703. People Power: How to Turn Volunteers Into Core Capacity - Sara Lomelin, Nicole Stewart, Nicole R. Smith, CVA, and Susan McPherson

Summary

Podcast Summary: We Are For Good Podcast – Episode 703

Title: People Power: How to Turn Volunteers Into Core Capacity
Guests: Sara Lomelin, Nicole Stewart, Nicole R. Smith, CVA, Susan McPherson
Date: April 27, 2026
Hosts: Jon McCoy & Becky Endicott

---

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the transformative power of volunteers in nonprofit organizations, reframing them from supportive add-ons to core capacity integral to mission fulfillment and long-term impact. The conversation explores changing expectations, strategic approaches, and actionable insights for equipping and empowering volunteers as essential partners in both program and culture. The panel includes leading voices in philanthropy, volunteer engagement, corporate social responsibility, and nonprofit leadership.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The New Era of Volunteer Expectations

(02:00–07:15)

• Time as Capital:
  • Nicole R. Smith highlights a culture shift: “People really treasure their time more than anything… if they're going to spend their time capital on us, they want to make sure it's meaningful and worth their time.” (03:29)
• Belonging Over Transaction:
  • Sara Lomelin stresses the desire for community: “People don't want to be another transaction. They don’t want to feel like checkbooks… they want belonging.” (04:10)
  • Volunteers seek roles offering flexible engagement—time, talent, testimony, ties, and treasure.
• True Partnership:
  • Nicole Stewart notes: “Volunteers… want to be treated and seen as true partners in the work, which in reality, they really are… there’s really an expectation of a mutual and respect in the work that we’re doing.” (06:12)
• Corporate Dimension:
  • Susan McPherson comments on the dual benefit for companies and staff: “Their employees, if they are successfully volunteering, they're inevitably going to be more productive at their day job. Study after study shows that.” (06:57)

---

2. Volunteer Engagement as Strategy

(07:20–11:50)

• From Afterthought to Core Strategy:
  • Nicole R. Smith cites data: “80% of organizations who go through [our Service Enterprise accreditation] report an increase in total volunteers and skills-based volunteers, and 60% increase in volunteer engagement.” (08:21)
  • Integrating volunteers into strategic planning increases mission achievement and community strength.
• Volunteers as Ambassadors and Donors:
  • “Volunteers are twice as likely to donate to a cause as a volunteer, creating dual benefit for the organization... they are the best marketing that money can’t buy." (08:21)

---

3. Fundraising, Giving Circles & Stewardship

(11:50–15:36)

• Beyond “Ask & Thank” to “Invite, Belong, Lead”:
  • Sara Lomelin shares: “The goal cannot be a gift… it’s a relationship and a role. You want people that feel part of your mission.” (11:50)
• Leadership Pipeline:
  • “Your volunteers… are your pipeline for your board of directors, your new staff… your stewardship becomes co-ownership.”
  • Suggests involving volunteers in participatory grantmaking, program facilitation, and peer recruitment to deepen engagement.
• Meaningful Rituals:
  • Emphasizes creating “rituals”—decision nights, celebrations—to build volunteer identity and joy.
  • “The act of giving or volunteering… should be joyful.”
• Rethinking Metrics:
  • Move from mere participation stats to measuring retention, leadership development, and multi-layered contributions.

---

4. Operationalizing People Power

(16:37–21:07)

• Building Strong Foundations:
  • Nicole Stewart outlines non-negotiables for sustainable, high-quality volunteer engagement:
    • Cultivate a principled, mission-driven culture
    • Exceptional, mission-anchored training
    • Strong, consistent supervision for volunteers
• Volunteer Journey & Ambassadorship:
  • Volunteers supported in these ways become organizational ambassadors, low attrition, and facilitate peer recruitment and fundraising.
  • "Our CASAs are our biggest ambassadors… They become so invested beyond just their singular role as a volunteer." (18:30)
• Skills Development and Transfer:
  • Susan McPherson relates volunteering to career and skills advancement and organizational capacity building.
  • “Everything is connected in what everyone’s talking about.” (21:07)

---

5. The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Lens

(22:58–24:11)

• Current Trends:
  • Despite challenging climates, companies are doubling down on skills-based volunteering (Taproot, Gudera, Pixera).
  • Companies are less vocal publicly but remain active, focusing on meaningful, employee-driven programs that build internal connections and boost engagement.
• Storytelling Opportunities:
  • Nonprofits are encouraged to capture and amplify the meaningful stories coming out of corporate volunteer events.

