Volunteer non-profit organization
Starting a nonprofit organization is, at its core, an inherently selfless endeavor. The very nature of a nonprofit organization is dedicated to a purpose greater than that of the founder, and the legalities ensure that no individual will personally benefit from the organization’s activities. Successful nonprofit organizations are supported by donations and volunteers, with a grant or two included. But for some, hiring paid staff, and especially a CEO, makes perfect sense. For others, maintaining a volunteer corps is the best way to go. The difference between the two options is more than just spending…the choice can affect everything from revenue to growth potential.
Non-profit organization type
Different types of nonprofits have different needs, and that includes whether paid or all-volunteer staff is the best option. For non-profit organizations with a purpose that requires a significant commitment of time and skills, paid staff may be required. For example, running a soup kitchen requires hours of food preparation, serving time, and cleanup time for each free meal offering. Also, running a kitchen efficiently requires a skill set that is relatively valuable, so it may be necessary to pay a manager or director to oversee the project.
On the other hand, there are many organizations that do not require, in terms of operations, much more than a willingness to help. For example, a dog rescue organization may not have a facility to manage or any critical day-to-day tasks that require paid staff. There are many who use a group of volunteers to pick up and deliver the dogs, foster them in private homes, and oversee adoption marathons and fundraisers. While these tasks require coordination and supervision, it is technically possible to run the organization very well with an all-volunteer staff.
Impact on Sustainability
A common, but often unexpected, difference between running an organization with paid staff versus fully volunteer staff is the opportunity for sustainability. That is, an all-volunteer nonprofit is likely to get more than small dollar donations ($50-$500) because donors with limited discretionary funds are encouraged to know that their money will be used for the actual purpose of the donation. organization and not for high costs. manager salary. However, large dollar donations are more likely to go to professionally run organizations. Smart big donors want to know their cash won’t go to waste and understand that paid employee salaries are necessary to sustain a well-run nonprofit.
Impact on longevity
Volunteer nonprofits often struggle to stay in business, especially when the original founder or board members leave. Without the ongoing oversight of a paid CEO, it’s easy for important tasks to fall by the wayside and a lack of leadership to leave the organization in shambles. Without an employee involved in the day-to-day running of the organization, it is more difficult to recruit volunteers and establish hours and responsibilities.
A volunteer organization absolutely must have a strong board with board members who are intimately familiar with the nonprofit’s vision and mission. They must also know and be competent to maintain the requirements for maintaining the legality of a non-profit organization. They must establish and maintain strict policies and procedures and develop a consistent selection process for all volunteers. It’s best to keep procedures simple and easy to follow so that as the staff and board change, the basics of operations remain the same.
Choosing to launch a volunteer nonprofit organization is the ultimate in selfless acts. Even without the benefit of a (probably) meager non-profit salary, these founders take full responsibility, along with the members of the board of directors, for running the corporation. There are many obvious advantages to an all-volunteer staff, and the organization can certainly thrive without expending scarce resources on employees.