If you’re new to the world of nonprofit and volunteer management, congratulations! You’ve joined one of the most interesting and rewarding careers out there. But just like any new venture, moving into management comes with a unique set of challenges. Here are some of the best bits of advice we’ve heard for new managers:

• Don’t Fear Your Title: Sure, you may have never been a “director” or “manager” before. And it might be scary to wonder if you’re up to the challenge. But think about the many managers and bosses you’ve had in your career. Surely, you’re at least as competent as most of them—and probably will outshine more than a few. Remember, you can’t be any worse than most of the managers out there! You automatically have the authority that comes with your title, so embrace it—don’t fear it.
• Step Up: Now that you’re a boss, you need to rise above the fray. Don’t participate in gossip or negative talk about management, co-workers, board members or volunteers. Set parameters for your friendships with those you now supervise. Being friendly is fine, but don’t overcompensate for your new role by pushing friendship or trying to be extra-chummy.
• Educate Yourself: Seek out opportunities to improve your abilities and skills. Leadership classes, management training, marketing classes and books on these topics will help you learn proven strategies and techniques that can make your job easier.
• Don’t Change Things Too Quickly: Your staff and volunteers may be resistant to change. Your becoming a manager might be enough change for a while. Take your time when introducing changes, and give staff and volunteers the chance to weigh in on new processes and procedures.
• Keep Communication Flowing: Above all, establish an open-communication management style. Don’t leave people in the dark, or they will worry that something is wrong. Talk through concerns and issues that people have, whether they’re related to your areas of responsibility or not, before they become bigger problems.

One aspect of volunteer management is proper volunteer screening. By conducting volunteer background checks and credit checks, you’ll keep your organization’s clients safer.

Business analytics is commonplace in for-profit entities. Gathering data, crunching numbers and spotting trends can improve operations and increase profits. Increasingly, nonprofits are using analytics to determine what they are doing well and what needs to be improved.

At the same time, government agencies, charitable and corporate foundations, and individuals have been taking more care with their donations, asking for evidence that nonprofits are fulfilling their missions, and are therefore worthy of support. Analytics enables nonprofits to provide the data that proves their success.

Keeping detailed databases on clients served and their outcomes are helping nonprofits approach their missions in a more business-like fashion. Where once paper records sufficed, now sophisticated software is tracking clients, measuring progress and assessing impact.

Data systems capable of delivering such insights are not cheap; nor is the staff required to run them and interpret the results. Similarly, independent impact studies can cost more than many nonprofit agencies can spare. However, knowing whether or not your agency is meeting its objectives is fundamental to its existence.

Plus, discovering the hidden gems in data can help re-establish an agency’s focus. For example, if data shows that access to low-cost or free child increases the success rate of parents pursuing GEDs, then an organization can focus on putting together a child care program, as well as preparing students for exams.

Data can also attract new investment from donors. It’s essential to show donors that the work you’re doing is making a real difference. In terms of hard numbers, giving them a black-and-white picture of the return on their investment can make a huge difference.

To attract donors and improve performance, nonprofits need to act more like businesses and demonstrate tangible results. While it may be more difficult to measure social change than corporate profits, it can be done. Tracking participation and results can be accomplished through simple databases, like Microsoft Access, or through more sophisticated database management systems. Give it a try, and you may be surprised at the results you see over the next six months or year.

It seems that the news is peppered with stories about small, local charity agencies that are falling prey to fraud by trusted volunteers. Church groups, youth sports clubs, elderly service organizations—they can all be victims of crimes like theft, misappropriation of funds and money laundering. Whether the thief takes money, equipment or other needed goods, nonprofits are often ill-equipped to carry the loss and rebound. Many go under as a result of financial misconduct.

Back in the 1950s, a famous criminologist developed the “Fraud Triangle” theory. It outlines the three key elements at play when otherwise law-abiding volunteers succumb to temptation and engage in fraud: opportunity, motivation and rationalization. For some, the motivation is debt. For others, they rationalize that the organization doesn’t need the money, and a small amount won’t be missed. Still other volunteers may need money to pay for their own or a loved one’s drug problems.

Since it’s clear that even those in positions of great trust will turn to fraud, non profit organizations must take precautions to prevent volunteers from having the opportunity to do so.

Here are some tips to control opportunity:

• Establish a system of control to deter and detect fraud. Never allow just one person access to checking accounts, books and financial records. Require double signatures on all checks over a given amount, and have the books audited by a professional on a regular basis. Don’t have the same people who collect money to also deposit it.
• Promote openness. Thieves thrive in secret, closed-off, non-communicative environments. Promote open communication and encourage everyone to report any suspicious behavior. It’s not necessary to be paranoid, but it is best to be proactive to protect the goodwill of the organization, and to ensure its stability and ability to fulfill its mission.
• Have a zero-tolerance policy. Let everyone know that any suspected fraud will be investigated, not swept under the rug.

Whether you need to ask for a favor, solicit a donation or delegate a task, the art of persuasion can help you do it better. Unfortunately, most of us don’t know the basics of persuasion, so we either fail at asking for something, or we avoid it altogether.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Persuasive powers can be yours if you follow these tips. Try them next time you ask for something from a donor or volunteer. You may be surprised at your success.

