Great Volunteer Training (& Even Better Management): A Guide

Every Sunday, I volunteer at a local animal shelter. I especially like working with shy, scared, and older cats. My “job” (as I see it) is to help socialize them so they’re more likely to get adopted.

A few weeks ago, I noticed a new bulletin board in the hallway. It was full of notes between coworkers about how much they value their team members. And then I saw my name. A staff member wrote that they valued how I always make time for the shy and scared cats. I was so surprised that I took a photo to prove the note was real!

Volunteer management—which includes training, engagement, and recognition—is essential for mission-driven organizations, and for volunteers themselves. That small gesture of appreciation deepened my relationship with the shelter and made me more committed to doing a great job, which in turn makes staff members’ jobs easier. 

Volunteer training and management can be complicated. In a lot of ways, it’s the same as training and managing employees. However, there are simple, straightforward tactics you can use to make a big impact. In this guide, we’ll focus on how training for engagement leads to growth for your volunteers and your organization!

Key Takeaways

• Well-trained volunteers stay longer. Volunteer training is one of the best ways your organization can positively impact retention rates. Volunteers who understand their role, feel prepared, and know where to turn for questions are more likely to continue serving with your nonprofit than those left to figure things out on their own.
• Volunteer time has significant financial value. Independent Sector now estimates that the value of volunteer work is $36.14 per hour.
• Keeping your volunteers engaged comes down to three habits: communication, feedback, and recognition. Training members of your organization who train and manage volunteers can help you build engagement into your volunteer program from the start.
• Focused asynchronous training modules often work best for volunteers, since they can return to them in your nonprofit learning management system (LMS) as questions arise.

Why Effective Volunteer Training and Management Matters

Keep Your Organization Running

Eric Burger of Volunteer Hub defines volunteer management as “the process of overseeing a volunteer program and its members.” Managing volunteers starts with recruiting, but it doesn’t end there. From onboarding to retention, the more you interact with your volunteers, the more likely they are to stay with your organization. And it’s likely your organization needs them.

The National Council of Nonprofits says that, without volunteers, “many charitable nonprofits would not be able to conduct programs, raise funds, or serve clients.” These essential roles help keep mission-driven organizations running, and while volunteers “don’t expect to be compensated for their services … they do expect to be treated with respect, trained (as needed), supervised, and provided with feedback and rewarding experiences.” 

Save (and Make) Your Organization Money 

Supervising volunteers also makes financial sense. Volunteers aren’t paid, but their time is worth money. Independent Sector, in collaboration with the University of Maryland’s Do Good Institute, analyzed information from the Current Employment Statistics database to estimate an average value of $36.14 per volunteer hour in 2025, up 3.9% from the previous year. With value comparable to that of some full-time employees’ pay, volunteer time is a premium resource for many mission-driven organizations with limited capacity to hire staff.

Volunteers help your organization not only save money, but also make money. Dedicated volunteers may be some of your most consistent, if not biggest, donors. The National Council of Nonprofits encourages organizations to realize that “volunteers are among the most loyal donors, so don't overlook them as prospects for gifts or bequests.” 

Even if your volunteers don’t donate, they can act as ambassadors for your nonprofit. Your volunteers talk about your organization with their friends and family, all of whom are potential donors. Creating a positive and meaningful experience for volunteers affects the conversations they have with their networks.

Keep Volunteers Committed

Because volunteers aren’t relying on you for a paycheck, they don’t have to stay at your organization. Effective management and engagement, as the Nonprofit Learning Lab notes, entice them to stay and grow with you. With less turnover, you’ll see benefits like: increased morale, retention of institutional knowledge, saving costs on new volunteer recruitment and training, and decrease burnout.

Building Blocks for Engagement

Mission-driven organizations are busy and often understaffed. It’s easy for volunteers to fall through the cracks. Paradoxically, being understaffed makes it more important to manage volunteers. 

If managing volunteers seems overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be. In fact, volunteers are self-motivated. Remember, they took the initiative and chose your organization. So if managing them seems like a heavy lift, start by thinking about engaging them instead. 

Here are three core building blocks for engagement:

1. Communication

Volunteers want to know what’s going on with your organization, just like staff do. Burger is clear: “Effective communication is arguably the most important aspect of a successful volunteer management strategy.” Communicating with volunteers in clear, consistent, and cohesive ways will help them feel like part of the organization and keep them informed about what they need to know, such as schedule changes or events. 

