In case you work in fundraising at a nonprofit, chances are high your path hardly ever crosses with the volunteer division, if in any respect. Regardless of being a part of the identical mission-driven group, these two groups typically function in silos, targeted on completely different metrics, programs, and techniques.
However right here’s the factor: their objectives deeply overlap. Volunteers are sometimes amongst your most loyal and engaged supporters—and plenty of of them are even eligible for volunteer grants, a strong but typically underutilized supply of funding.
On this submit, we’ll define how one can actively construct team-wide volunteer grant buy-in from the bottom up—even if you happen to’re ranging from scratch (and volunteering isn’t at the moment in your wheelhouse). The steps we’ll cowl embrace:
Volunteer grants are a golden alternative for fundraisers—however provided that you may get the broader crew aligned and engaged. Let’s discover out precisely how you are able to do so!
Step 1: Purchase volunteer crew buy-in.
Volunteer grants, or {Dollars} for Doers packages, are company giving initiatives the place corporations donate to nonprofits based mostly on their workers’ volunteer hours. However right here’s the catch: with out coordination between your fundraising and volunteer groups, these grants typically fall by way of the cracks.
In case you’re on the fundraising crew, step one to unlocking volunteer grant income is beginning a dialog together with your volunteer division. Even when your groups don’t at the moment collaborate a lot, this can be a pure space for partnership. In spite of everything, volunteers aren’t simply useful arms; they’re a number of the most deeply invested supporters your group has. And lots of of them are eligible for volunteer grants by way of their employers, including further financial worth to their assist.
Opening the door to this dialog doesn’t need to be difficult. In truth, a easy outreach message that explains the chance and invitations collaboration can go a great distance.
Right here’s a message template you possibly can adapt:
Hey [Name],
Over on the fundraising crew, we’ve been trying into company volunteer grants as a very priceless potential income stream for us. These packages permit corporations to donate to nonprofits based mostly on their workers’ volunteer hours—generally a whole lot and even 1000’s of {dollars} per volunteer annually.
For instance:
- About 40% of Fortune 500 corporations provide volunteer grant packages.
- Some corporations will donate $25+ per hour volunteered.
- Simply 10 volunteers submitting grants may lead to $2,500+ in unrestricted funding.
We’d like to discover how our groups can collaborate to establish eligible volunteers and assist them in accessing these grants. May we arrange a fast chat to speak by way of this and see the place there is perhaps overlap?
Thanks a lot!
[Your Name]
Bringing the volunteer crew into the fold early helps be certain that programs are aligned, volunteers are supported, and no alternative is missed. They’re those with direct entry to the individuals who could make these grants occur—so your success relies on their partnership.
Step 2: Set up volunteer and fundraising crew tasks.
When you’ve obtained volunteer grant buy-in from the volunteer crew, the following step is defining how your departments will work collectively to assist the packages. There’s no one-size-fits-all construction right here—the extent of collaboration versus delegation will rely in your group’s measurement, programs, and crew capability. What issues most is readability.
At some organizations, the volunteer crew would possibly take the lead on educating volunteers about grant alternatives, whereas the fundraising crew manages the follow-up and monitoring of submitted grants. At others, fundraising would possibly deal with many of the outreach, with volunteers’ merely offering assist round eligibility and hour verification. Whatever the construction, clearly outlined roles will make your efforts more practical and extra sustainable.
Some key inquiries to reply collectively embrace:
- Who shall be chargeable for educating volunteers about grants?
- Who will confirm volunteer hours (if required)?
- Who will monitor and observe up on submitted grants?
- How typically will the groups sync as much as evaluate outcomes or modify technique?
By mapping out tasks and connecting the appropriate folks throughout departments, you’ll create a course of that feels clean internally and supportive externally on your volunteers.
Remember the fact that in case your group makes use of a Volunteer Administration System (VMS) that integrates with Double the Donation Volunteering, it’s particularly necessary to loop in the appropriate technical leads early on. In different phrases, be certain the individual on the volunteer crew who manages your VMS is linked with whoever manages your Double the Donation platform on the fundraising facet. These platforms can work collectively to mechanically floor volunteer grant alternatives—however provided that the combination is correctly configured and nurtured effectively.
Step 3: Safe management buy-in.
Getting inside assist is simpler stated than completed—however with out management buy-in, even probably the most enthusiastic efforts to advertise volunteer grants can stall. In case your nonprofit is caught at a “blended buy-in” stage, the place a couple of people see the worth however there’s no organizational momentum, it’s time to shift your focus to management.
At this level, volunteer grants might not but be in your management crew’s radar—however they need to be. These packages provide a scalable, low-lift fundraising stream that additionally deepens relationships with a few of your most engaged supporters. When management understands and endorses this chance, it turns into a lot simpler to safe workers time, cross-department collaboration, and even advertising actual property to advertise these packages.
So, how do you get them on board? A focused, data-informed strategy is vital.
Make the Case: Why Management Ought to Care
Begin by reframing volunteer grants as strategic fundraising with built-in engagement. You’re not simply asking for extra duties to be added to somebody’s plate—you’re providing a pathway to extend unrestricted income whereas strengthening donor retention and volunteer loyalty.
