Episode Overview

Theme:
In this episode, "Shift 7 — Volunteers as Core Capacity: Design Volunteer Systems for Growth," Jon McCoy and Becky Endicott of We Are For Good welcome back Jennifer Sirangelo, President and CEO of Points of Light. The conversation centers on a transformative mindset shift: treating volunteers not as supplemental "nice-to-haves," but as essential, strategic drivers of nonprofit growth and impact. They explore practical strategies, trends, and personal stories illustrating how volunteer power can be embedded across organizations to accelerate missions into the future.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Volunteer "Unlock": A Leadership Reframe

• Leaders’ Blind Spots (03:09)

  • Nonprofit leaders often focus on funding, boards, and strategic plans—yet they frequently overlook the integration of volunteers into all these critical areas.
  • "I see us leaving on the table volunteers in all of those categories." (Jennifer S., 01:06)

• Strategic Plan Acceleration (04:26)

  • For every new or ongoing strategic plan, leaders should deliberately consider: Where can volunteers put the acceleration in your plan?
  • Volunteers should be baked into core strategies, not added in as an afterthought.

2. Spotting and Overcoming Old Paradigms

• Signs of an Outdated Mindset (04:51)
  • If volunteers are only engaged for programmatic or supplemental roles—not as vital contributors to organizational strategy, fundraising, and evolution—leaders are missing out.
  • Jennifer shares a personal example: previously, she managed board recruitment herself rather than leveraging the board (who are, in fact, volunteers!) as multipliers. She describes moving to a board recruitment sprint—engaging all board members to help spot and recruit others. (05:35)
    • "I've been leaving so much on the table with them... it's been super fun. They love the sprint, by the way, too." (Jennifer S., 05:35)

3. Volunteers as Multi-Dimensional Catalysts

• Integrative Volunteer Engagement (06:54–08:20)

  • Modern fundraising and program design are less linear and more holistic than tradition suggests.
  • Embedding volunteers at every stage—cultivation, stewardship, research—not only feels more human, it multiplies support and impact.

• Gap Filling and Strategic Growth (12:58)

  • Leaders know their organizational gaps, whether in skills, relationships, or resources. Instead of defaulting to hiring or consulting, inquire: “Where could a volunteer be a rocket boost?” (Jennifer S., 12:58)

4. Recent Trends: Surge in Volunteerism

• Data & Examples: (08:20–10:12)

  • Points of Light aims to double the number of American volunteers from 75 million to 150 million by 2035 ("Reimagining Service 2035").
  • Affiliates are seeing surging numbers:
    • Boston Cares: 22% increase in volunteers in 2025 (09:45)
    • Volunteer Now (Westchester, NY): Holiday volunteering tripled
    • Significant upticks also documented in LA and Chicago

• Analysis:

  • In times of uncertainty, people are seeking tangible ways to make a difference. The call to action—and clarity about the impact volunteers make—directly drives engagement.

5. Practical Models and Success Stories

• Return to Local (14:53)

  • People want to serve and connect in their local communities.
  • Immigration nonprofit in Minneapolis: A single call brought 20 volunteers to do the work of 8, expanding the nonprofit's impact overnight.

• Tech-Powered Models:

  • Example: Purposity, an app connecting local needs with local doers—demonstrates innovative ways to marry storytelling and technology for community action.

6. Designing Volunteer Systems for Modern Needs

• Infrastructure Elevation (16:52)

  • Jennifer urges leaders to treat volunteer infrastructure (recruitment, intake, communications, recognition, etc.) as essential as their HR, tech, or finance systems.
  • "How do we also elevate that volunteering part of the mission?...It's an essential element of achieving our mission." (Jennifer S., 18:43)
  • Include volunteer engagement expenses as a basic line in grants and operational budgets, not as an afterthought.

• Digital Onramps (20:07)

  • Frictionless, technology-driven systems are essential for engaging today’s volunteers (“the Amazon of volunteering”).
  • "We need that level of technology engagement with volunteering, so frankly, it is like the rest of our lives." (Jennifer S., 20:27)
  • Consider text reminders, easy sign-ups, personalized communication, and progress tracking—the volunteer experience should be as seamless as other digital experiences.

7. The One Good Thing: The Power of the Ask

• Actionable Challenge for Leaders (22:25)
  • Think intentionally about your “invitation” to volunteers. Make it direct, compelling, and personalized.
  • "The number one reason people volunteer is because they are asked. So that is totally in the control of us as the organization's leaders to ask." (Jennifer S., 22:49)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Volunteer Integration:

  • “If you're not centering volunteers in those places—in those really critical parts of your organization—I think that's where you're missing out.”
    – Jennifer S., (04:51)

• On Board Engagement:

  • “We’re calling it a board recruitment sprint… and I should have been asking them all along.”
    – Jennifer S., (05:36)

• On Volunteer Motivation:

  • “What we know about volunteers is that the number one reason people volunteer is because they are asked.”
    – Jennifer S., (22:49)

• On Volunteer Infrastructure:

  • “It’s elevating volunteering…as an essential element of achieving our mission. Not possible without the volunteer.”
    – Jennifer S., (18:43)

• On Technology:

  • “What is the Amazon of volunteering where I can literally, I’m signed up, I don’t have to keep signing in.”
    – Jennifer S., (20:09)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:06] – The case for volunteers as core capacity, not extra support
• [04:26] – Including volunteers in strategic planning
• [05:36] – Board recruitment “sprint” as a volunteer engagement example
• [08:20–10:12] – Trends: Doubling volunteers; local and national examples
• [12:58] – Identifying organizational gaps and matching them with volunteer solutions
• [14:53] – Local volunteer impact stories: Minneapolis and Purposity
• [16:52] – Making volunteer infrastructure a non-negotiable budget item
• [20:07] – Designing digitally enabled, intentional systems for volunteers
• [22:25] – The “One Good Thing”: Craft and deliver your volunteer invitation

Resources & Connect

• Points of Light:
  • Website: pointsoflight.org
  • Newsletters: Sign up for regular resources, training, and updates

Conclusion

This episode challenges nonprofit leaders to fundamentally reimagine volunteers—not just as extra hands, but as organizational accelerants embedded into every facet of mission delivery, strategic planning, and growth. It’s a call for intention, creativity, and infrastructure-building, powered by both human invitation and modern technology.
Action step: Start with the ask—then build the system to welcome, empower, and retain today’s (and tomorrow’s) volunteers.