Try these steps to advance SVE within your organization.
Encourage
Encourage grantees to include a budget line item to fund a volunteer engagement professional (VEP), volunteer resources management technology and software and volunteer engagement training and coaching for staff.
Ask
Ask potential grantees about volunteer engagement successes and challenges during site visits and in grant applications and evaluations.
Convene
Convene other grant makers and nonprofits for dialogue about volunteer engagement strategies and best practices. Explore how you can enhance your grantees’ volunteer engagement strategies.
Highlight
Highlight the advantages of a strong culture of volunteer engagement to executive leadership and boards. Share data and research demonstrating how strategic volunteer engagement enhances organizational sustainability and strengthens communities.
Support
Support grantee organizations in becoming a certified Service Enterprise or fund their VEP in becoming a Certified Volunteer Administrator. Provide scholarships for professional development, training and networking opportunities for staff and volunteer leaders.
To learn more, check out:
- Download a PDF of the Alliance’s 2-page handout for funders
- The Funder’s Guide to Investing in Volunteer Engagement from The Leighty Foundation
- Why Invest in Volunteer Engagement? from The Leighty Foundation
- Options for Funder Support of Volunteer Engagement from The Leighty Foundation
- Assessing Grantees’ Organizational Capacity and Readiness from The Leighty Foundation