Take into account these high-level speaking factors:
- Volunteers are your most dedicated supporters—and plenty of are eligible for company grants, price a whole lot and even 1000’s of {dollars} per individual yearly.
- 40% of Fortune 500 corporations provide volunteer grant packages, and a few donate as much as $25+ per hour volunteered.
- These are untapped funds that already align together with your mission and the work you’re doing.
Leverage Inside Knowledge
With a view to safe top-level volunteer grant buy-in, present management what’s already occurring—or what they’re lacking out on. As an alternative of simply speaking about potential, visualize it by answering the next questions:
- What number of volunteers are at the moment lively every month or 12 months?
- What number of of them work at corporations with recognized volunteer grant packages?
- If 10–20% of your volunteers submitted grants, what would the income influence be?
When attainable, use instruments like Double the Donation’s analytics dashboard to showcase potential income, real-time engagement stats, or missed alternatives. Management is extra more likely to act after they see the numbers and perceive the long-term return potential.
Preserve the Dialog Going
In the case of volunteer grant buy-in, getting the preliminary inexperienced gentle is only the start. Request a daily slot in quarterly management or cross-departmental conferences to report on volunteer grant efficiency, spotlight wins, and suggest methods to enhance the method. This would possibly embrace:
- Advertising and marketing assist for volunteer grant consciousness
- VMS integrations or tech upgrades
- Group objectives tied to volunteer grant engagement
Ongoing visibility ensures volunteer grants keep top-of-mind—and that your nonprofit continues to deal with them as a strategic income stream quite than an afterthought.
Step 4: Enhance your processes.
As soon as your groups are aligned on their worth and have began collaborating, the following step in securing volunteer grant buy-in is to strengthen the programs that assist your efforts. Good processes don’t simply make it simpler for employees—they make it simpler for volunteers to observe by way of.
Listed here are a couple of key methods to optimize your strategy and guarantee long-term success:
Drive consciousness about volunteer grants with proactive advertising.
You possibly can’t seize volunteer grants if folks don’t know they exist. Create a easy, constant communication plan to teach volunteers about this chance.
For instance, add mentions of volunteer grants in locations like:
- Volunteer onboarding supplies
- Submit-event thank-you emails
- Month-to-month newsletters
- Social media posts
The aim is to normalize the concept that volunteering at your group may result in extra donations from their employer.
Add our volunteer plugin to your web site.
Make it simple for volunteers to test their eligibility for grants proper out of your web site! Double the Donation’s volunteer grant plugin permits supporters to:
- Search their employer’s volunteer grant coverage
- Entry eligibility and submission tips
- Get step-by-step directions for submitting a request
For the perfect outcomes, you’ll need to place the plugin on high-traffic pages—equivalent to your volunteer touchdown web page, occasion registration and affirmation pages, and post-volunteering thank-you messages—to satisfy volunteers the place they already are.
Join your VMS with Double the Donation’s Volunteering integrations.
In case your group makes use of a Volunteer Administration System (VMS), connecting it to Double the Donation’s volunteer grant instruments is a game-changer. In spite of everything, these integrations assist automate eligibility checks, observe up with automated outreach, and streamline the grant request course of—lowering workers workload whereas rising your probability of capturing extra grant {dollars}.
Use our automated emails to remind about volunteer grants.
Following up with a reminder after a volunteer has supported your trigger is commonly the distinction between a missed alternative and a submitted grant. For that reason, Double the Donation Volunteering presents automated electronic mail reminders that:
- Immediate eligible volunteers to submit their hours
- Embrace employer-specific directions
- Are triggered based mostly on volunteer exercise
These follow-ups are low-effort on your crew (assume: set it and overlook it) however high-impact by way of changing volunteer time into funding.
Monitor outcomes and repeatedly make enhancements.
As soon as your programs are in place, it’s necessary to observe how they’re performing over time. So as to take action, control metrics equivalent to:
- Variety of volunteer grant submissions
- Whole {dollars} raised by way of volunteer grants
- Main employers of your volunteers
- Engagement charges with reminder emails
- And extra!
From there, you should use this information to establish gaps and refine your technique for extra future successes.
Volunteer grants aren’t a one-and-done marketing campaign—they’re an ongoing strategy of iteration and enchancment. By investing in scalable processes now, you’ll set your crew as much as seize extra income and make a stronger case for volunteer engagement long-term.
Wrapping up & extra volunteer grant sources
Getting began with volunteer grants doesn’t require overhauling your fundraising technique—it simply requires a shift in how departments work collectively. Whereas the volunteer and fundraising groups might have completely different day-to-day tasks, you’re finally working towards the identical aim: constructing robust, lasting assist on your mission. And buying volunteer grant buy-in can go a great distance in doing so!
By fostering collaboration, sharing sources, and serving to your crew see the fundraising potential behind volunteer engagement, you possibly can unlock new income streams and deepen donor relationships. Volunteer grants are low-hanging fruit—however provided that everybody is aware of the place to succeed in.
Able to increase your volunteer grant data? We suggest exploring the next extra sources:
