Volunteers are often an organization’s most overlooked donor segment, despite already proving their investment in the mission. They show up early, stay late, and bring a passion that cannot be taught or manufactured. Yet many nonprofits hesitate to explore how these deeply engaged supporters might also be able to contribute financially.
Volunteers should not be seen as a separate constituency from donors. Rather, they can be the strongest bridge between engagement and giving, as long as organizations approach them thoughtfully and strategically.
Below is a guide of actionable best practices to help nonprofits win volunteers as donors without alienating or overwhelming them. By shifting mindsets, strengthening data, refining messaging, and stewarding volunteers as dual contributors, organizations can unlock a new donor community—and build more resilient fundraising operations.
1. Break the "Time is Money" Stigma
One of the most common barriers to converting volunteers into donors is internal hesitation from fundraisers themselves. Many nonprofit leaders worry that asking volunteers for money will offend them, devalue their time, or jeopardize the relationship with their organization entirely. While understandable, this mindset is often rooted in assumption, rather than evidence. Here’s how to break this stigma:
- Understand the data. Volunteering and giving are not competing behaviors. They reinforce one another. Industry data shows that volunteers are 14.5% more likely to donate than individuals who are not engaged through service.
- Reframe the ask. Rather than viewing fundraising as a burden placed on volunteers, it should be positioned as an opportunity for them to deepen their impact. Volunteers already understand the mission in a visceral way. Giving financially simply becomes another channel for expressing commitment.
- Ditch the “either-or” mentality. The most sustainable and strategic organizations thrive on both time and money. Volunteers who are able and willing to contribute financially often appreciate being invited to do so when the request is thoughtful and respectful.
- Address internal hesitation. Internally, this shift requires preparation. Staff and board members should be trained to feel comfortable soliciting individuals who already give their time. Clear messaging, shared talking points, and leadership alignment can reduce discomfort and ensure consistency.
2. Segment and Clean Your Data
Even the strongest message will fall flat if it is delivered to the wrong audience in the wrong way. Generic fundraising appeals are rarely effective with volunteers, especially if those messages fail to acknowledge their service. This is why segmentation and data hygiene are foundational to winning volunteers as donors. Set a strong foundation by:
- Integrating your databases. Start by ensuring your systems talk to one another. Your Volunteer Management System should integrate with your CRM to give you a complete, 360-degree view of each supporter. Without this integration, volunteers may unintentionally be treated as cold prospects rather than known, trusted insiders.
- Tagging and segmenting your donors. Volunteers should be identified as such and, therefore, excluded from generic acquisition appeals. Segmenting by volunteer role, frequency, or program area can further personalize outreach and increase relevance.
- Clean your data. According to NPOInfo's guide to data hygiene, cleaning your data matters just as much as segmenting it. Outdated contact information, duplicate records, or inaccurate engagement history can undermine trust and lead to misaligned messaging. Regular data audits will ensure your communications reflect reality.
Technology can play a significant role here in boosting efficiency, deepening analysis, and adding capacity. As nonprofits evaluate technology investments, it is important to focus on solutions that support strategy rather than add complexity. That’s why Orr Group recommends finding smart AI solutions that can automate the heavy lifting.
3. Craft Messaging That Acknowledges Their Service
Volunteer donor appeals should never read like standard fundraising solicitations. The language should reflect gratitude, familiarity, and respect for their lived experience with your mission.
Start by acknowledging the volunteer’s contribution of time. Consider including specific references to their volunteer activity–where and how they volunteered, for how long, and the impact they made on your program. Volunteers want to feel seen for what they have already given. This recognition sets the tone and reinforces trust.
Next, leverage the “insider” perspective. Volunteers have witnessed both challenges and progress firsthand. Messaging should reflect this reality and invite them to act based on what they already know. Connecting their time on the ground with a funding gap will make the ask feel logical and authentic.
Throughout the appeal, it's important to stick to language that is empowering and forward-thinking. Rather than framing the appeal as a plea for help, position it as an invitation to deepen commitment or join the mission in a new way.
Consider the following sample appeal:
“Thank you so much for your generous contribution of 20 hours of packaging meals over the past two months. You have seen firsthand how much food costs rise in winter. Because you understand this reality, we are asking you to amplify your impact by helping us reach our volunteer fundraising goal.”
This approach honors service while clearly articulating the financial need.
4. Leverage Corporate Volunteer Grants
One of the most underutilized opportunities for volunteer-driven revenue is corporate volunteer grants, often called “Dollars for Doers”. Many employers will donate a set dollar amount for every hour an employee volunteers, sometimes $20 or more per hour.
The challenge? Awareness. Most volunteers don’t know their employer offers this benefit. Therefore, it is the nonprofit’s responsibility to educate and remind them.
Start by introducing volunteer grants during onboarding or orientation. Provide simple instructions and examples that volunteers can take back to their employers. Ensure you make it easy for volunteers to check their own employer status by sharing a short list of companies in the area that offer volunteer grants or matching gift programs.
Automation can help here as well. Verify if your volunteer platform can nudge volunteers to check their employer’s HR portal after completing a shift. Also, ensure you save volunteer employment information in your management system and update it regularly.
5. Master the "Double" Stewardship
After a volunteer becomes a donor, they’ll require a stewardship approach that recognizes their dual role. Treating them like a typical donor or a typical volunteer misses the mark of reinforcing their unique value-add to the organization. Here’s how to level up your stewardship:
- Tailor your thank-you communications. Every acknowledgement letter they receive should address both contributions. A gift acknowledgment that references volunteer service reinforces the idea that the nonprofit sees the full scope of their engagement, and encourages them to continue giving in multiple ways.
- Report on impact differently. Volunteers often want to see the financial health and outcomes of the specific program they support with their time. For example, if they volunteered as greeters for a gala, report on the number of guests attended and the funds raised during the night. Or, if they packed meals at a food pantry, report on the number of boxes packed that day and the families reached. This level of transparency builds trust and offers proof that their efforts make a real difference.
- Create a specific recognition society. For organizations that want to go further, consider forming a special recognition category for volunteer donors in annual reports or donor societies. This kind of insider recognition can be deeply motivating.
Conclusion
Winning volunteers as donors is not about pushing harder. It is about listening more carefully, communicating more intentionally, and stewarding more thoughtfully. Individuals who become volunteers prove that they already believe in your mission. The opportunity lies in inviting them to express their belief in additional ways.
If you have volunteers who already donate, ask for their input while building your strategy. Their feedback can inform messaging, timing, and engagement strategies for this segment. Over time, this approach builds a stronger, more integrated community of supporters who fuel both mission delivery and financial sustainability.
When nonprofits align mindset, data, messaging, and stewardship, volunteers become not just helpers but long-term partners in impact.
