MOBILIZING VOLUNTEERS IN THE FACE OF BUDGET CUTS: A REALISTIC LOOK Susan J. Ellis ▪ Energize, Inc. ▪ December 2, 2009 Produced by the

MOBILIZING VOLUNTEERS IN THE FACE OF BUDGET CUTS: A REALISTIC LOOK

Susan J. Ellis ▪ Energize, Inc. ▪ www.energizeinc.com

December 2, 2009

Produced by the Society for Nonprofit Organizations

Today’s Presenter

Susan J. Ellis President, Energize,

Inc. www.energizeinc.co

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Copyright 2009, Energize, Inc.

This is a hard time financially for everyone

Organizations must be strategic and creative in stretching their budgets

Where does volunteer involvement fit? Can/should volunteers fill gaps left if

you must layoff staff? Are you well positioned to expand your

volunteer corps?

In Crisis Mode3


Plan strategically to engage volunteers realistically and effectively, whether revenues decrease or increase

Volunteers should never be a second-choice band-aid

Today’s Premise4


How important are volunteers right now to your organization? Are they doing work vital to your mission? Are they welcomed in all units and services? Do you have the right volunteers with the most-

needed skills? Do you have a director of volunteer

involvement? What’s your vision for volunteer

engagement?

Where Are You Today?5


Are you only re-considering volunteers now that money is tight?

Understand that you will be playing catch up and may not fully succeed, unless you: Act thoughtfully Sincerely Designate someone to focus on volunteer

involvement Prepare everyone

Is It Too Late?6


Volunteers can make a significant difference in your ability to ride out the financial crisis

But they can’t replace lost resources For one thing, they are not free!

Are you prepared for the costs? For the effort?

Develop reasonable expectations

“Realistic” Is the Key Word7


Even in good times, excellent volunteers can be threatening to paid staff

Lay-offs legitimately panic everyone Lay-offs mean more work for those left It takes time and skill to partner well with

volunteers Does success with volunteers mean that

you won’t re-fund the cut positions?

Recognize Staff Concerns8


Loyal volunteers are also upset by staff cuts

They are not interested in full-time jobs They worry that you will expect them to

do more than they can They sense staff resistance to their help They can feel powerless and voice-less as

decisions are made around them

Recognize Volunteer Concerns

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What might happen if you are indeed forced to slash the budget and lay off staff?

Worst-Case Scenario

Lay off staff and start looking for volunteers to “replace” them Find 10 to 15 volunteers to juggle their shifts…

and then someone to coordinate/instruct/supervise them

Meanwhile, keep all remaining staff members doing exactly what they have always done

When money gets tighter, lay off the person in charge of volunteer involvement

The Wrong Way to Do It11


Stop and determine what you most need and what cuts will most affect services

Lay off the least-critical staff Challenge your assumptions on this! Note that today’s volunteers prefer skilled roles

Then analyze the job descriptions of both the cut and the remaining paid staff and be prepared to make changes in every role in the agency

The Right Way to Do It12



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What is someone doing once a week or periodically, rather than daily or on an inflexible schedule?

What is someone doing that really does not require his or her specialized training?

What is someone doing that might be done more effectively by someone else with special training in that skill?

Staff Role Assessments


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Now re-align/rewrite all the remaining staff’s job descriptions to:1. Keep all their present tasks that require daily

attention and their special training2. Add the similar critical responsibilities that had

been assigned to the laid-off staff members3. Remove periodic or less technical

responsibilities The tasks in #3 become the basis for

legitimate volunteer position descriptions

The Right Way to Do It, continued


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In this way, you will be paying for the best utilization of your remaining employees

Volunteers will handle work (still important) that can be done on a once-a-week basis or that makes use of special talents for which they have been recruited

Keep communicating with everyone! No surprises Explain your plan to raise more funds

The Right Way to Do It, continued


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If you suddenly lose your funding or if client needs have greatly multiplied, you can work with volunteers as a stopgap measure Your mission comes first Volunteers will recognize that and respond well Staff may still resist

Be honest and open – and state a timeline for how you’ll come out of the emergency plan (and what happens if you don’t)

Full Crisis Mode

Your Turn…17


Do an assessment of who is volunteering now (and possibly in the recent past): What are their skills and talents, especially ones

that you have not yet tapped for your organization?

Are they in the best roles already? Who could be reassigned more effectively?

Can current volunteers become trainers for new volunteers?

Explain the options and give volunteers choices:

Re-deploying Current Volunteers

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Who wants to change roles altogether? Who wants to add extra hours and do

more? Who is willing to take on a new role

temporarily? Until the crisis is over Until a new volunteer can be found

Who wants to work on the root cause of the problem and not just service delivery?

Re-deploying Current Volunteers

Make full use of the special ability of volunteers to speak on your behalf to the people that make decisions and give out funds Volunteers have perceived credibility because they

don’t get paid They have wide and expanded spheres of influence

which might uncover (or give access to) new resources They are always private citizens and can lobby, write

letters to the editor, give testimonials They are insider/outsiders – you need their

perspectives

Volunteers as Advocates20


Always remember that you are seeking the right volunteers, not just warm bodies!

Do not broadcast a general “we need volunteers” call for help Indiscriminate recruiting that only leads to

inappropriate contacts Be as specific as possible as to what you need Recruit in a targeted way for each available

volunteer assignment

Finding New Volunteers21



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Enlist current board and frontline volunteers, staff, and clients to spread the word with you But they also have to be specific and targeted

Follow good volunteer recruitment practices Designate someone to be in charge of:

Defining volunteer roles and qualifications Strategizing the recruitment outreach Responding to contacts from applicants Interviewing and screening

Finding New Volunteers

Volunteers are not free labor They do not “save money,” they

extend or stretch available funds Cash outlay is not great and is high R-

O-I But it takes time and skill Part of being realistic about volunteer

impact is to be willing to support it properly

What Are the Costs? 23


Don’t abandon the volunteers who bailed you out once you have money to re-hire paid staff

Raising more money and having great volunteers are always mutually compatible goals

Understand the interrelationship of giving money and giving time

Celebrate how you all worked together to face the crisis

As the Crisis Lessens24


Your Turn…25



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Visit our comprehensive Web site for resources on volunteer management:

www.energizeinc.com Consider our online training program

for developing the skills of frontline staff in working with volunteers:

Thank You for Participating!

Produced By:

Society for Nonprofit Organizations5820 Canton Center Rd, Ste #165Canton, MI 48187Email: [email protected]: www.snpo.orgPh: 734-451-3582 | Fax: 734-451-5935

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MOBILIZING VOLUNTEERS IN THE FACE OF BUDGET CUTS: A REALISTIC LOOK Susan J. Ellis ▪ Energize, Inc. ▪ December 2, 2009 Produced by the