• Use reciprocation to your advantage: It takes effort, but when you give of yourself, it’s a lot easier to ask for something in return. So when someone asks for your advice, your time or your expertise, give willingly, and you shall receive.
• Adjust your framing: Framing is a popular tactic in business and politics. How an argument, incident or request is framed makes a huge difference in perception. For example, opponents of inheritance taxes call them “death” taxes. Think about whether you are putting something in a negative or positive light.
• Tap into the power of timing: They say timing is everything. And they’re right! Do your homework to make sure the timing is right before try persuading someone to do something. Don’t ask a donor for a gift when they’ve written a big check in the past six months. Check your volunteer logs to see who has not been putting in hours lately—maybe they’re feeling a little guilty about it, and are ready to give some time again.
• Congruence is compelling: Congruence means coming together in agreement. Try framing your requests as though congruence was already happening. You know that salespeople often close the deal long before you’ve made up your mind. They’ll start wrapping an item and before you know it, it’s yours. Try assuming a donation will happen, or a volunteer will sign on, shake their hands, and seal the deal. Think of it as helping them make a great decision!

Showing your volunteers that you appreciate their service shouldn’t be reserved for the holiday season. But the holidays are the perfect time to kick back a little bit and enjoy each other’s company. Why not treat your volunteers to a party—even if you have a very small budget? After all, with the tough times you’ve all been through in the past few years, you deserve a celebration.

Five Best Small Budget Volunteer Party Ideas

1. Recruit friends and family to help. Do you know a DJ who’d be willing to play some music for the party? Have a catering contact who might want to give you some food for the cause? How about the owners of your local bowling alley—would they give you a few lanes for an afternoon of fun for your volunteers? Keep in mind that certain business owners might be donation-weary by this time of year, so try asking a few who haven’t donated to your non-profit for awhile.
2. Host a potluck at your house. Having your volunteers in your home is personal and special. The best parties are often those where everyone provides their favorite dish. Sure, it’s a little more work for you, but you won’t have to prepare all the food; and it’s a very inexpensive option.
3. Remember to say thank you. Would a local business owner provide small thank you gifts or gift cards for your volunteers? Even a $5 coffee card or movie passes can mean a lot—especially when accompanied by a thoughtful, hand-written note.
4. If you have a budget for your party, you can save money by having a daytime event. Think lunch instead of dinner. Do your volunteers like Mexican food? Asian? These options are often inexpensive. The challenge could be in finding a cuisine that everyone likes and that caters to a variety of food allergies and preferences.
5. Don’t spend money on decorations. Stop by any Christmas tree lot and ask for cuttings. They’ll have plenty you can use to deck the halls with fragrance and natural beauty.

It’s not difficult to host a great volunteer party on a small budget. Try these tips to make it special and an event your volunteers will long remember.

You have a great group of volunteers whom you depend on to help you efficiently run your non profit organization. They’re productive and happy, and all seems to be going well with all of your volunteers—right?

Maybe not. Volunteer dissatisfaction is not uncommon. But it can be a temporary condition and it is definitely a fixable one. The trouble is, before you have a chance to fix it, the affected person or persons have often moved on to better opportunities.

Here are three causes of volunteer dissatisfaction that can be easily remedied, with a little effort.

Problem 1:
Feeling anonymous: Everyone wants to feel valued, whether they are paid employees, volunteers, friends or partners. New relationships tend to be bright, shiny and happy—until the shine wears off and they become routine. When volunteers start to feel anonymous or you show little interest in them as people, they begin to feel dissatisfied.

Solution:
With long-term volunteers, showing interest in them, asking about their families and careers, their hobbies and goals, should continue long after they join you. Get in the habit of asking a personal (but not too personal!) question of one volunteer each day.

Problem 2:
Feeling useless: Volunteers don’t have to show up for work. When they do, they need to feel useful. It’s a great feeling to know that you’re making a difference—and that’s why most people volunteer. When volunteers feel their efforts are wasted, or that they’re having no impact at all, dissatisfaction sets in.

Solution: Find ways to illustrate to volunteers how they are making a difference. This could include sharing data and statistics, or simply telling success stories of how their efforts are helping others in the community.

Problem 3:
Feeling confused: Volunteers need feedback, just as paid employees do. They don’t always know for sure if they are contributing or performing their duties successfully.

Solution:
That’s why volunteer evaluations are just as important as employee evaluations. And should be performed regularly.

Keeping your eyes and ears open to volunteer dissatisfaction can prevent unhappy volunteers and help you retain them longer!

Every nonprofit organization needs a board of directors. While specific responsibilities may vary due to the organization’s mission and its stage of existence, the roles and purposes of every board are similar.

Nonprofit volunteer boards must create their own structure, policies and procedures for governing the organization. Far beyond just meeting once a month, the board is responsible for developing its policies and terms of service.

