Volunteer Management: Best Practices for Nonprofits and Community Organizations

Julie Tennant
Sep 4, 2025
6 min read

Volunteers are the heartbeat of so many nonprofits, grassroots initiatives, and community programs. They give their time, skills, and energy freely—not because they have to, but because they believe in the mission. Having studied both volunteer management and business management, I’ve seen how organizations flourish when they treat volunteers ethically—and how they stumble when they misuse them.

Here’s the truth: volunteers are not “free labor.” They’re partners in impact. When organizations forget that, burnout, turnover, and even reputational damage follow. But when volunteers are managed with fairness, gratitude, and foresight, everyone benefits—the volunteers, the staff, and the communities being served.

Volunteer Management: Appropriate Work for Volunteers

Volunteers shine when their work feels purposeful, aligned, and manageable. The best roles are those that:

Match their skills and passions – Teaching, mentoring, helping with events, community outreach, or creative projects.
Support staff, not replace them – Volunteers should add capacity, not carry the weight of core operations.
Offer opportunities for growth – Many volunteers hope to learn or build experience; roles that stretch them keep them engaged.
Connect them to the mission directly – The closer a role feels to “making a difference,” the more fulfilling it will be.

Example: A community arts program paired volunteers with kids for weekend craft sessions. Not only did this free up staff for logistics, but it also created genuine relationships—parents could see how volunteers’ passion directly enriched their children’s experiences. This is an example of using volunteers effectively to enhance programs rather than replace paid staff.

Work That Should Not Be Done by Volunteers

Here’s where things often go wrong. Some roles carry too much responsibility, liability, or risk to be handed to volunteers:

Accounting & Finance – A nonprofit in Ontario once collapsed after a volunteer treasurer misfiled tax records for three consecutive years. The mistakes weren’t malicious—just a lack of professional training. But the result was devastating: audits, government fines, frozen funding, and ultimately the loss of charitable status. Without proper accounting, the organization couldn’t survive. This underscores why proper legal accounting is crucial.
Human Resources – A charity let a volunteer oversee scheduling. At first, it seemed harmless. But within months, favoritism crept in, conflicts went unresolved, and harassment complaints surfaced. Because the volunteer wasn’t trained in HR, staff didn’t feel safe or supported—and several resigned. The board was left scrambling to repair the damage.
Marketing & Branding – One festival enthusiastically handed its social media to a rotating set of volunteers. At first, posts went up daily. But then messaging grew inconsistent—sometimes clashing with the event’s values—and eventually, weeks went by without updates. Sponsors noticed. Several pulled out, citing a lack of professionalism and visibility. This is why volunteer management must carefully consider the line between support and replacement of paid professionals.
Record Keeping & Compliance – A food bank relied on a volunteer secretary to file reports for a major grant. When the volunteer moved suddenly, the deadline was missed. The result? The organization lost a large chunk of annual funding, forcing them to reduce food distribution at a time when demand was highest.
Executive Leadership – Volunteers on boards provide important governance, but day-to-day leadership requires continuity and accountability. An animal rescue once ran entirely on volunteers—including operations. When two key coordinators burned out and quit, animals went without proper intake tracking, adoptions stalled, and donors began questioning where their money was going. Without a paid manager to ensure consistency, the rescue nearly collapsed.

These stories highlight that using volunteers effectively is key—but expecting them to fill roles that require professional expertise is a common pitfall.

When It’s More Appropriate to Hire Paid Help

So, how do you know when it’s time to bring in paid staff instead of volunteers? A few guiding principles:

If the work is essential to daily operations – Payroll, HR, compliance, and management roles need reliability.
If mistakes have high stakes – Legal, financial, or safety-related work should never rest on unpaid shoulders.
If continuity matters – Volunteers come and go. Paid staff provide stability and institutional memory.
If specialized expertise is required – Strategic marketing, IT infrastructure, or grant writing demand consistent professional attention.

