Volunteer Nation

In this year’s Volunteer Management Progress Report, both time and volunteer recruitment were top challenges for leaders of volunteers. Just imagine if you could bring more program development and recruitment assistance onboard through AmeriCorps grants and resources – how would that change your trajectory for 2023?On this episode, we welcome expert Sharon Tewksbury-Bloom to discuss best practices for including AmeriCorps service workers in your organization’s mission, how to partner with other participating local organizations to expand your capacity, and the steps you can take when applying for AmeriCorps grants.Full show notes: 043-How to Tap AmeriCorps Grants & Resources with Sharon Tewksbury-Bloom - 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.

We often think that, just because our marketing isn’t delivering the results we want, people in the community aren’t interested in our cause or volunteering in general. It’s an easy assumption to make, but the truth is that if you make even a few small changes in your approach, you can realize some big results.In this week’s episode, Tobi looks at five big reasons why your volunteer recruitment isn’t working, and shares some fresh ideas on what to do instead.Full show notes: 042-Why Your Volunteer Recruitment Isn't Working - 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.

Every year the Volunteer Management Progress Report survey includes the following question: “What is your biggest challenge?” Survey participants are allowed to share answers as short or as long as needed to express their thoughts, and responses run the gamut from brief and to-the-point like “recruitment” to compelling stories of individual struggles and courage in the face of adversity.In this week’s episode, Tobi continues her conversation with VolunteerPro’s Marketing Manager Jamie Gaylor about the top challenges revealed by the answers to that question and offers her expert advice on how to overcome those issues effectively in the coming year.Full show notes: 041-Volunteer Management Trends for 2023, Part 2 - 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.

Ever wondered how the results for VolPro’s annual Volunteer Management Progress Report are tabulated and analyzed? In this week’s episode, Tobi is joined by VolPro’s Marketing Manager Jamie Gaylor to discuss the behind-the-scenes effort that goes into producing this report each year, and what the results indicate for volunteer management trends in 2023.Full show notes: 040-Volunteer Management Trends for 2023, Part 1 - 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.

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.