---

6. Practical Advice for Operationalizing People Power

(26:02–32:21)

Panel Recommendations

• Intentionality & Strategy:
  • “Developing people power… happens by design.” (Nicole Stewart, 26:02)
  • Volunteers should be seen as extension of staff—co-owners, storytellers, community connectors.
• Equip & Empower:
  • Sara Lomelin: Provide tools, support, and ongoing communication so volunteers can be effective advocates and organizers.
  • Start or customize giving circles for flexible peer engagement and leadership.
• Clarity & Communication:
  • Nicole R. Smith: “Give the gift of clarity: clear role descriptions, expectations, and ongoing storytelling mechanisms.” (29:59)
• Culture of Storytelling:
  • Integrate story-sharing prompts into all volunteer touchpoints and use technology to compile volunteer experiences (Google Forms, video shorts).
• Gratitude:
  • Susan McPherson: “Wrap it in gratitude… Internally celebrate volunteers; showcase their contributions to inspire others.” (31:41)
  • “That’s the dopamine hit, right? Giving. And a glass of wine.” (A & F, 32:21-32:27, laughter)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “People really treasure their time more than anything... every moment counts and they want to make sure it's meaningful.”
  — Nicole R. Smith (03:29)
• “They want community, they want belonging. So belonging is a key benefit.”
  — Sara Lomelin (04:10)
• “They want to be treated and seen as true partners in the work, which, in reality, they really are.”
  — Nicole Stewart (06:12)
• “Volunteers are twice as likely… to donate to a cause as a volunteer, creating dual benefit.”—Nicole R. Smith (08:21)
• “The goal cannot be a gift… it’s a relationship and a role.”
  — Sara Lomelin (11:50)
• “You can make everybody donate to your organization once. The tricky part is having that person give to your organization twice. So that means you have to build a relationship.”
  — Sara Lomelin (15:36)
• “If you think about a house, you can’t scale on a shaky base… a strong foundation protects the quality of our work and prevents burnout.”
  — Nicole Stewart (16:37)
• “Learning to meaningfully connect is not a soft skill. It's truly an operating system that's going to further... help those employees grow and thrive at your company.”
  — Susan McPherson (36:15)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:33 – How volunteer expectations have shifted
• 04:10 – Why belonging is a key benefit
• 08:21 – Strategic value and metrics for volunteer engagement
• 11:50 – Volunteer relationships as a leadership pipeline
• 16:37 – Building non-negotiables for volunteer programs
• 22:58 – Corporate trends and CSR in volunteerism
• 26:02 – Practical steps to operationalize people power
• 29:59 – Importance of clarity in volunteer roles
• 31:41 – The role of gratitude and internal celebration
• 32:55–36:41 – Each panelist’s “one good thing” for activating people power

---

Final Takeaways and “One Good Thing” from Each Panelist

(32:55–36:41)

• Nicole R. Smith:
  “Invest in the structure of volunteer engagement, starting with the leaders of volunteers. Your volunteer strategy is only as strong as the leader equipped to carry it out.” (32:55)
• Nicole Stewart:
  “Take the time to truly understand your ‘why’… Being clear about your purpose lets you lead with conviction and authenticity.” Recommends the book Leading from Purpose by Nick Craig. (33:43)
• Sara Lomelin:
  “Give your volunteers a role, not a receipt. After every gift… offer a next step… tailor ways to engage each one of them.” (35:03)
• Susan McPherson:
  “Establishing volunteer programs for your employees is a fundamental tool to build connections; meaningful connection is not a soft skill—it’s an operating system.” (36:15)
• Host, Becky:
  “Do one thing. Try one thing… You are the one they’ve been waiting for. Put that opportunity out there… people will flock to that like magnets.” (36:41)

---

In Summary

This panel masterclass repositions volunteer engagement as a strategic, integrated, and relational necessity for nonprofit success. Key insights include the need for intentionality, structural investment in volunteer leadership, strong cultural and training foundations, clarity in roles, multi-directional communication, and a culture of gratitude and storytelling. Volunteers are not just helpers—they are ambassadors, co-owners, leaders, and, ultimately, the heartbeat of the social impact sector.