Here are some tips for effective boards and committees:

1. Make sure that all board members receive a written job description.
2. Develop the year’s schedule of meetings a year in advance.
3. Provide board members with meeting materials and agendas well in advance. Two to three weeks is optimal.
4. Keep meetings focused, stick to the agenda and don’t linger on any one item longer than necessary. Briefer meetings are better meetings.
5. Encourage all board members to participate in discussions.
6. Take accurate minutes of all meetings and distribute to board members promptly afterwards.
7. Require board members to serve on committees.
8. Show appreciation of all volunteer board members by acknowledging contributions publicly, in newsletters, at meetings and in minutes.

Additional considerations for boards include the size of the board, the length of a board member’s term, and what committees are needed. Typical committees are Executive, Audit and Finance.

Congratulations! You’ve done a good job of getting the word out that your organization needs volunteers, and you’ve had 20 people submit applications. Now you need to choose one or two for specialized jobs, while the rest will be moved into more general work categories.

But how do you choose the best-fit volunteer for the work you need to do? After all, you don’t know if they’ll fit in or handle the job until they begin. Here are a few ideas to help increase the odds in your favor of picking the volunteer of your dreams!

• When conducting the volunteer interview, remember to keep emotions and feelings out of the process. You’re not interviewing for a new friend. Try to avoid allowing the chemistry between you and the potential volunteer—even if it’s great—be your sole decision-maker. It’s wonderful to get along well with volunteers, but even more important to determine if they have the skills to do a good job.
• Speaking of skills, try to remain open to different sets of skills and new ideas—even if they weren’t what you had in mind for a particular position. You may find you need skills you haven’t identified.
• Consider administering personality quizzes designed to help you place volunteers in the types of positions they’re best suited to. An introvert might not want to approach potential donors during fundraising time, for example. Going through these exercises can help you determine which potential volunteer you should bring in, as well.
• Finally, a thorough background and credit check can help you make a final decision. A volunteer who looks fantastic on paper, but has been convicted of theft, may not be a great fit for your organization—especially if there is money handling involved. And if your organization serves vulnerable populations, you’ll want to be sure to keep them safe by completely screening each potential volunteer. Call references, as well. Ask the potential volunteer to explain any discrepancies between their application and what references say.

Finding the right volunteer is worth the effort—especially when they get right to work for your nonprofit organization!

The National Council on Aging is embarking on a multi-sector partnership initiative to increase the numbers of senior volunteers, with the goal of engaging generations to help each other.

With help from the U.S. Administration on Aging, Atlantic Philanthropies, MetLife Foundation, and Corporation for National and Community Service, the NCOA is working with local organizations to create model older adult volunteer programs to share with other organizations in their communities.

Included are model programs for grandparents raising grandchildren; parents raising children with special needs; and caregivers of frail older adults.

As non profit budgets continue to take a hit even as demand for their services increase in this economy, the need for volunteers is higher than ever. To encourage non profits to tap into the talents and extra time of older volunteers, the NCOA began the Multi-Generational and Civic Engagement Initiative. It identified four key elements for success for other community organizations to aspire to:

1. Effectiveness
2. Impact
3. Sustainability
4. Replicability

Identifying these four common characteristics of exceptional older adult volunteer programs makes it easier to create standards that other non profits can mimic for better chances of success. Six organizations from New Jersey to Oregon were awarded grants to help them replicate their programs in their communities.

Yesterday, in Washington, DC the MGCE summit took place, where the organizations shared their successes and plans for the future. Innovative, cooperative programs like this are just what non profits need to help them deliver services to meet expanding needs.

Thousands of volunteers are helping the people who were unfortunate victims of last week’s devastating Alabama tornadoes. And plenty of volunteers are also stepping up to help the estimated 7,000 dogs, cats and horses injured or displaced from their homes by the storm.

Like humans, animals have suffered much throughout the South, and especially in Alabama. Exacerbating the problem is the great number of veterinary practices that have been destroyed, along with tens of thousands of homes and other businesses. Animals have been separated from their people, who may be in emergency shelters—or worse, may not have survived the incredibly destructive tornadoes.

For survivors separated from their pets, the worry can add tremendous insult to injury. Anyone who loves an animal can imagine how awful it would be to survive a storm or other disaster, only to discover a beloved pet is missing.

Luckily, dedicated volunteers who understand the human/pet connection are stepping in to reunite pets with their people, as well as to make sure that any injured pets needing care are getting it. Veterinarians are volunteering to care for animals, no matter whom they belong to, or who will or will not pay for their treatment.

Relieving human suffering is most important after a disaster like this. But helping the animals that belong to those humans is important, too. For people who have just been through incredible trauma, it’s extremely difficult to not know whether their pets are okay or even alive. Helping these pets helps their people. Besides, preventing hundreds of cats and dogs from roaming the streets, looking for their owners and becoming more frantic each day is a worthy effort in itself.

PetSmart’s Emergency Relief Waggin’ program sends pre-loaded semi-trailers to help pet victims of natural and manmade disasters. Filled with $60,000 worth of crates, bowls, leashes, food, cat litter and more, the trucks are quickly deployed to help in areas where they are needed.
For information on how to help, visit www.PetSmartcharities.org/emergency-relief.