data uncovered in that research can help connect organizations and potential funders more effectively. Tobi and Dana discuss some of the common barriers to volunteer funding, including the disconnect between what grant writers are asking for and what potential funders are willing to offer.  Dana offers suggestions on how to specifically and confidently express what you need for your program and how nonprofit executive leadership can more effectively make the “ask” to properly fund their volunteer staff needs.  Full show notes: 033-New Research on Volunteer Funding with Dana Litwin - Tobi Johnson & AssociatesThanks 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.

This week, Tobi sits down with author and fundraising expert Julia Campbell to talk about ways for nonprofits to get involved in Giving Tuesday, and how to include volunteers. Nonprofits usually focus their Giving Tuesday strategies around a fundraising push. Tobi and Julia look at ways to craft those Giving Tuesday pitches effectively, and ways they can quickly go wrong.  As with any fundraising effort, how you express it, when you express it, and to whom you express it all matter. Julia gives her tips on how to construct a fundraising strategy around the momentum that Giving Tuesday provides, and warns you on some of the pitfalls to look out for. Full show notes: 032-How to Utilize Volunteers for Giving Tuesday with Julia Campbell - Tobi Johnson & AssociatesThanks 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.

This week Tobi welcomes Lori Gotlieb to the show to talk about the volunteer engagement cycle, and some of the innovations going on throughout the sector right now. Tobi and Lori discuss each of the steps in the traditional volunteer engagement cycle: role design, risk management, recruitment, screening, orientation and training, supervision and support, and recognition. Lori shares the ways these roles have shifted and what areas leaders of volunteers will need to focus on to stay relevant AND offer their volunteer team the absolute best service experience. Full show notes: 031-Rethinking the Volunteer Engagement Cycle with Lori Gotlieb - Tobi Johnson & AssociatesThanks 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.

This week, Tobi welcomes authors Beth Steinhorn and Jerome Tennille to discuss how organizations have responded to the volunteer disruption they’ve experienced over the past few years, and what lessons can be learned.  The pandemic brought some vulnerabilities to light in our sector and sparked some innovation in spite of the challenges nonprofits faced due to lockdowns.  Ageism, fear of transmitting the virus, shutdowns, loss of in-person volunteering AND an increased need for many services...these are just a few of the volunteer disruptions we all faced over the last few years. This upheaval, and the changes it brought about, inspired the latest book from Beth, Jerome, and their team: Transforming Disruption to Impact: Rethinking Volunteer Engagement in a Rapidly Changing World.  Tobi chats with her guests about this book, based on the assumption that the way we approach volunteer engagement is in need of an overhaul, and the COVID pandemic simply brought this into high relief for volunteer-involving organizations.  Full show notes: 030-From Volunteer Disruption to Impact with Beth Steinhorn and Jerome Tennille - Tobi Johnson & AssociatesThanks 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.