Transcript

[A]

Hey, friends, we have a special one for you today. Four powerhouse leaders join us live at the We Are for Good summit to talk about how relationships, trust and community are completely reshaping the way we think about volunteers and giving. We're talking about giving circles, collective generosity, volunteer management, and what it really looks like to build movements powered by people because volunteers truly are core capacity for our missions. We hope you enjoy this one as much as we did.

[B]

I believe that volunteers, that they come into the work because they want to make a difference, but developing people power I don't think simply happens because people care. To mobilize people power, I think that you have to be intentional. And it goes back to that strategy and it's done by design.

[C]

Hey, I'm John.

[A]

And I'm Becky.

[C]

And this is the We Hear for Good podcast.

[A]

Let's get started. Welcome back, friends. We are about to have an incredible conversation with some extraordinary women. And I really want to set the tone because we are living in a moment where people are more connected than ever. But somehow we're very disconnected. We're lonely, we're unsure of where we belong. We've been called the loneliest generation that we're experiencing right now. And at the very same time, we're seeing these signs of hope, like a real hunger for people to show up, to give back, and to be a part of something that matters. So today we're going to explore that tension just a little bit and get practical about the opportunities inside this. This session is about how volunteers, everyday givers and community members aren't just support systems, they're core capacity. It's no longer nice to have. They are essential to sustainability, trust and long term impact. So I'm thrilled today to introduce you to our incredible panelist. And here with me three times three friend, first time for your friend and first time in person is Susan McPherson. She is the founder and CEO of McPherson Strategies and the author of the Lost Art of Connecting, one of my favorite books, which is bringing a powerful lens on connection, CSR and partnerships. Our second guest is Nicole Stewart. Hey, Nicole. She's the executive director of Boston casa. She's leading a heart powered volunteer mission model that trains and supports advocates for children in foster care. And our second, second Nicole, which I'm going to call Nicole R for the purposes of this panel, is Nicole R. Smith. She is the executive director of alive, the national professional association for leaders and volunteer engagement. They're bringing the research, the standards and infrastructure behind what truly works. And last but certainly not least, my dear friend Sarah Lomalin, she is the CEO of Philanthropy Together where they're building a really powerful people powered movement through giving circles and collective generosity. So, ladies, welcome. I feel like we're really about to get into this because one of our trends for this year is volunteers are your core capacity. So I'm going to kickstart us with a question. And Nicole R. I'm going to go to you first. From your vantage point, what's one way the expectations of volunteers, donors or community members have shifted over the last year too? Nicole, what have you got?

[D]

I think that's a really, really great question. And really after Covid, people really treasure their time more than anything. And they want to know that if they're going to spend their time capital, right, it's no accident that they use the word spend, right? Because the same way you're spending money, if it's something that it's treasure to you, it's something that you're spending. So if they're going to spend their time capital on us, they want to make sure that it's meaningful and worth their time. Whereas back in the day it may not have mattered so much because. But now people understand that every moment counts and they want to make sure that it's meaningful.

[A]

Incredible. I mean, awesome start. Sara, what do you have to add to that?

[E]

Yeah, I agree with Nicole completely. And I would add that people don't want to be another transaction. They don't want to feel that we're treating them as transactions, as checkbooks. They want community, they want belonging. So belonging is a key benefit. People are going to participate in organizations where they feel that they can come with their full selves and they have flexible pathways to contribute, right? Not just money, but their time, their talents, their testimony, their ties. So the full five T's, they, you know, they're willing to participate, but they want to be, to feel that they're a part of something.

[A]

Susan, what are you seeing along this narrative?

[F]

I will echo everything that was just said by my illustrious panelists and we wish you were all in the room with us. It was so much fun being here in real life. But I do wanna glom onto that notion of belonging you so eloquently stated at the beginning of the session of this just incredible loneliness. And even though we are more connected than ever before, and one way, and one key way is when we move to a new city or start a new job by volunteering at a local organization, one, it does make you feel like you're belonging. Two, it is a way to enhance your skills, perhaps in an area you're not getting from your day job. So inevitably, it all kind of circles back.

