5 Volunteer Training Tips for a Successful Fundraising Event

At nonprofit fundraising events, volunteers often serve as the face of your organization. They greet guests with a smile at check-in, often answer questions about your mission, point people toward the right table or tee box, and help keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes. In fact, volunteers may be the only representatives of your nonprofit that some attendees talk to all day.

That’s why training is such a crucial part of effective volunteer management. Well-prepared volunteers know what to expect, are more helpful to guests, and are even more likely to sign up to volunteer at future events because they feel supported.

No matter what type of fundraising event you’re hosting, you’ll want to ensure volunteers are prepared. Here are five tips to get started.

1. Teach Volunteers to Talk About Your Mission

Event volunteers are often the first people guests meet. And because some guests don’t know much about your organization, having a volunteer who can explain what you do and why it matters helps make a strong first impression and helps guests feel connected to your cause.

At a minimum, your volunteers should be able to describe your nonprofit’s mission, how the event fits into it, and what the proceeds will support. They don’t have to be experts, but should be comfortable talking about your work.

Help your volunteers get there by:

• Providing talking points. Before the event, give volunteers a few short statements about who your organization serves, the purpose of the event in the context of your mission, and what their gifts make possible.

• Including stories. A real example of how your organization helped a beneficiary or made an impact in your community adds a personal touch to conversations. Be sure that you have permission to share any beneficiary stories.

• Having volunteers practice. Offer preparation sessions where you pair volunteers up to practice explaining your mission and answering common questions. They’ll feel more ready for event-day conversations, and their responses will sound natural. 
  

2. Offer Event-Specific Training

Every fundraising event has its own unique rules, quirks, and venue, and volunteers need to know and understand the details. Walk them through the event ahead of time by showing where they’ll be stationed, explaining the schedule, and highlighting key details about the event’s format.

The right preparation depends on the type of event you’re hosting. Here are a few common formats and tips on volunteer training for each:

• Golf tournaments. Volunteers should understand the general layout of the course and clubhouse, as well as the basic rules of golf. They should have a basic understanding of the tournament format—such as a scramble, shamble, or best ball—and how to track and submit scores. They’ll be prepared to answer any questions about how the format works or how to submit scores on a live scoring app.

• Fun runs or walks. Show volunteers each part of the fun run or walk route before the event, including check-in, starting area, water stations, and finish line. They’ll be able to direct participants to where they need to go and restock supplies.

• Silent auctions. Explain exactly how bidding will work, especially if it’s an online auction, and how guests will check out. Give volunteers a point person on staff to direct tricky payment questions to so they’re not left guessing. 

3. Use a Variety of Training Formats

Not everyone learns the same way, and your volunteers are likely balancing jobs, families, and other commitments. Offering a mix of live and self-paced training makes it easier for everyone to prepare in ways and at times that work for them.

Consider the following formats:

• Online tutorials. Let volunteers complete training at home at their own pace. For example, you might use a learning management system (LMS) to offer tutorials that answer common questions from attendees or sign up for event shifts in your scheduling software.

• Quick reference materials. Create easily accessible resources that volunteers can pull up right before or even during the event for a quick refresher on key details. These might include a venue map, a short video on using your payment portal or event website, or a supplies checklist for their station. Keep these materials brief, easy to find, and easy to view on a mobile device.

• Live session. In-person meetings or video conferences let volunteers meet event organizers, ask questions, and practice greeting attendees. Live, in-person sessions work particularly well for interest sessions and full event walkthroughs with local volunteers.

4. Prepare Volunteers for the Unexpected

No matter how carefully you plan, some parts of your event will go differently than expected. Volunteers should know what to do when the unexpected happens and feel comfortable enough to ask questions and for help to get things back on track.

Here are a few ways to prepare volunteers for surprises:

• Plan for common problems. Some issues are more likely than others, so make sure volunteers are prepped to handle common event interruptions such as payment or internet glitches, frustrated attendees, and inclement weather.

• Provide a point of contact. Make sure volunteers know who to reach when something surprising happens. For instance, if you’re holding a hole-in-one contest at your golf tournament and someone makes an ace, volunteers should know whom to notify on your team to handle hole-in-one insurance and prize fulfillment.

• Establish clear communication channels. Volunteers should also know where to find real-time information during the event. Tell everyone involved which channels you’ll use to share schedule changes or emergency alerts, such as a group chat, mobile app notification, or event site updates.

5. Ask for Feedback After the Event

The best way to measure how well your training process worked is to ask volunteers: “How prepared did you feel?” Reach out soon after the event wraps, while the experience is still fresh in their minds.

Use these strategies for gathering and implementing their feedback:

• Send a survey or host a debrief session. Ask volunteers which parts of the training helped most and where there’s room to improve. Note the specific concerns that came up most often so you can include updates in your training processes.

• Update your materials right away. Once you’ve collected feedback, don’t let it sit on the shelf or in your inbox—make necessary changes to your training materials right away. Doing it now keeps you from forgetting what needs work and from rushing to make edits right before your next event kicks off.

• Tell volunteers what’s changed. Thank volunteers for their input and let them know how it has shaped your approach and changes to training. Hearing that their feedback matters makes them feel valued—and more likely to return for future events.

Prepared Volunteers Are Key to Successful Fundraising Events

Proper volunteer training makes for a better experience for everyone. Volunteers feel confident and appreciated, staff members can focus on the bigger picture rather than dealing with every detail, and attendees receive friendly, informed help from the moment they arrive at the event.

As you plan your next fundraising event, consider how you currently prepare your volunteers. Ask yourself: Do volunteers know how to talk about your mission? Are they prepared for your specific type of event and format? Do volunteers have a variety of access points for training? Are they ready to adapt to surprises? Are you asking for and implementing volunteer feedback?

Identify what’s working well and where you can offer more support. Even a few small changes, like adding a quick reference guide or offering a practice session, can help volunteers feel ready to best represent your cause.