{"id":1238,"date":"2024-03-27T13:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-27T17:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/appnet-dev.com\/resultsathand\/ways-to-thank-event-volunteers\/"},"modified":"2025-02-07T11:22:25","modified_gmt":"2025-02-07T16:22:25","slug":"ways-to-thank-event-volunteers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/appnet-dev.com\/resultsathand\/ways-to-thank-event-volunteers\/","title":{"rendered":"After the Event: 5 Ways to Thank Volunteers Effectively"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Want to retain event volunteers for the long term? Use these strategies to show appreciation and encourage volunteers to stay engaged with your nonprofit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Volunteers provide significant support to the charitable organizations and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/appnet-dev.com\/resultsathand\/blog\/welcome-association-members\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">associations<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> they work with. The impact of their support is undeniable:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The current value of a volunteer hour is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/independentsector.org\/resource\/value-of-volunteer-time\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$31.80<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.philanthropyroundtable.org\/almanac\/statistics-on-u-s-generosity\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One-third of the charitable workforce<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the U.S. is volunteers.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bloomerang.co\/blog\/volunteer-statistics\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">85% of volunteers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> also donate to the organizations they work with.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you can see, volunteers quite literally keep the nonprofit sector in motion. The same is true for your organization\u2019s events\u2014volunteers help manage everything from set up and check-ins to event breakdown and post-event follow-up.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To retain their support for the long term, your organization needs a clear appreciation strategy to show your gratitude to your loyal supporters. Let\u2019s explore five tips for thanking volunteers effectively after events.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Offer something unexpected.<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Go above and beyond the typical thank you letter by planning unique appreciation efforts. Surprising volunteers with an unexpected, personalized gesture will make your organization more memorable and can inspire them to get involved in your next event.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Delight volunteers with appreciation gestures such as:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Gifts.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This could include gift cards, free branded merchandise, or a gift related to your mission. For example, if your nonprofit hosted an environmental awareness gala, you could give volunteers a potted plant to show gratitude.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>A phone call. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most volunteers will expect to see a thank-you email, but a phone call provides an opportunity to connect with volunteers.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>An appreciation video. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create a video of your staff thanking event volunteers for their tireless support during your event. Send the video directly to volunteers via email to increase the chances that everyone will see your message.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>A note from a beneficiary.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Hearing directly from the people who benefited from your event can be incredibly powerful for showing appreciation to volunteers and boosting retention. Ask if beneficiaries would be willing to write a few thank you notes to share what volunteer support means to them.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use data from your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/kindful.com\/nonprofit-glossary\/volunteer-management-software-for-nonprofits\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">volunteer management platform<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to personalize these appreciation moments. For example, create personalized videos that thank volunteers by name or for a specific way they exceeded expectations at your event. This helps your appreciation efforts stand out even more and ensures volunteers feel valued as individuals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Show volunteers the impact of their support.<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bwf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/BWF_DonorExperienceWhitePaper.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Research shows<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that a key reason for donor lapse is when donors don\u2019t receive information about how the organization used their gifts. Similarly, you could lose volunteer support over time if you don\u2019t provide updates on how volunteer work positively impacts your organization.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Following up with volunteers to demonstrate their impact provides a greater sense of fulfillment. When volunteers see the difference they made in helping your event succeed, they\u2019ll feel much more motivated to stay involved with your organization.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Highlight volunteers\u2019 impact by sharing:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Before and after photos.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Let\u2019s say you hosted a volunteer event to clean up a local park that suffered hurricane damage. Take photos before and after the event to showcase volunteers\u2019 tireless efforts to make the park back a safe community space.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Data about what volunteers accomplished. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Share a chart or graph depicting volunteers\u2019 contributions using hard data. For example, perhaps you planned an auction event to raise money for your association. Create a chart showing how many more event participants you were able to recruit with volunteers\u2019 help compared to the number of participants you had in a previous year when volunteers weren\u2019t involved.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>A map showing the scope of volunteer work.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> If your event had a geographic component, create a map showing all the areas where volunteers were able to make a positive contribution. A map is especially useful if your event is virtual. You can depict how many people tuned in worldwide or how many volunteers you had from various cities or countries.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Telling volunteers that you appreciate their hard work and that they made a significant impact will only get you so far. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Showing <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">volunteers exactly what their support means to you will make a more powerful impression and inspire them to continue volunteering.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Bonus tip:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> If your organization uses membership software to keep track of volunteer work, invite volunteers to join and create a profile in your network. According to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bloomerang.co\/blog\/membership-software-for-nonprofits\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bloomerang\u2019s membership software guide<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you can use these tools to make event registration simple and convenient. Once they create their profiles, volunteers can easily view their volunteer hours and cumulative impact over time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Ask for volunteer feedback.