[A]

Absolutely. And I think Susan joined us on our 12 Shifts and Trends for the year conversation and broke down a brilliant episode on the podcast about reconnection that had belonging as the bedrock. So I also would put that in your cue to start. So, Nicole, bring us home. Like, what are your thoughts around this question?

[B]

It's always difficult to be the last

[A]

person, because I'll make you first next time.

[B]

But I think because our volunteers are so integral to the fulfillment of our mission, you know, they want to be treated and seen as true partners in the work, which in reality, they really are. And so I have found, especially amongst our CASA volunteers, that there's just really an expectation of a mutual and respect in the work that we're doing. And they want to be very much included in and feel like part of the organization. So it's more than just the singular focus of being a volunteer, but they want to feel like they are a part of helping to drive the mission of the organization.

[F]

And if I can just add one more item from the corporate management side of things, this helps their bottom line because their employees, if they are successfully volunteering, they're inevitably going to be more productive at their day job. Study after study shows that. So it's a win, win the nonprofits as well as the organizations and the employees.

[A]

This is such an encouraging conversation in me because I feel so much hope that this unilateral old way of treating volunteers and putting them in buckets, we're evolving past that. And I love, Sarah, what you were saying specifically about reimagining currency. And currency is not just their time, it is that time. It is network, it is storytelling, it is sharing, it is opening doors we can't get into. And so I love that we're starting to reimagine this. So I want to talk about people power, like, as a strategy, like something that we would actually integrate into a strategic plan, rather than just put it on the calendar as engagement. And Nicole R. I think I want to start with you because you have such depth of knowledge in the way that volunteers move so efficiently and fluidly through nonprofits. And I wonder, like, what does the data tell us about organizations that invest in volunteer engagement as strategy versus those that are treating it as kind of just this after that or icing on the cake, what are you seeing?

[D]

Yes, absolutely. Well, at Alive, one of the things we actually have is, like, is an accreditation program that takes Organizations through understanding what strategic volunteer engagement looks like all the way from executive level, all the way down. And so I have like firsthand experience with this. I'm so glad that I got this question. But the program that it's called Service enterprise and basically 80%, 80% of the organizations who go through this, they report that they've had an increase in total volunteers and skills based volunteers and 60% increase in volunteer engagement. It's because they're giving that forethought. Right? Some other things are the organizations become better positioned to expand their reach and achieve mission objectives and quite frankly build stronger communities compared to those who are relying on ad hoc or last minute, just, oh, well, we forgot about this and oh, let's just throw it in there. Or like, I'm sure we've all had that experience and people that somebody runs in, do you have a volunteer that can come do this? They're like, yeah, they're just sitting right here. Let me pull them off the shelf. Like understanding when you're thinking about things and it's a part of the overall strategy, how much more you can get out of it. And then quite frankly, lastly, volunteers are twice as likely for all, like the fundraisers in the room, they're twice as likely to donate to a cause as a volunteer, creating dual benefit for the organization. So as we're looking at all the different ways that volunteers can be involved and be a part of the overall strategy of the organization, like that, that mouthpiece. I always say when you treat your volunteers well, they are the best marketing that money can't buy, right? And put that into the strategy. Make sure that the volunteers are appreciated and recognized, that they feel well so that they'll go out and sing the praises of the organization. So definitely the same way you put forethought into whatever that marketing strategy is or the accounting or the finances, you have human capital, people who like you, who are belonging, who want to get involved, who you can use as an extension of what you are doing. And so then afterthought only just, it's, it's not good, it's not good.

[A]

I love how you said that because you're 100% right. Your volunteers are your ambassadors. They are the ones who are coming in. They are, they are touching the mission. They are seeing it. They have the stories, they have the interaction. And that is so deeply powerful. And I love that you brought up the fundraising component as something that comes afterward. I mean, I just think it's a beautiful icing on the cake to talk about the journey. And I want to take that. And Sarah, I'm going to connect that to what you know about fundraising because there's a lot of leaders in the room right now who are focused on fundraising. And so I want to know like what kind of a practical shift you would give these leaders in how to invite and how to steward and how to activate people. Maybe if they're working with giving circles or in collective giving, because you've had such a rich background in this. So how do we do that? So that supporters can become long term ambassadors and not one time donors. What's your secret to success? Because you guys do it so well at philanthropy together.