Example: One community center relied for years on volunteer bookkeepers to manage donations, grant reports, and payroll. Each time a volunteer left, they passed along boxes of paper records or half-finished spreadsheets. Over time, the books stopped balancing. Payroll checks were delayed, grants weren’t tracked correctly, and eventually a filing deadline with the government was missed.

This created a serious compliance issue and nearly cost the center its charitable status. The board realized that while volunteers were wonderful for programs and outreach, legal financial accounting is too important to risk. They hired a part-time certified accountant—and the difference was immediate. Not only were the records corrected, but the accountant also built proper systems for reporting, accountability, and transparency. Funders gained confidence again, and the center soon became eligible for a multi-year grant that required professional oversight.

The lesson? Proper accounting isn’t just about balancing books—it’s about trust, compliance, and long-term sustainability.

Fair and Respectful Treatment of Volunteers

Volunteers may not be paid, but they should always be treated like valued team members:

Clear role descriptions – No surprises. A “greeter” role shouldn’t morph into unpaid janitorial work.
Respect for boundaries – Their time is a gift. Don’t pressure volunteers into overcommitting.
Inclusion and voice – One volunteer told me she left an organization because she felt invisible—her ideas ignored, her presence unacknowledged.
Training and safety – Volunteers deserve orientation, resources, and protections just like staff.
Honesty and transparency – Don’t suggest a role “might become paid” unless that’s genuinely possible.

How to Thank and Retain Volunteers

Gratitude is the glue that keeps volunteers engaged. Recognition doesn’t need to be expensive—it needs to be genuine.

Say thank you often—and mean it – “Thanks for helping” is fine, but “Your setup work made the event run smoothly” is even better.
Spotlight contributions – Celebrate volunteers in newsletters, social media, or events.
Mark milestones – Certificates, pins, or simple recognition for service hours matter more than you think.
Build community – Volunteers who feel connected to each other stick around. A group of environmental volunteers once stayed for years not because of perks, but because post-cleanup coffee became their weekly ritual.

This approach not only prevents volunteer burnout but also supports long-term volunteer retention.

The Pitfalls of Treating Volunteers as Staff Replacements

One of the most damaging mistakes an organization can make is using volunteers as a cost-saving measure instead of as mission partners.

It undervalues skilled labor – Expecting a graphic designer to rebrand your organization for free isn’t just unfair—it risks quality. One designer described feeling “used” and left the nonprofit world entirely.
It creates resentment – Volunteers know when they’re propping up roles that should be paid.
It reduces quality – Projects stall when volunteers can’t commit to consistent timelines.
It harms reputation – Word spreads quickly if an organization is seen as exploiting goodwill. Donors and funders often pull back.
It risks legal compliance – Misclassifying unpaid roles as “volunteer” when they legally qualify as employment can bring fines or lawsuits.

Final Thoughts

Volunteer management is more than finding volunteers when you need them. Volunteers aren’t placeholders for what your organization can’t afford. They are people giving their time and talents because they believe in your mission. The healthiest model is a balance: paid staff for stability and accountability, volunteers for heart, creativity, and community connection.

When volunteers are respected, supported, and genuinely appreciated, they don’t just stay—they become your advocates, donors, and champions.

So the real question isn’t, “How much can we get from our volunteers?” but, “How can we honor the gift they are already giving?”

5 Best Practices for Volunteer Retention

If you want volunteers to keep showing up—and showing up joyfully—these five practices make all the difference:

Be Clear About Roles – Define tasks up front so no one feels misled or overburdened.
Respect Time and Boundaries – Don’t expect more than they offered; treat every hour as a gift.
Provide Training and Support – Volunteers do their best work when they feel prepared and safe.
Show Genuine Appreciation – Regular thank-yous, shout-outs, and milestone recognition go a long way.
Build Community – Foster friendships, rituals, and a sense of belonging that keeps people connected to the cause.