If you’re like me, you’ll find that many people struggle with how to volunteer. There are many opportunities to serve lots of different organizations, so it can seem daunting for someone who wants to “get involved.” Depending on the type of organization you volunteer with, I’ve found at least one way to work through […]
This post is adapted from Catchafire’s blog. Catchafire is an online service that connects professionals to projects that benefit the social good sector. Catchafire matches individuals based on their time availability, skills, and passion to contribute pro bono services to microvolunteering opportunities. Nonprofits rely on two things: donors and volunteers. But what about the people […]
So I’ve gotten this little morning routine going lately where I start my day by hopping into the blogosphere and checking out all the happenings around such themes as ’non-profits’ ’social entrepreneurship’ and ‘volunteerism’. It has been a great way to get myself plugged in with some pretty awesome convos, but it has also exposed […]
On Tuesday, I challenged the idea that ice bucketing could really make a difference in the world. Today, I want to keep that convo going, and explain why I’d take 100 dedicated volunteers over 10,000 slacktivists any day of the week. Once we’ve chatted about that, I want to get practical and shoot you some […]
Unless you’ve been in a cave these past few weeks, chances are you’ve heard something about the ‘ice bucket challenge’. It goesa little something like this: your friends give you a 24 hour ultimatum = either you donate $100 to the ALS Association or you dump a bucket of cold water all over yourself. The […]
Monday’s post shared several stories of non-profits who, in response to chaotic funding streams, decided to bring in a portion of their funding via revenue generating activities. But is this for everyone? I’d be willing to bet that many of you, as you were reading those stories, thought something like ‘well, that’s all well and […]
It’s no secret that these past few years have been rough ones for non and for-profits alike. The recession pushed businesses to the breaking point – which in turn caused them to reign in charitable giving, forcing many non-profits to close their doors. At the same time, national and local governments responded to shrinking tax […]
How often has this happened to you – you interview a prospective volunteer, love their background, love what they offer, and love what they could bring to your movement, but you never hear from them beyond the initial interview? If this has happened to you (and I’m sure it has 🙂 I have a tool that you […]
So you’re leading an organization whose lifeblood is volunteers – but how do you go about recruiting and retaining individuals who are just as sold out on your mission as you? The truth is – those of us in cause based work have a tremendous advantage: our work has purpose, and most people don’t feel […]
Think of the time you spend on electronics during a single day: The cell phone for breaks at work, the laptop for news at home, the tablet for games with the kids. Now think of how much the 30-and-under generation utilizes these tools. Yeah, it’s a lot more. And while too much technology can be […]