[E]

Thank you. And I love what Nicole said and I feel that the shift needs to be from asking and thank, right? Come and volunteer two hours a week and thank you for that, to invite, belong and lead. So the goal cannot be a gift, a monetary gift, or in this case, a couple of hours a week. It's a relationship and a role. You want people that feel part of your mission, as we have all been saying. So we need to stop treating volunteers and giving circles. You know, that's my jam as a channel or as a tool to fundraise. It is a leadership pipeline, a community of practice. We always said, you know, you're volunteers, as Nicole said, is your best marketing guess what is the pipeline for your board of directors is the pipeline for maybe your new staff is the pipeline of that people, you know, the people that are going to have, you know, the team jersey on so your stewardship becomes co ownership, right? So you can kind of wet your feet into participatory grant making. How can you give your volunteers more agency? How can you do, you know, bring the community voice in certain programs, in certain grants, you can give them different and authentic ways to contribute, right? They can facilitate conversations, they can host house party, they can recruit more community members, they can vet organizations. People are hungry to learn the in and outs of grant making. So what about you first educate your volunteers and then they can help you. It's like apart from your marketing strategy and your ambassadors, they are like your extended staff, right? In storytelling, there's nothing more powerful that the voice of the people that are participating actively in your mission. And I would say that to activate them, it's very important to create rituals. So people are, you know, you're starting to build identity among your volunteers, right? Learning moments, decision night celebrations, people. I mean, you started this conversation acknowledging the heaviness of this moment, right? And what we cannot forget is the act of giving or volunteering or participating with the causes and nonprofits that we care about should be joyful. So how do we always also stop to celebrate those wins? And I would say that the last thing is we need to start measuring differently and evaluating differently. So not just saying how many people showed up to help me this weekend, but how is that retention? Is this person coming and staying with us for years? How are those invitations made? Is this person bringing other people to my organization? How are the leadership roles taken and the actions beyond giving? Because the moment you start building real relationships with your volunteers, the fundraising is just like a, you know, it will come, it will come. I always said that you can make everybody donate to your organization once. The tricky part is having that person given to your organization twice. So that means you, you have to build a relationship.

[A]

You women are so smart. I'm so obsessed with all of you. I just think I, I'm, I'm here for this world of joy and of. I love your point about co ownership because I just think that this is a force multiplier that we're talking about. And Nicole, I just think Boston CASA has such a beautiful story. I know Sabrina is going to drop in the link to your podcast episode because I just thought it was so beautiful and your connection to your mission, but you work, Nicole, every day with a host of volunteers and they are just so mission critical to your organization. And I want to know what are the sort of two to three non negotiables that, that you've built like, and I'm talking training, boundaries, supervision. It could be culture. And I want to know what those rituals are and non negotiables that help you all protect the quality while also maintaining that we're trying to keep our people from burning out. I would love to hear what you think about that, Nicole.

[B]

