balancing the needs of cause, volunteers and donors

As I continue to work with nonprofits, being aware of the relationship between the cause (or mission) and stakeholders (ie donors and volunteers) is as vital to an organization's purpose as is the cause itself.

You'll agree that most nonprofits fall into the categories of

• paid staff and rely heavily on affinity for the cause, volunteers and donors
• paid staff and rely heavily on affinity for the cause and donors

As with any brand, the volunteer and donor experience builds affinity (why I love the cause) and leads to more desire to volunteer, more reasons to give.  A virtuous cycle.

Any nonprofit must balance its desire to achieve its mission and fulfill the cause, with the need to ensure its volunteers have a superb experience volunteering, and that donors feel as if their gifts and contributions are valued and recognize them for it.  It all boils down to relationships.  The cause and your mission may not move forward as effectively when the volunteers and donors don't feel appreciated.

Does your organization have a designated donor relations and volunteer relations coordinator?  Should it?  Of course, it depends on the size of your organization, and the number of volunteers it works with, and the relationship it has with its donors.

if you're not making the donor's and volunteer's experience a positive one, a great way to start is by saying thank you.  It's all part of cultivating and stewarding the most important external stakeholders you have.

Volunteer leadership, why bother?

Several of us keep asking ourselves the same question recently: why are we serving and leading in this ministry?

This isn't particular to any particular church, but to all of them, especially in the US church.

We know we've been called to serve – but circumstances cause us wonder – why do we continue when we receive little support, little training, little encouragement?  There is a layer of church leaders, serving as volunteers, who are frustrated and discouraged by the lack of clear direction and guidance they receive from pastoral staff.

Regardless of the "your treasure is in heaven" arguments, as individuals it is increasingly difficult to serve without a clear direction or purpose, without a sense of self and the meaningfulness of the service.  Time and again, the church makes excuses for practices that would never be accepted in any other organization, under the guise of "ministry."  It accepts behavior that would not be tolerated in any other environment.  It accepts sincere hearts and good intentions as substitutes for competence and planning.  The lay leaders need guidance, encouragement, affirmation from the paid church leadership — the pastors and program directors — if we are to buy into and carry out your vision.

Enough already!  The purpose of the church is to "equip the saints."  When volunteers step up to serve, provide them with an orientation to responsibilities, with a mentor to guide them into their leadership service, with a clear idea of the boundaries of their leadership.

Where this is of critical importance is in areas that may involve a disciplinary issue, which unfortunately may need to happen if a behavioral issue has been allowed to continue, unchecked, for too long.  After the Matthew 18 process has been followed, how should the situation be handled?  Is there a code of conduct that was violated?  Is every adult leader in the ministry familiar with the process and outcomes?

Pastors, equip your people.  You will lose them if safeguards aren't in place, if they become discouraged because they don't feel like the church (personified, it's the people leading the church) care about them.

We know we're on the same team, it would be encouraging for us to know we're appreciated and respected as part of the team.