What Tools Can You Use to Boost Volunteerism? Relationships matter, not only in business but also in nonprofit work. However, building those relationships can take effort and self-reflection. For example, when it comes to your departments and colleagues, what level of support, assistance, teamwork, and collaboration do you provide and receive? How can you grow and leverage the influence you have on these relationships? And how can you best manage conflict when it arises? Sterling Volunteers hosted a webinar in October where nonprofit industry expert Beth Steinhorn, President of VQ Volunteer S ..read more

Over the past few years, disruptions have affected everyone, and every industry, volunteer engagement and nonprofit operations included. Examples abound with organizations overcoming these disruptions and transforming them into opportunities to impactfully engage volunteers. Nonprofit expert Beth Steinhorn, President of VQ Volunteer Strategies, joined Katie Zwetzig, Sterling Volunteers Executive Director, for a Sterling Live episode on rethinking engagement among disruptions in the volunteer community. Additionally, a dedicated webinar on the topic is now available on-demand and touches on ex ..read more

Everyone has the right to feel safe, and nothing is more important than helping nonprofits to safely fulfill their missions. At Sterling, assisting organizations to build strong background screening programs, policies, and processes is what we do. Especially as it relates to navigating compliance. In a recent webinar, now available on-demand, Chris Christian, Director of Compliance at Sterling, discussed how nonprofits can navigate compliance when conducting volunteer background screening. Advanced in compliance and risk management with more than fifteen years of experience in the background ..read more

As volunteerism picks back up across the nation, the need for human connection has been revitalized, and finding purpose in volunteering is stronger than ever. Partnerships with organizations like Meals on Wheels America (MOWA), which work to improve the health and quality of life of seniors, are a glowing example of a collaborative, nationwide volunteer community brought together in shared purpose. Sterling Volunteers’ Executive Director, Katie Zwetzig, along with Sharron Corle, Director of Learning and Development at Meals on Wheels America, joined together for an episode of Sterling Live ..read more

More and more organizations rely on a hybrid workforce – with staff and volunteers working onsite and online. More recently, engaging volunteers virtually has become the norm for many organizations. In fact, virtual volunteers are now more involved in key programming and operational tasks than ever. Let’s identify the keys to successful engagement and sustainability for virtual volunteers. During a recent webinar, now available on-demand, nonprofit expert Beth Steinhorn, President of VQ Volunteer Strategies, shared key strategies for sustaining virtual volunteers, including helpful tools to a ..read more

Planning is the key to developing a highly effective volunteer program that is sustainable and impactful. Whether looking to expand your volunteer engagement — or start a new program — there are five steps that can help demystify the volunteer program planning process. In a recent webinar, now available on-demand, nonprofit expert Beth Steinhorn, President of VQ Volunteer Strategies, covered the topic of volunteer program planning top-to-bottom. She shared helpful tips for volunteer managers to design a clear vision and important steps to go through when planning an effective volunteer progra ..read more

Volunteer program leaders are universally challenged by the question: “How can we maintain a volunteer community  and engagement when we have such a hybrid workforce?” Juggling staff and volunteers in an office, on-site, or remote is here to stay. Organizations have seen many volunteers on hiatus while others have faced challenges with onboarding new volunteers and integrating them with more experienced volunteers. Nevertheless, feeling connected to a team is key to volunteer engagement and nurtures a strong sense of volunteer community. In a recent webinar, now available on-demand, nonp ..read more

Skills-based volunteering can be a bit of a mystery for volunteer managers, but it doesn’t have to be. Let’s dive into some tips on scoping, sourcing, and supporting projects for skills-based volunteers. In a recent webinar, which is now available on-demand, nonprofit expert Beth Steinhorn, President of VQ Volunteer Strategies, gave an overview of best practices for nonprofits when engaging and developing skills-based volunteers. She shared how to assess an organization’s readiness to engage skills-based volunteers and key steps to identifying a strategic project for pro bono or skills-based ..read more

The nonprofit industry was simultaneously turned on its side and inspired into action over the past year and a half amid the pandemic. Needs shifted, programs restructured, and the importance of sharing new ideas and experiences came clearly into focus. The 2021 Industry Insights report examines the experiences of nonprofits and volunteers over the last year specifically, exploring varying perspectives and evolving trends in volunteer engagement, background screening, volunteering advancements, and the state of volunteerism. Sterling Volunteers and VolunteerMatch partnered for a third consecu ..read more

Building communities of trusted and safe volunteers is our mission so that volunteerism can thrive. Sterling Volunteers does that largely through partnerships with great organizations like Points of Light. We deeply value Points of Light’s mission to promote and advance volunteer engagement through an affiliate network of about 250 organizations in major metro areas in the United States and about 30 other countries. They support a number of products and platforms around the theme of volunteer engagement — connecting people who are interested in helping with the organizations that need their h ..read more