Communicate the following information to improve your volunteers’ experience with your organization: 

• Policies. The International Forum for Volunteering in Development states that sharing policies is “a way for your organization to clearly communicate expectations, obligations, and protections.” Sharing policies also “helps to create a sense of unity and shared purpose between volunteers and the wider organisation, which can enhance impact [and establishes] a strong organisational culture.” 
• Role descriptions. Okay, so my shelter work isn’t a “job”. But I do think of it that way, and you should, too. The Charity Commission notes that, while you can’t require volunteers to work specific hours or compensate them for their time, “a written role description for your volunteers can help make it clear what the boundaries and expectations are.” Volunteering can be intimidating, especially for new volunteers. A role description provides important structure and direction. 
• General information. Do your volunteers know about office closures? Are they invited to upcoming events? Do they automatically get your newsletter? The International Forum for Volunteering in Development advises you to “keep your volunteers up to date on the overall successes and challenges of the organization as a whole – keep them on a mailing list of announcements and public engagement initiatives and invite them to follow your social media channels!”

2. Feedback

I once heard someone say, “Clear, actionable feedback is my love language.” So show your volunteers you love them! Make giving feedback a consistent part of communication. Once a month or so, let them know how they’re doing. Share something you noticed, let them know how their work is going, and help them make improvements. 

Ask volunteers for their feedback, too. What’s working for them? What isn’t? They’re going to see things about your organization that you and your staff don’t. Find out what those things are so you can learn more and build your relationship with them.

3. Rewards, Recognition, and Increased Responsibility

Everyone wants to know they’re doing a good job. “Recognizing and rewarding volunteers' contributions is essential to keep them engaged and motivated,” according to Marie Gould, and “acknowledgment can take various forms, from personal thank-you notes to public recognitions.” For me, the little card on the bulletin board was perfect. Others may want their photo on the wall, their bio in the newsletter, or an award at an annual gala. 

Don’t forget to challenge your volunteers the same way you would your staff. If you have an excellent volunteer who wants to do more, reward that energy! Volunteer Hub recommends creating “a roadmap for how volunteers can scale their involvement with your organization. Identify project coordination and leadership roles that volunteers can fulfill, and be specific about the requirements to achieve these positions. Advancement gives volunteers a goal to strive toward and increases their chances of remaining with your organization.”

Volunteer Training for Growth

One way to engage volunteers is to train them. That may sound strange, but volunteers want to learn and grow. However, they may not know how to unless you show them. 

Burger notes that “volunteers should be able to perform their roles to the best of their ability. It is challenging to do so without proper guidance and support. Your organization can use training as another opportunity to build relationships, communicate mission, and thank volunteers for providing their time.”

It’s simple: “If your nonprofit wants to retain supporters, invest in a training process that sets them up for success.” Here are some key areas where you can use training to support volunteer growth. (Bonus tip: When this kind of training is online and asynchronous, volunteers can quickly return to it when they have a question, saving everyone time!)

Teach volunteers about your organization. 

Volunteers come to you, so it’s easy to assume they know everything about your organization—but they probably don’t. Taking time to fill them in on the details of your organization helps them see themselves as part of a team. Share the obvious things, like your mission, vision, and who you serve. But also let them know why you do what you do so that they can connect the organization to the bigger picture.

While training volunteers, don’t forget the little details! Give them the same kind of orientation you’d give staff. Let them know how to do things like sign in and out of their shifts, record their hours, and contact someone when they can’t make it. You’ll arm them with knowledge to do a good job, and also free up your time by preemptively answering questions for them. 

Train them for their job. 

Let the nature of your volunteers’ work guide the way you train them. What are they doing? How should they do it? Do volunteers answer the phone or emails? Train them to send professional emails or make phone calls. Do they work around hazardous materials? Make sure they know how to protect themselves. Do they work with kids? Train them to keep kids safe.

Short training videos, job aids, or checklists can all help volunteers feel prepared to tackle their work. Putting together training modules so that all volunteers receive the same training content and complete training in the same amount of time reduces misalignment down the line.

Volunteer training doesn’t have to be long or involved—in fact, keeping it short and focused is often best. Adult learners prefer content that is directly relevant to their work and links what they’re doing with why it makes a difference. 

Train them for leadership opportunities.

