Volunteers Aren’t Just Nice to Have—They’re Essential. So Why Are They So Hard to Keep?
Let’s talk about one of the most frustrating experiences nonprofit founders have:
You finally get someone to say yes.
Yes, I want to help.
Yes, I believe in what you’re doing.
And then…
They disappear.
No follow-up. No communication. No explanation.
Just a quiet ghosting that leaves you wondering what you did wrong.
Inside this month’s Founder’s Society Momentum Kit, we’re giving you the tools to stop chasing volunteers—and start creating a system that keeps them engaged and coming back.
👉 Join the Society to get access to the April Kit
The Real Problem Isn’t Volunteer Flakiness—It’s Founder Fatigue
Let’s be honest: volunteer management isn’t something most founders are trained for.
You’re told to “get help” and “build your team.”
But no one gives you a strategy for finding, keeping, and actually using volunteer support without burning out in the process.
So you do what most founders do:
-
You ask friends and family.
-
You post a volunteer call on social media.
-
You cross your fingers and hope someone reliable shows up.
When they don’t?
You blame yourself—or worse, you give up and go back to doing it all alone.
But here’s what that looks like in real life:
-
You’re running events while printing name tags and cleaning up afterward.
-
You’re stuffing envelopes and writing thank-you notes after midnight.
-
You’re repeating the same instructions over and over because no one wrote anything down.
-
And when a volunteer does show interest, you scramble to figure out what they can even do—because there’s no clear system in place.
Over time, you stop asking. You stop hoping. You start resenting.
And the worst part?
You start believing that maybe you just can’t count on anyone.
But what if the problem wasn’t you—or even them?
What if the problem was the lack of a system that makes it easy to say yes and meaningful to stay?
💎 The Founder’s Gem for Volunteer Recruitment for Nonprofits
You don’t need more volunteers. You need a better volunteer experience.
Volunteers don’t stay because you need help.
They stay because they feel helpful.A clear role, a warm thank-you, a sense of progress—these aren’t extras.
They’re what turn one-time helpers into ongoing support.
This Month’s Focus: Volunteer Recruitment That Works
This month’s Society content gives you the structure you need to build a volunteer pipeline that actually supports you.
Here’s what’s inside the April Momentum Kit:
-
✅ Volunteer Recruitment Checklist – Know exactly where to look, how to ask, and how to set expectations from the start.
-
📋 Volunteer Management SOP – Stop winging it. Start managing volunteers like team members—with clear systems and expectations.
-
💌 Volunteer Appreciation Email Templates – Say thank you in ways that feel personal, meaningful, and doable (even when you’re busy).
-
🧠 Best Practices Guide – Avoid the most common mistakes that make volunteers ghost you.
-
📊 Bonus: Volunteer Engagement Metrics Tracker (Annual Members Only)
One Founder Told Me…
She used just two pieces from this kit—the recruitment checklist and one appreciation email.
The result?
Four returning volunteers.
No scrambling.
No chasing.
Just clear expectations, personal connection, and real help.
It’s not magic. It’s a system.
📥 Ready to Build a Volunteer Strategy That Sticks?
👉 Join the Founder’s Society to get access to the full April Momentum Kit
If you’re tired of asking for help and getting silence, this kit is for you.
Let’s make volunteer support predictable, repeatable, and—yes—enjoyable again.
Recent Comments