The Value of Volunteerism in 3 Metrics

Most of us understand that “doing good” feels good. Whether we’re helping our fellow colleagues or giving back to our professions and industries, we know that dedicating time to something bigger than ourselves has inherent value.

The value of volunteering goes far beyond good feelings, though. Volunteerism can actually make a measurable, positive impact on your organization and mission. A recent study by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) showed that around 30% of members of associations of all types and sizes currently volunteer or have volunteered in the past, making up a significant portion of the workforce helping to drive association goals and objectives.

As an organizational leader in charge of leveraging and managing volunteer talent, quantifying the payoff of volunteerism to stakeholders is important — not only to secure the resources you need to keep delivering on your mission but also to properly recognize and reward those who have made extraordinary contributions.

On the eve of Martin Luther King Day, it’s as good a time as any to reflect on how volunteerism specifically impacts your organization. Here’s a look at three success metrics our association customers use and how to measure them within your own volunteer program — so you can define the larger organizational advantages of service alongside the personal, feel-good benefits.

1. Productivity increase

No matter the size or focus of an organization, increasing productivity is almost always a goal. Everyone — staff and volunteers included — is challenged with putting more effort into meeting core strategic objectives while doing so with fewer resources and less time. 

To measure the productivity gains that come from effective volunteer management: 

• First, identify your baseline by determining: 

  • How many people directly or indirectly engage in volunteer management in your organization? 

  • How many hours in total — per week or month — are dedicated to the effort?

  • What is the average cost per labor hour of staff time?

• Then calculate the effect of innovation by determining: 

  • Where has innovation allowed you to improve productivity and spend less time and cost in volunteer management? 

  • Consider all the functions that touch membership and volunteer engagement, including certification, education, advocacy, governance, chapter relations, and any others. 

As you figure these out, be sure to calculate in real dollars. The difference you get between your baseline and the effects of innovation reflects the productivity gain(s) you’ve achieved. 

2. Membership retention

One of the truisms in marketing is that it costs more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one. The same can be said for acquiring vs. retaining professional members who volunteer for an organization. 

Successful volunteer management centers around intention: thoughtfully engaging member volunteers and giving them assignments that align with their expertise, skills, and interests. Intentionality helps increase volunteer satisfaction and, by extension, membership retention. 

To measure volunteer management success in terms of retention, calculate the following:

• What is your historical retention rate for a particular time period, such as year-over-year?

• What is your targeted retention rate, and does it reflect some improvement on the past?

• What is a member “worth” to the organization in terms of membership dues, conference and event attendance, product purchases, and more?

• What is the average tenure of your retained members?

With actual numbers behind these data points, you can start to uncover the value of any incremental gains you see in membership retention. 

It’s important to note that membership retention isn’t the result of any one factor in your organization, but of many. However, assigning a value to the impact of your volunteer program, as just one component of retention, is a valid means of understanding the whole picture. 

3. Membership growth

Word of mouth is one of the best, most cost-effective ways to grow your membership. When members are happy and engaged, they advocate for and champion your organization within their professional networks. Ensuring your volunteers have a positive experience can further inspire them to spread the word.

To measure the impact of a positive volunteer experience on membership growth:

• Take the average value of membership you defined above and multiply that by the number of new members attained as the result of word of mouth or peer references for the time period.

• If possible, survey your members to understand the reason(s) why they got involved or reactivated their membership. The insight you get from a survey is well worth the time and money involved.

Associations are reporting rising membership after the tough years of the pandemic, so showing how membership growth in your organization is specifically impacted by your volunteer program can help you improve upon and strengthen your volunteer management strategies.

How does your organization measure success?

These are just a few ways our association customers calculate and communicate the value of their volunteer program to stakeholders, including the board and other organizational leaders.

But what about you? How does your organization measure volunteer success and does it differ from or expand on the above? We’d love to hear your input. 

Comment below and share your thoughts or you can email us here.