Your volunteers are talented, and engaging with them will help you recognize skills and talents that might otherwise go overlooked. Maybe someone has graphic design skills, fundraising experience, or expertise in strategic planning. Maybe someone has time and energy that their current volunteer role isn’t using to its fullest.

Burger says that “the most successful volunteer programs are consistently considering new ways to engage volunteers now and in the future.” One way to do this, according to Gould, is to “provide a training program for volunteers to develop their skills.” The Nonprofit Learning Lab recommends skill-building in leadership, communication, or program management, as well as workshops, mentoring, or shadowing opportunities for volunteers.

Especially skilled and dedicated volunteers can also help you lead training! The Nonprofit Learning Lab notes that you can provide “mentorship opportunities where experienced volunteers train newcomers” and give “leadership volunteers a voice in program decisions to deepen their investment.” You can also give volunteers a role in creating online volunteer training, passing on what they know to incoming volunteers!

Train them on specialized skills. 

Depending on the size of your organization, you may have volunteers who do mission-critical work. They could be deeply involved with communication, marketing, data entry, scheduling, project management, grant writing, or other highly specific tasks. Making sure they know how to complete these tasks for your organization is essential. 

Train them on transferable skills. 

The International Forum for Volunteering in Development says that “to encourage a learning culture, [you should] provide ongoing training on relevant topics and empower volunteers to apply the skills and knowledge received.” And Burger notes that “volunteering involves a lot of skills that are relevant to professional development and personal interests, such as communication, leadership, and specific competencies like language and software proficiencies. Help volunteers upskill by assigning them to relevant tasks and offering professional development workshops.”

Some of your volunteers will have these skills, but some won’t. Training volunteers for transferable skills like customer service, budgeting, cybersecurity, and conflict resolution can be especially useful for young volunteers who haven’t yet had workplace experience. Think of volunteer training as a way to build better volunteers, for your organization and others. 

Train yourself (and other managers). 

Don’t limit training to volunteers! Working with people is dynamic, and staying up to date and responsive is key to managing volunteers well. If you’re new to training and managing volunteers, spend some time training yourself. A train-the-trainer program can help you get used to delivering instruction to others and help you build a more efficient and inspiring onboarding experience for your volunteers. 

Maintaining your skills can help you build resilience and adaptability, enhance teamwork, and create a culture of wellbeing for everyone. You’ll improve communication to reduce the chances of having a toxic work environment. Ultimately, everyone will be happier and healthier, and your organization will function better. 

Start Training and Engaging Volunteers Today

According to Forbes, when you “engage volunteers with the mindset of ensuring that they gain as much from the experience as they give. . . they can make real contributions [that] make them feel valued and part of your success.” Build this approach to engagement into your volunteer program from the start by treating your onboarding as a way to give volunteers the foundation they need to grow into their roles, rather than framing it as a formality to get through.

Volunteer training matters for retention, too. As Burger notes, it “plays a key role in the engagement part of the volunteer lifecycle, and comprehensive training directly correlates to improved results in the retention stage. Volunteers who receive high-quality training are 83% less likely to stop working with your organization.”

If you’re ready to improve your volunteer management, training is a great place to start. It doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming to be effective. Whether you need to run more effective meetings, give better presentations, or create schedules and goals for volunteers, we have you covered. With Niche Academy, you’ll not only have access to our Market of tutorials for staff and volunteers, but you’ll also find dedicated tutorial series for managers so you can build your skills and lead more effectively.

Sign up for our free training newsletter, Niche Notes, for actionable steps and insider tips on making training work for your team at no extra cost to your organization.

References

15 Proven Strategies To Build A Loyal Volunteer Base. (March 28, 2024). Forbes. 

Burger, E. (October 7, 2024). The Ultimate Guide to Volunteer Management. VolunteerHub.

Gould, M. (2021). Directing and Managing Volunteers. EBSCO.

Managing Volunteers: Preparation, Training, and Leadership. (2023). International Forum for Volunteering in Development.

The Charity Commission. How to manage your charity's volunteers. (May 23, 2013). Gov.uk.

The Ultimate Guide to Volunteer Management: Recruitment, Training, Retention, Appreciation, and Building a Leadership Pipeline. Nonprofit Learning Lab. 

Value of Volunteer Time. (April 21, 2026). Independent Sector.

Volunteers. National Council of Nonprofits.