Most people who volunteer were asked by someone. Online, your website and a few free platforms do the asking for you.
Write roles, not requests
“We need volunteers” gets ignored. A clear role gets answers: what they will do, when, where, for how long, and who it helps. For example: “Saturday food box packer, 9 to 11 am, Elkhart. No experience needed.”
Put a Volunteer page on your website
- List current roles with dates and time commitment.
- Add a short sign-up form: name, email, phone, availability.
- Link it from your main menu and your home page.
Post where volunteers look
Free options include Idealist and LinkedIn for Nonprofits (both in our Toolkit), your local volunteer center, community Facebook groups and your own email list. List your nonprofit on Nonprofitz with a volunteer link so people searching by cause and place can find you.
Answer fast
Reply to every sign-up within a day, with a date for their first shift. Interest fades quickly; a quick, specific reply is the biggest difference between a sign-up and a volunteer who shows up.
Bring them back
Thank people by name after each shift, tell them what their work made possible, and invite them to the next one before they leave.
See how your site does: run the free Website Checkup. It takes about ten seconds.