The COVID-19 pandemic has made virtual volunteering an equal part of the volunteer landscape. While a lot of the momentum around virtual volunteering came out of necessity, the shift appears permanent. For nonprofits, virtual volunteering offers unparalleled flexibility and the ability to draw in volunteers from across the globe. There are benefits for volunteers too. Virtual volunteering reduces geographic and physical barriers to allowing people to contribute in ways that align with their lifestyle and skills.

Expanding Reach and Accessibility

For nonprofits, virtual volunteering can open doors to individuals who might otherwise be unable to participate due to location, mobility issues, or time constraints. If your nonprofit historically leveraged volunteers from your local community, virtual volunteering gives you a chance to look further, to volunteers you wouldn’t have been able to consider previously. This inclusive approach broadens your volunteer base and enriches your volunteer pool with a wide array of experiences and perspectives.

Cost-Effectiveness and Convenience

Both nonprofits and volunteers benefit from the reduced costs and increased convenience of virtual volunteering. Without the need for physical space and associated logistics, you can allocate your team more efficiently, and cost-effectively. For your volunteers, ‘no travel time’ is a big benefit for them, returning an hour or more to their day as compared to an in-person event.

Challenges and Solutions in Virtual Volunteer Management

Not everything about virtual volunteering is positive though. Managing virtual volunteers comes with its own set of challenges. Key among these are tracking volunteer hours remotely, maintaining engagement, and organizing virtual events that are both effective and engaging.

Effective Communication and Organization

Clear communication is vital. Regular updates, virtual meetings, and an accessible online platform are crucial for keeping everyone on the same page. Utilizing tools like Civic Champs’ volunteer management software can streamline communication, scheduling, and hour tracking.

Building a Virtual Community

In-person events can build a sense of community for your volunteers, and that’s harder to do with a virtual model. Here are a few suggestions for ways you can build community in your virtual volunteer community:

‍

Virtual Team Challenges: Organize activities like online puzzles, trivia contests, or scavenger hunts where volunteers work in teams to solve challenges. This promotes teamwork and a sense of fun.

‍

Skill-Sharing Sessions: Set up sessions where volunteers can teach each other something new, like a foreign language, a cooking recipe, or a digital skill. It's a great way for volunteers to share their talents and learn from each other.

‍

Online Games and Competitions: Host game nights using platforms like Jackbox Games or Kahoot!, where volunteers can play a variety of interactive games together.

‍

Themed Coffee or Tea Hangouts: Schedule regular virtual coffee (or tea) breaks where volunteers can join and discuss non-work-related topics. Each session can have a theme, like 'Travel Stories', 'Favorite Books', or 'Pet Show and Tell'.

‍

‘Meet a Volunteer’ Series: Create a space where each coffee break features a different volunteer sharing their life experiences, hobbies, or volunteering journey.

‍

Break Room Chats: Simulate a physical break room environment in a virtual space where volunteers can drop in and chat casually. This could be a recurring Zoom room open at a set time each week.

‍

Virtual Volunteer Awards Ceremony: Host an online event to celebrate and recognize the contributions of volunteers. Awards can be for various categories like ‘Most Hours Volunteered’, ‘Best Team Player’, etc.

‍

Year In Review Videos: The format Spotify made famous can be adapted for your nonprofit community. Compiling and sending out a photo collage from various events can be a great way to remind your volunteers of the impact they’ve had over the year, and strengthen their connection to your cause.

Administrative and Creative Roles for Virtual Volunteers

If you close your eyes and think of a volunteer event, you probably picture something that takes place in-person. However, the scope of virtual volunteering is surprisingly large, covering both administrative and creative domains. From data management to digital content creation, the opportunities for virtual volunteers to contribute are limitless. Let’s look at some of the options.

Enhancing Digital Presence

Volunteers can play a significant role in enhancing a nonprofit's digital presence. This can include managing social media accounts, creating engaging content for websites and blogs, and even developing digital marketing strategies. Here are a few examples, including the skills you’ll want to look for in your virtual volunteers:

‍

Social Media Management

Given billions of people use social media regularly, changes are good some of your volunteers could have more experience with it than your staff! Volunteers can help with creating and scheduling posts, engaging with followers, running social media campaigns, and analyzing engagement metrics. You’ll want to provide them strong guidance on your brand, however, to ensure their posts are consistent with your nonprofit’s voice. Look for volunteers with experience using social media platforms as well as graphic design skills (experience with Canva is a good sign), strong writing skills or ChatGPT prompting skills, and a knack for engaging storytelling.