Absolutely. I think that's a wonderful question. I really just want to back up for a second and say that I like what Nicole and Sarah shared about strategy and building relationship with our volunteers because it really and truly is so essential to how we think about the ways in which we engage our volunteers and how we think about them in the work that we're doing. Let me just share that. About four years ago when I started Boston casa, our goal at the time was to significantly increase the number of children we were serving. We developed a five year growth plan to triple the kids we were serving by doubling our budget. We were supposed to grow from serving 15% to almost 50% of children eligible for a CASA by 2028. Just to give you some scope in real numbers, we were going from serving 200, we want to go from serving 200 to 600 children, which means we have to increase our budget by $1.5 million and recruit and train up to 300 additional CASA volunteers. So it's a really, really aggressive growth, growth plan. But if you think about a house, you can't scale on a shaky base. So to have growth that's sustainable, high quality, it really can only happen when the foundation is really strong. And a strong foundation protects the quality of our work and it prevents the burnout. So first, I think it's essential to build and protect a strong organizational foundation from within. And so I have heavily in creating and I would say cultivate in a healthy, mission driven culture. Hiring an exceptional staff in order to build and protect a strong foundation within the organization really requires us being keenly aware of who we are as a staff, as a board, and what we stand for. And I believe that when we as a staff, we're principled in our values and when we're fully committed to fulfilling our mission, that this clarity and this conviction, it really transfers to how we show up with our volunteers. And it's inspiring and motivating and it just sets the stage for how our volunteers show up and for our children. And second, I would say it's ensuring that our volunteer training is exceptional and mission anchored. Because training is where our volunteers build their confidence, it's where they build their identity and the emotional connection to the work that we're doing. And for our CASAs, most of their backgrounds, they're not reflective of the children that they're serving. And nor do the majority of our volunteers. They don't come into the work with the familiarity or with the experience of working with the courts and the child welfare system. So our work is extremely complex. And so I just think that it's essential for our volunteers to feel fully equipped with the language and the tools that they need in order to succeed. And this begins their journey of feeling proud of the work that they're doing, prepared for the work that they have to do, and that prevents them from feeling burned out or overwhelmed. And just lastly, I would say is one of our non negotiables is providing volunteers with strong, consistent supervision so that they never feel alone in the work. And we really do try to model this from within the organization. There's an expectation for regular check ins and meeting, my staff meeting with our volunteers. But I would say as a result of all of these things that we don't have a high rate of attrition. And our CASAs are our biggest ambassadors, as I heard some say that they are really the ambassadors for the organization and they support with the recruitment of more volunteers. And it inspires many of them to contribute financially because they become so invested beyond just their singular role as a volunteer in the overall success and growth of the organization. So I would say that those are my three non negotiables.

[F]

Nicole, you just made such a good case for operational cost fundraising to philanthropists and capacity building because clearly the funding you are getting is exponentially bettering your organization and your volunteers. And it's funny, I have to say, I'm old at this point, but throughout my career I moved a lot. And every time I would move to a new city to make friends, I would get involved and volunteer at a nonprofit. And this was before there was skills based volunteering. We're talking the 80s, the 90s. But the skills that I learned volunteering, I was then able to put on my resume and and use for skills advancement and then end up on boards. So it's a completely everything. Not to create a pun, but everything is connected in what everyone's talking about. Sorry, I took your role.

[A]

No, I'm so glad that you did. And this is a fluid conversation and I would love to hear from you in the comments. What is working within your organization? What are you proud of that you have done with your volunteers? This is a collective and so we want to hear your brilliant ideas. And I also just want to thank Nicole. Thank you. And to every luminary leader out there who is putting the priority of staff well being and balance in the equation because it absolutely has to be there. Okay, I got to shift a little bit to CSR because I think that there is a lot of questions around how companies partner with nonprofits and really just sort of having employee experiences that connect. And so, Susan, you are our queen of CSR and understanding this world. And I want to know, what are you seeing? What are companies and employees looking for right now?

[F]

Well, unfortunately, we're seeing a lot of companies have stepped back from being very vocal. If anything, we're seeing a lot of companies that are still doing the work, but not wanting to be front and center for fear of all kinds of retribution in the current political climate. But one area we see them stepping up is in skills based volunteering. You have seen growth from, you know, such organizations as Taproot and Gudera and Pixera, and these are all organizations that help companies with their skills based volunteering and draw the connective tissue with the nonprofits. But we also see companies actually just stepping up on their own and developing programs. They're also, for good or for bad, less likely to promote the fact that they're doing that right now. But to me, as disappointed as I am that they're not promoting it, what's more important is they're actually doing it and investing in it and continuing to make this a priority because our nonprofit world needs it, employees need it. And it does build deeper, meaningful connection among workers and employees, which then actually spurs the bottom line to continue to grow for these companies. So it's a win win for everyone

[A]

entirely a win win. And for those companies who are not talking about it, nonprofits, I say put a storytelling engine at the end of whatever that employ. Ask them questions at the end of the day, ask them what was the most meaningful part of this experience. Talk about what did you learn while you were here today? Just quick little sound bites show that community is involved on the front level. So I love that insight and I want to go to the entire group as we sort of transition to operationalizing your people power. And Nicole, you're coming first this time around. So I really want to get practical. Nicole, and this question is for everybody. What advice would you give the audience for how they can operationalize their people power this year? What do you guys think? Nicole,

[C]

Taking a quick pause from today's episode because we wanted to tell you about some amazing upcoming events that we don't want you to miss. So first up, on April 29th we've got our monthly working session live and we are excited to have Dana Snyder back in the house to walk us through forecasting our monthly giving growth in 2026. So you're going to walk away with a growth forecast for the year and all the pathways to get you there. Really excited about that session. Then in May you can join us for our next ImpactUp gathering. You know, four times a year, Impact up brings the we are for good community together around ideas that really matter most. This quarter we are going deep on the most powerful tool that you already have and probably aren't fully using. Story ImpactUp is also met with local meetups happening around the world so you can find one popping up somewhere near you. Head to weareforgood.com or go to this episode's description for the direct links and you can save your free C today.

