Do you know what your potential volunteers are looking for?

1. "It's important to help others"
2. "I'd like to do something for the profession/cause that's important to me"
3. "I feel compassion for others"
4. "I wish to gain new perspectives"
5. "I want to explore my own strengths"

Do you know what might be in their way? Do these ring a bell?

1. Lack of information about opportunities to volunteer    
2. Conflict with other volunteering activity
3. Never asked to volunteer
4. Lack of information about virtual volunteering
5. Lack of information about short-term assignments

If you're not providing the opportunities your volunteers desire, and if you're not connecting with them about options to engage, then it's likely that volunteer management will remain a struggle for your leadership team.   

Excerpted and adapted from The Mission Driven Volunteer--a great study on what's needed to energize volunteerism in your association!