Skilled Volunteering

In skilled volunteering, companies provide their employees’ expertise and time to support nonprofit organizations. This can range from professionals offering legal advice to information technology support, marketing expertise, financial planning services, or other programmatic technical know-how. Skilled volunteering enables nonprofits to access specialized skills that they may not have the budget to otherwise afford. It is also a great way to build a connection with a business which could eventually lead to long-term partnership and support.

When Should Your Organization Consider This Model?

Need for Specialized Skills: Your organization requires expertise in areas of internal operation such as finance, IT, legal, or marketing or expertise in programmatic areas such as health, education, livelihood development, etc.
Project-Based Needs: You have specific projects or needs that skilled volunteers can address without requiring long-term commitments or extensive training.
Capacity to Utilize Volunteers Effectively: Your organization can plan, coordinate, and manage skilled volunteers.
Corporate Culture for Volunteering: There are companies in your community/region with established employee volunteering programs.

What Are Six Steps You Can Take to Establish This Model?

Conduct an Internal Assessment to Define Project Needs: Conduct an internal assessment to identify the needs of your organizations and specific areas in which your team lacks the expertise and/or the time to handle them. Based on this, define specific projects that skilled volunteers can work on (for example, designing a new website, conducting financial audits, or developing a strategic plan).
Approach Potential Corporate Partners: Identify companies with established employee engagement or skills-based volunteering programs. Pitch or propose your project(s) to them, discussing the skills your organization needs, and how their employees' involvement will benefit both your organization and their company.
Develop a Project and Volunteer Management Plan: Develop a plan and process to onboard volunteers to manage them over the course of their engagement with your organization.
Implement the Project: At the start of the project clearly communicate expectations, goals, and timelines to the volunteers. Provide necessary resources and support to help them complete their tasks and regularly check in with them to address any issues.
Project Close-out and Impact Reporting: At the end of the project, gather feedback from the volunteers and your team and provide an update about the completion of the project to company as well as the volunteers to highlight their work and its impact on your organization or the community.
Maintain Relationships with Past Volunteers: Continue to engage with the volunteers past engagement with your organization and keep them informed about your work through light communication touchpoints like periodic personalized emails and/or newsletters. This can help you maintain and grow the partnership with the company and/or build partnerships with newer companies that those employees might work for in the future.

Additional Resources on Skilled Volunteering

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When Should Your Organization Consider This Model?

Need for Specialized Skills: Your organization requires expertise in areas of internal operation such as finance, IT, legal, or marketing or expertise in programmatic areas such as health, education, livelihood development, etc.

Project-Based Needs: You have specific projects or needs that skilled volunteers can address without requiring long-term commitments or extensive training.

Capacity to Utilize Volunteers Effectively: Your organization can plan, coordinate, and manage skilled volunteers.

Corporate Culture for Volunteering: There are companies in your community/region with established employee volunteering programs.

What Are Six Steps You Can Take to Establish This Model?

Conduct an Internal Assessment to Define Project Needs: Conduct an internal assessment to identify the needs of your organizations and specific areas in which your team lacks the expertise and/or the time to handle them. Based on this, define specific projects that skilled volunteers can work on (for example, designing a new website, conducting financial audits, or developing a strategic plan).

Approach Potential Corporate Partners: Identify companies with established employee engagement or skills-based volunteering programs. Pitch or propose your project(s) to them, discussing the skills your organization needs, and how their employees' involvement will benefit both your organization and their company.

Develop a Project and Volunteer Management Plan: Develop a plan and process to onboard volunteers to manage them over the course of their engagement with your organization.

Implement the Project: At the start of the project clearly communicate expectations, goals, and timelines to the volunteers. Provide necessary resources and support to help them complete their tasks and regularly check in with them to address any issues.

Project Close-out and Impact Reporting: At the end of the project, gather feedback from the volunteers and your team and provide an update about the completion of the project to company as well as the volunteers to highlight their work and its impact on your organization or the community.

Maintain Relationships with Past Volunteers: Continue to engage with the volunteers past engagement with your organization and keep them informed about your work through light communication touchpoints like periodic personalized emails and/or newsletters. This can help you maintain and grow the partnership with the company and/or build partnerships with newer companies that those employees might work for in the future.

Additional Resources on Skilled Volunteering

Skills Based Volunteerism Toolkit for Organizational Development. The Toolkit includes tips, specific templates, and case studies, to guide organizations on utilizing skilled volunteers to strengthen the organization. .

The State of Corporate Volunteering, Benevity. A report from Benevity (a global donation, volunteer, and grant management platform) providing insights on corporate volunteering in different sectors and countries and success factors for strong corporate volunteer programs. .