12 ways to keep volunteers involved with online fundraising

Thank the universe for volunteers, am I right?! Volunteers are the hands and feet of any organization, and without whom, your organization’s impact could not be matched. While times have changed and coming together in person may not be possible; it is essential that you find ways to keep volunteers engaged.  

When you start to plan online volunteer engagement, consider what skills everyone may have beyond their normal duties. Do you have a professional marketing manager who usually helps with your foodbank? Or maybe a blogger who assists with the tutoring program? Whatever that looks like for you, think about everyone in your network and how you might be able to leverage different skills, hopefully even increasing engagement post-quarantine.  

There is a lot you can do; all it takes is a little creativity.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:  

• Volunteers can promote your auction or donation campaign by sharing on their social media.
• Put together goodie bags and deliver them to those in need, donors, or attendees of a virtual event.
• Have volunteers submit why they love the organization & put together a social media #shoutout.
• Volunteers can come together for virtual talks. Something fun or informative to keep programs and engagement going.
• Provide swag or credits towards fundraiser activity for volunteers that hit a target.
• Volunteers can still help with acquiring auction/raffle items to add to fundraising events.
• Have volunteers film a short video about why they volunteer with the organization / how they got started / what it means to them. Then cut everything together to make a video to send via social media or via newsletters. 
• If your volunteers are tech-savvy, have them host a small Zoom party with their friends and loved ones and invite a member of the organization to speak about the work you’re doing. These are likely to be more well attended if the friend is inviting people, and gives the organization several audiences to engage with, potentially attract new donors/volunteers. 
• Interview your organization for a personal blog or social media.
• Create digital thank-you cards for supporters.
• Design a website homepage to complement a campaign you are working on.
• Help you reach out to local or national media about the work you are doing. 

Yes, events have been instrumental for your organization’s mission.
But now it’s time for you to think #OutsideTheRoom about what else you can be doing to keep moving forward.