Diversifying Volunteers Means Diversifying Nonprofit Leadership
Nonprofits Struggle to Attract Diverse Volunteers
We’ve talked, and heard, about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and their significance in the for-profit world. But what about nonprofits? They are equally as important … and have their own unique DEI challenges impacting their boards, leadership, and volunteers. In particular, nonprofits struggle with attracting a more diverse volunteer pool. And addressing this challenge essentially comes down to a twofold process—first, nonprofits must diversify their leadership and staff and then, they must remove barriers to volunteering.
Leadership’s Impact on Volunteers
Historically, the majority of individuals who sat on nonprofit boards or who held leadership positions were white men. While this is changing, as with most progress, it does so slowly. The Volunteer Management Progress Report, conducted by VolunteerPro, is comprised of information gathered from multiple nonprofit organizations across the nation. According to their report findings, “A 2021 survey found that 84 percent of volunteers managers were white — a slight improvement over 2019, when 91 percent were white.”
These findings and the struggle to attract a more diverse volunteer pool are not coincidental. The more time it takes to diversify a nonprofit’s board and leadership, the more detrimental effects it causes. Fundamentally, what does it look like for those who want to get involved as volunteers? Will it attract women and minorities, or will it say (in silent terms) that things aren’t really changing at the organizational level at all?
In the current economy, individuals are making the conscious decision to place greater value on their experiences, time, and loyalty. As such, they are looking more closely at where they spend their volunteer hours and/or where they make donations. Simply, they are looking at the “look” of an organization’s leadership to determine if they will feel included and represented there. They don’t want to volunteer if they feel as if they would not be connected to the organization and those in it.
Karmit Bulman, the executive director of the Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement, noted, “Nonprofits need to diversity their staffs — that will help attract people of color as volunteers. If nonprofit organizations are primarily run by white people, and the majority of staff are white people, why would volunteers of color want to help there? It sets up a dynamic in which the white people are paid, and the people of color are unpaid. Nobody wants that.”
Removing Barriers to Entry
Another major hurdle in attracting a more diverse group of volunteers includes capacity. The desire for an individual to volunteer their time to an organization is not always directly proportional to their ability to do so. Obstacles, including family obligations and the inability to give their time freely often get in the way.
Some simple ways to help remove those barriers include:
- Offering volunteer hours outside the normal 9:00 to 5:00 workday.
- Posting all open positions publicly on your organization’s social media channels.
- Providing online/remote volunteer options, such as website upkeep and newsletter distribution.
- Offering volunteer training online.
- Asking current and prospective volunteers to complete surveys.
- If possible, providing free childcare or parking.
- Recognizing your target market and then tailoring outreach to them.
The Benefits
Having a diversified staff is about more than attracting diversified volunteers, though. Through diversity, the nonprofit board and leadership are better able to gain insights into various socioeconomic groups and strengthen collaborative partnerships that they otherwise may have been unable to reach. This effort often results in a deeper connection and understanding within the organization, as well as within the communities served. Discuss with your team why DEI is important and ask everyone their opinion on best practices to create positive change, noting the variety of benefits of doing so—some of which include:
- Stronger position to serve a wider range of communities.
- Increased awareness of cultural differences.
- Creation of stronger networks to improve connections.
- Improved support for the executive board.
- Wider range of lived experiences in the communities the nonprofit serves.
- Wider pool of volunteers who feel they are being represented.
It’s crucial to ensure that DEI is a common and comfortable conversation being had with all members of the organization. If members are unwilling not only to discuss it, but also to implement DEI, then the nonprofit is destined to repeat prior behavior and the diversity of the board and outreach will not change. As with all change, we first need to want to make it happen in order for it to actually happen.
At The Win Woman, we focus on funding opportunities for nonprofits and Corporate Social Responsibly for organizations of all sizes. We work with boards and C-Suite executives to help develop the right solutions for their specific situation in their specific industry. For more information, please book a call with us.