<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Requesting feedback from volunteers can help you improve the event experience before your next one. It also shows volunteers that you\u2019re willing to listen to their input and adjust your strategies to appeal to their interests.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bloomerang.co\/blog\/volunteer-surveys-tips-and-best-questions-to-ask\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create a volunteer survey with questions<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> like:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What inspired you to volunteer at our event?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Was there sufficient communication before the event?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Did you feel comfortable with the amount of training you received before the event?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What were your favorite and least favorite parts of volunteering at the event?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Was it easy to get in touch with a staff member during the event if you had questions?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Would you volunteer at one of our events again?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve received responses from volunteers, identify common trends in their feedback and make a plan to incorporate their suggestions. For example, if many volunteers expressed that your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/appnet-dev.com\/resultsathand\/blog\/6-must-have-features-for-an-effective-event-web-page\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">event web page<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> didn\u2019t have enough logistical information, you could update the page ahead of future events to add crucial details like the event\u2019s date, time, location, and parking information.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/appnet-dev.com\/resultsathand\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/invitation-.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-9415 \" src=\"https:\/\/appnet-dev.com\/resultsathand\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/invitation-300x150-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"287\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h5><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. Invite volunteers to a special gratitude event.<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A special event can be an effective opportunity to gather all volunteers in one place to express your gratitude for their involvement. Consider hosting events such as:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>A social event<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, like trivia or bowling (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sterlingvolunteers.com\/blog\/2019\/05\/why-volunteers-give-their-time-a-deep-dive\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">over 35% of volunteers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> say one of the main reasons they get involved is to socialize, making this an especially effective gratitude strategy).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>A <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/appnet-dev.com\/resultsathand\/blog\/promoting-conference-networking\/\"><b>networking event<\/b><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">where volunteers can get to know each other and make both personal and professional connections.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>A casual brunch or coffee hour<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with opportunities to speak with your staff and leaders.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Depending on volunteer preferences or volunteers\u2019 geographic locations, you could hold events virtually or in person. Make these events more engaging with tasty food and drinks, trivia, live entertainment, or a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bloomerang.co\/blog\/raffle-ideas\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">raffle<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5. Spotlight volunteers using multiple platforms.<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Public recognition of volunteers is just as important as privately thanking them for their hard work. It shows current and potential new volunteers how committed you are to showing appreciation for your supporters.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Broadcast your gratitude for event volunteers using the following platforms:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Your organization\u2019s blog. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Write a blog post recapping the ways that volunteers supported your event. Include an image gallery or slideshow from the event showing volunteers engaging in different activities.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Social media.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Tag volunteers in posts with photos so they can see themselves and share your posts with their family and friends.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Email newsletters.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Send an email blast to all supporters to thank volunteers for their support and share statistics that spotlight volunteer accomplishments.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Volunteer recognition wall.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Create a virtual or in-person volunteer recognition wall that lists all volunteers\u2019 names. The virtual wall can be a page on your website, and the in-person wall can be a physical structure at your organization\u2019s headquarters.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By widely sharing your gratitude for volunteers, you demonstrate the importance of these supporters to your event\u2019s success. You can also catch the attention of potential new volunteers who may see the impact they can have on your worthy cause and want to get involved.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With these appreciation strategies, your organization can more easily retain volunteers and recruit new supporters who want to become a part of your welcoming community. Keep your gratitude efforts focused on volunteers\u2019 interests and preferences, and you\u2019ll be well on your way toward creating an appreciation approach that fosters long-term relationships.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Guest Author:<em> Jay Love, <a href=\"https:\/\/bloomerang.co\/\">Bloomerang\u00a0<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Want to retain event volunteers for the long term? Use these strategies to show appreciation and encourage volunteers to stay engaged with your nonprofit. Volunteers provide significant support to the charitable organizations and associations they work with. The impact of their support is undeniable:\u00a0 The current value of a volunteer hour is $31.80.\u00a0 One-third of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1241,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[14,15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1238","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-associations","category-events"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/appnet-dev.com\/resultsathand\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/appnet-dev.com\/resultsathand\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/appnet-dev.com\/resultsathand\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/appnet-dev.com\/resultsathand\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/appnet-dev.com\/resultsathand\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1238"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/appnet-dev.com\/resultsathand\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1238\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1240,"href":"https:\/\/appnet-dev.com\/resultsathand\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1238\/revisions\/1240"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/appnet-dev.com\/resultsathand\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1241"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/appnet-dev.com\/resultsathand\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/appnet-dev.com\/resultsathand\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/appnet-dev.com\/resultsathand\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}