‍

Content Creation for Websites, Blogs, and Reports

Volunteers can help with online content like website updates and blog posts, as well as more traditional content like annual reports and newsletters. Look for volunteers with excellent writing and editing skills, understanding of SEO principles, graphic design abilities (again), and familiarity with content management systems like WordPress or Webflow.

‍

Video Production

Used effectively, video can be a powerful tool for getting your message out and for recruiting younger volunteers. Volunteers with the right skills can help by creating promotional or educational videos, editing footage, adding captions and graphics, and managing YouTube or other video platforms. Look for volunteers with video editing skills, scriptwriting or storyboarding experience, proficiency in video editing software, and an eye for visual storytelling.

Streamlining Operations

Administrative tasks like data entry, scheduling, and email management are perfectly suited for virtual volunteers:

• Data Entry: Data accuracy is crucial for donor recordkeeping and outreach, to ensure you’ve got the right contact information and you’re not asking for donations too often, or not often enough. Having an extra set of eyes to make sure your data is up-to-date can be a lifesaver.
• Scheduling and Calendar Management: Your volunteers can use tools like Civic Champs to coordinate event schedules, manage volunteer shift timings, and send reminders, keeping the nonprofit's calendar organized and efficient.
• Email Management: Your volunteers can handle the organization's general inbox, sorting emails, responding to inquiries, and directing specific queries to appropriate staff. 

Having volunteers with the ability to cover these necessary operations can free up valuable time for your staff to focus on strategic initiatives.

Innovative Virtual Volunteering Activities

The digital realm is ripe for innovative volunteering activities. Virtual town halls, online webinars, and virtual book clubs not only engage volunteers but also provide valuable services and learning opportunities.

Creative Fundraising and Awareness Campaigns

With the right training and experience, virtual volunteers can play a major role in your online fundraising events and awareness campaigns. Especially for focus events like Giving Tuesday and fundraising drives where you might need a significant amount of volunteers to keep things running smoothly, virtual volunteers can give you a lot of flexibility. Virtual volunteers can take short shifts to help with spikes in your workload, and you can often call them up on short notice if needed since travel isn’t part of the equation. 

Educational Workshops and Webinars

Hosting online workshops and webinars on topics related to your nonprofit's mission can be both engaging and informative. Volunteers can lead these sessions, sharing their expertise and passion.

Engaging and Training Virtual Volunteers

You’ll need a structured approach to keep virtual volunteers engaged and well-trained.. This includes regular training sessions, interactive workshops, and a platform for continuous learning and development.

Creating Engaging Training Programs

Developing comprehensive training programs that are both informative and engaging is crucial. This could involve interactive modules, video tutorials, and regular Q&A sessions.

💡For more on this topic, check out our comprehensive guide to volunteer training 

Recognition and Feedback

Recognizing the contributions of virtual volunteers is as important as their training. Regular feedback sessions, virtual appreciation events, and public acknowledgment of their work can boost morale and engagement.

💡Learn more in our article on volunteer retention

Future of Virtual Volunteering

Virtual volunteering is both here to stay and expected to grow, particularly with the rise of hybrid models that combine online and in-person participation.

Online Meetings are Commonplace

Once a necessity driven by the pandemic, online meetings through Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and similar platforms are now routine. As an increasing number of people use these tools in their work lives, they’ll have no problem leveraging them for volunteer roles, too. 

Hybrid Volunteering Models

Hybrid models that blend physical and virtual volunteering will likely become the norm. These models offer the best of both worlds, catering to a wider range of preferences and availability. You’ll want to be careful though, because it can be easy to unintentionally give more emphasis to your in-person volunteers as compared to the remote ones. 

Lots of event types, from fundraisers to disaster response to advocacy, lend themselves to hybrid events like these. But even for events that require a lot of in-person work, like building homes through Habitat for Humanity or at an animal welfare facility, you can still use a hybrid model. You can set up any coordination meetings or advance training as a virtual meeting, and hold your event in-person as you would normally. This way your volunteers get the convenience of virtual events for activities that are well-suited to being held online, saving their in-person time for your event that needs it.

Conclusion

Virtual volunteering is here to stay. Nonprofits that effectively leverage it will find themselves with a flexible and engaged volunteer workforce. If you’re not already taking advantage of this shift in volunteering, now’s a good time to put the things you’ve learned in this article into practice with your own nonprofit.