[B]

So our volunteers, they really and truly are the heartbeat of the impact of our children. I believe that volunteers that they come into the work because they want to make a difference. But developing people power, I don't think simply happens because people care, but to mobilize people power, I think that you have to be intentional. And it goes back to that strategy, and it's done by design. And so I would say it's important to know who your volunteers are and what their capacity is and to let them know how valued they are. And so I'm constantly asking, and I think these are good questions for us to ask ourselves, how do we convey that value that we often feel, but how do we express it to them in a way that inspires and compels our volunteers to stay with our organizations? And not just stay, but as we've talked about, how do we support them in feeling like they are an extension of our staff, our development team, our PR team? And how do we do it without them ever feeling, I hate to use this word, but without ever feeling used or that their participation is simply transactional? And I think that that's really key. And so I think getting the people power, it's really important for us to see our volunteers as those ambassadors, as co owners of the mission, as frontline storytellers and community connectors, because they really can be all of these things for our organizations.

[A]

So good. Sarah, what's bubbling up for you?

[E]

Yeah, well, as you know, what we represent is this huge movement of collective and collaborative giving. Right. And it's a very decentralized movement, a movement that is led primarily by volunteers. So for us, the people power is how do we every day mobilize this incredibly diverse movement? Because we have diversity of ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, faith, political spectrum, you name it. For us, it's all about how do we equip everybody, how can we make sure that we're in constant communication of what people need? If we're asking people to share their stories or to put out something on social media or with their local communities, well, let's support them in that journey. So every training workshop, as Nicole was saying, what we want is people to feel that they have the tools to do the work. And I would just say that, of course, because otherwise it's not me. A great way to operationalize your people power this year is start a giving circle in your organization, start a friends off circle in your organization. And it can be about creating this connection and sense of belonging among some of your volunteers and also giving them more agency into doing something else for your organization. It can be peer to peer fundraising. It could be bring more people. I mean, it's just a matter of like, the giving circle model is so flexible that you can create your own rules, but it's the perfect way to just create these pockets of connection and power around your organization.

[A]

This one right here calls it the constellation of connections. And so, Nicole R. I see your head bobbing there. You have some thoughts I can tell. Get in here.

[D]

Yeah. So I'm tagging on to write what Sara said, and I think one of the biggest pieces is giving the gift of clarity. What are those clear description, role descriptions? What exactly do you need for me? How long is it going to take? What skills are you going to need? And then like Sara said, after they've gone through that experience, using technology to leverage and finding processes for better storytelling, because people often will want to tell the story, but they don't think about it. I can't tell you the number of times people are like, oh, like, I'm just talking to them and they share their story. But if we send out like something, you should tell us about that story so we can share it with others. Oh, I hadn't thought about it. So I love what you said, Becky, in terms of just like added at the end of something, like add it at the end of a shift or. But using leveraging technology and other things to really help with that process of the storytelling. But starting with clarity, because you can't get the story if they don't know what you want them to do. So give them the gift of clarity and everything else will fall in line.

[A]

I love this notion of like creating a culture of storytelling. And where do you put it on every volunteer communications? Do you have something at the end that says, hey, have you had a story or an experience that you want to share with us? Drop it here. It can zap right into a Google sheet or something like that. Put it at the end of your checkout.

[F]

Ask them to do a video.

[A]

Ask them to do a video. Video, especially shorts right now are just

[F]

trending and Gen Z and 20something, I

[A]

mean, they get it. So, Susan, how would you kind of wrap all this up? How are you operationalizing people power?

