Volunteers are essential to pulling off a successful fundraising gala. From checking in guests to managing all the little details behind the scenes, volunteers help bring these events to life and keep them running smoothly.  

But let’s be real—recruiting volunteers every year can be a grind. It’s time-consuming and takes away from other areas of your fundraising efforts. That’s why it’s key to engage your volunteers now and make sure they have a meaningful experience. When you do that, they’re much more likely to come back year after year, which means less time spent finding new volunteers every time you host an event.

Let’s explore five strategies you can use to strengthen relationships, improve retention, and motivate volunteers to return for next year’s gala.

1. Make Their Roles Meaningful

It all starts with giving volunteers a sense of purpose and making them feel valued from the beginning. Volunteers don’t just want to stand around; they want to do useful tasks and see firsthand how they’re making a meaningful difference to your cause. When volunteers feel their generosity is truly impactful and appreciated, they’re more likely to be satisfied with their involvement.

The key to giving volunteers a sense of value is assigning purposeful tasks and showing how their tasks contribute to the bigger picture. Create more meaningful roles when planning your next event with these tips:

• Write clear role descriptions: Outline responsibilities and share how each role contributes to the overall success of the gala. Engaging descriptions also make it easier to recruit volunteers by showing them the potential results of their involvement.
• Align skills with volunteer assignments: Ask about volunteers’ backgrounds or preferences to assign roles accordingly to boost effectiveness.
• Include volunteers in planning meetings: Provide them with a deeper understanding of your fundraising strategy to help them feel more connected to your nonprofit.
• Provide training and support: Make sure volunteers feel confident and prepared going into the event. A smooth, organized experience increases the likelihood of their return.
• Recognize previous volunteers: Encourage your seasoned volunteers to take on leadership roles or train others. It’s a great way to build long-term engagement.

Pro Tip: Don’t forget to mention corporate volunteer grants to your gala staff! Volunteers can multiply their impact by getting their employers to match their hours with a donation to your cause. This way, they can easily contribute both time and money, leading to more impact.

2. Establish a Welcoming Environment

Imagine walking into a party, ready to have a great time, and suddenly the music stops. The room goes silent. All eyes are on you. Awkward, right?

Now, picture this: you walk into your gala, and from the moment you step in, it feels like you’re part of the team. Everyone greets you with a smile, the atmosphere is relaxed, and you know exactly where you’re needed. That’s the kind of welcoming environment that keeps volunteers coming back for more.

Here’s how to create that warm, inviting atmosphere right from the start:

• Encourage all levels of participation: Use friendly, welcoming language to create a fundraiser where every volunteer, no matter their experience, feels like they belong.
• Get volunteers prepped on your tech: Share training videos that demonstrate how to use any relevant tools, like auction software. Ensure volunteers are comfortable with the technology ahead of your fundraising gala.
• Provide accessible training resources: Keep training materials clear and easy to follow by including video captions or transcripts so volunteers can follow along, regardless of learning style.
• Engage volunteers individually: Take the time to greet each volunteer by name to make them feel like part of the team.

When volunteers feel welcome and needed throughout onboarding, training, and the gala itself, they’re more likely to continue contributing their time at your next event.

3. Appreciate Volunteers Often

Recognizing the time volunteers give is just as important as saying “thank you” for their financial contributions. Even the smallest gestures of appreciation can go a long way in boosting retention. Remember, volunteers want to feel like they’re instrumental in making your gala events happen.

Consider a few easy but impactful volunteer appreciation ideas, like:

• Publicly recognizing volunteers during a speech at your gala to let them know they’re making a difference.
• Spotlighting gala volunteers on your social media or in your event newsletter.
• Sending handwritten notes with a heartfelt message of gratitude after the event.
• Providing swag bags with a branded shirt, a thoughtful gift card, or other small tokens of appreciation.

Volunteer appreciation shouldn’t stop after your fundraising event, either! Keep the recognition going with follow-up events and coffee chats to cultivate relationships and strengthen a loyal volunteer base.

4. Seek Feedback (And Keep Getting It)

Asking for volunteer feedback is your chance to show you care about their opinions and remind them of their importance. It’s a great way for volunteers to reflect on their experience and how much they enjoyed volunteering. Plus, their answers will help you establish actionable steps for improving the volunteer experience moving forward.

Your CRM can be a big help in making the most of your volunteer feedback. Recording responses will make it easier for your team to identify patterns, track preferences, and use insights to learn more about individual supports.

Start with a post-event volunteer survey to gather immediate feedback. In this survey, you might include questions like:

• On a scale of 1 to 10, how much did you enjoy volunteering at the gala?
• Did you feel welcomed and adequately trained for your role?
• Were the auction rules easy for guests to understand?
• Do you have any suggestions for making next year’s gala even better?
• Is there anything else we could have done to support you?

Take this strategy a step further by asking for feedback throughout the year. Nonprofits can send a general volunteer satisfaction survey or campaign-specific feedback requests. Keeping the conversation going will help build long-term relationships and show that you’re invested in the volunteer experience.

5. Offer Opportunities for Growth

For some volunteers, developing their skills is part of the reason they devote time to your fundraisers. Giving volunteers the chance to level up their capabilities can make them even more excited to stay involved.

Skill-based volunteering allows individuals to use and grow their talents while contributing to your cause. Younger volunteers may even view it as an opportunity to build job skills or network in a supportive, welcoming environment.

To boost engagement and retention, consider providing interested volunteers with:

• Training assignments: Have experienced volunteers take on a leadership role by training other volunteer recruits.
• Bigger roles at future events: Empower volunteers to manage initiatives related to your fundraising efforts.
• Networking events: Host a casual mixer after a golf tournament or other fundraiser for volunteers, sponsors, and donors to mingle and share experiences with your mission.
• Skill-focused workshops: Organize sessions for volunteers to learn about event management, marketing strategy, or other areas that benefit your nonprofit.

Hosting valuable skill development opportunities for volunteers will establish a stronger sense of purpose and fulfillment, boosting your chances of retention for galas.

Improving Volunteer Retention Long-Term

At the end of the day, volunteer retention is about building lasting relationships. When volunteers feel valued and connected to your mission, they’re more likely to come back year after year.

Track volunteer retention as you try out these tips to see which strategies resonate most, and fine-tune your approach for future galas. The more you invest in your volunteers, the more likely they’ll invest in you—and your cause.

Sarah Sebastian is the Director of Corporate Communications at OneCause. She’s a marketer and brand geek at heart with eight years of experience in the nonprofit tech space. Outside of work, Sarah can be found reading, hiking, kayaking, volunteering for Florida Access Network, or getting lost in the woods while photographing birds.

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