[F]

I love the clarity and the expectation setting, certainly, but I would wrap it in gratitude. And you. I mentioned previously that companies are less likely to be promoting this externally as they at one point did. But internally they should be celebrating their volunteers and showcasing the good work they're doing to the other employees that they want to get involved, you know, and so there's a sense of kind of competitiveness, like, oh, Joe, down the hall is doing that. Susie over here wants to jump in and learn and contribute, but it does need to be kind of wrapped in this notion of gratitude and thankfulness.

[A]

So I just think that's the dopamine hit, right? I mean giving.

[F]

And a glass of wine.

[A]

Yeah, and a glass of wine. Okay. Red, perhaps. So.

[F]

All right, keep it real.

[A]

Yeah, we're keeping up. And we are winding down this beautiful conversation. You all know this well enough to know how we end. We want you to share a one good thing. So this can be a piece of advice. It can be a life hack or something that people could like maybe start to implement tomorrow around this topic. What would you suggest? And Nicole R. I'll start with you.

[D]

So the thing that I would suggest is start thinking about investing in the structure of volunteer engagement, starting with the leaders of volunteers. Because your volunteer strategy is only as strong as the leader equipped to carry out. And often volunteering is an afterthought and it just goes into it as other duties assigned. And you have people leading people who have never led people before. So how are you empowering them? How are you giving them the tools? How are you supporting the person who is leading your people? Invest in volunteer engagement and the structure of volunteer engagement. Invest in your leader of volunteers.

[A]

Incredible. Nicole, what's your one good thing?

[B]

I would leave a piece of advice which is to take the time to truly understand your why. Being clear goes back to that theme of clarity that we've been talking about that Nicole just mentioned. But being clear about your purpose, which allows you to lead with the clarity that you need, the conviction and the authenticity to bring that people power forward. And that clarity has really been essential for me to build momentum through our growth plan with our board of directors, our donors, our staff, our volunteers. But you know, one thing that I've learned is that your why isn't just personal, but it's strategic in your leadership. And when people can feel your purpose, it attracts them, it helps to sustain them, and it motivates them to stay engaged, especially our volunteers. And so I highly recommend the book Leading from Purpose by Nick Craig. But it's a powerful tool for activating people power and inspiring the kind of commitment that makes really lasting impact possible.

[A]

Great advice. Thank you for the book recommendation. I hope somebody somewhere in the universe will drop that link in there so others can go grab it. Sara, what about you? What's your one good thing?

[E]

I would say give your volunteers a role, not a receipt. So after every gift of money or time or skills offer next step, right Join us in this decision night. Bring a friend. Want to do you want to vet a project with us? Do you want to be part of a thinking group? Like, give them a role? People are going to keep coming to you if they feel that they have a role. And as you were saying, Susan, right back in the day, volunteers were coming just to do something mechanical. And now we're think about the skills of your volunteers. It can be an excel spread spreadsheet where you get to know each person and all the gifts and the skills that they have so you can also tailor ways to engage each one of them.

[A]

Fantastic. Mama MCP brings home.

[F]

Well, I want to address corporate leaders and private sector leaders with this notion that establishing volunteer programs for your employees is a fundamental tool to build connections. And learning to meaningfully connect is not a soft skill. It's truly an operating system that's going to further exponentially help those employees grow and thrive at your company. So that's my one good thing.

[A]

You women are extraordinary. You've inspired a one good thing out of me. And I just want to tell everyone out here who is on the fence about reengaging volunteers in different ways or amping them up. Nicole, I got sweaty when you told me you're about to, like, have to manage 600. But my point is, do one thing. Try one thing. We are in an era where people are looking for hope. They are looking for joy. They are looking for meaningful connection. You are the one they've been waiting for. Put that opportunity out there, put your values out there, put your story, and people will flock to that like magnets. So I want to thank each and every one of you. I wish I could touch the hands of all of you incredible three ladies, Susan, Nicole, Nicole, and Sara. Thank you for such a thoughtful and energizing conversation. So stay with us. We'll be right back.

[C]

Hey, friend, thank you so much for joining us today. If you find yourself looking for a place to stay connected and keep learning between episodes, I hope you'll come and join us inside the we are for Good community. Yeah, it is free. It's full of incredible nonprofit leaders like yourself, and it's now an app in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. So you can take this community with you wherever you go. Head over to weareforgoodcommunity.com to find us. We cannot wait to see you inside.