Tips For Retaining Volunteer Grant Supporters Over Time

Tips For Retaining Volunteer Grant Supporters Over Time

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Acquiring a new volunteer is exciting. Finding a volunteer who works for a company with a corporate giving program is a financial victory. But keeping that volunteer engaged, active, and consistently submitting grant requests year over year? That is the key to sustainable growth. Retaining volunteer grant supporters is one of the most effective ways to build a reliable pipeline of unrestricted revenue while simultaneously strengthening your community of advocates.

Many nonprofits view volunteer grants (also known as “Dollars for Doers”) as a one-off bonus. A volunteer logs their hours, the company cuts a check, and the transaction is viewed as complete. This transactional mindset leaves money on the table. When a supporter realizes that their time has a monetary value to your organization, they often feel a deeper sense of purpose and commitment. If you can nurture that feeling, you transform a casual volunteer into a recurring donor of both time and money.

The challenge lies in the mechanics. Supporters get busy, they forget to log hours, or they are unaware that their grant eligibility resets every year. Without a proactive retention strategy, you risk losing not just the volunteer’s labor, but the corporate funding attached to it.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

By implementing these strategies, you can move beyond one-time submissions and create a culture where volunteer grants are a standard, recurring expectation of service.

The Value of the Volunteer Grant Supporter

To understand why retention is so critical, you must first understand the financial weight these individuals carry. Volunteer grants are corporate philanthropy programs where companies provide monetary donations to nonprofits based on the number of hours their employees volunteer. These programs are more prevalent than many realize, with approximately 40% of Fortune 500 companies offering them.

The financial impact is significant. 80% of companies with these programs offer between $8 and $15 per hour volunteered. Some are even more generous; for example, Microsoft provides $25 per hour, and ExxonMobil offers $500 for every 20 hours served.

When you retain a volunteer eligible for these grants, you are essentially retaining a mid-level donor. Let’s say a volunteer commits 50 hours a year at a company offering $20/hour. In that case, they are worth $1,000 in revenue plus the value of their labor. If that volunteer churns after one year, you lose that revenue stream. But if you retain them for five years, that relationship is worth $5,000 in unrestricted funds.

Did You Know? The average employee participation level for volunteer grants sits at just 3% . This low number is rarely due to a lack of interest but rather a lack of awareness. By retaining and educating your existing volunteers, you can significantly outperform this average.

Volunteer Grants as a Retention Tool

Interestingly, the relationship between grants and retention works both ways. Not only does retaining volunteers lead to more grants, but promoting grants actually helps retain volunteers.

Volunteers stay when they feel their contribution matters. When you educate a supporter about their eligibility for a volunteer grant, you are showing them that their time is literally twice as valuable as they thought. This realization can be a powerful motivator. It validates their effort and gives them a concrete metric of their impact beyond the physical work they perform.

Furthermore, participating in corporate volunteerism builds a stronger connection between the employee, their company, and your nonprofit. 96% of employees who participate in corporate volunteerism report having a positive company culture . By facilitating this connection, you become a partner in their professional satisfaction, making them more likely to stick with your organization over others.

Strategy 1: The “Double Thank You” Approach

Stewardship is the cornerstone of volunteer retention. For volunteer grant supporters, standard acknowledgement is not enough. You need a strategy that recognizes both their labor and their leverage.

The Immediate Acknowledgement

When a volunteer completes a shift or project, they should receive a thank-you for their time. This is standard practice. However, for grant-eligible volunteers, this communication should include a subtle reminder of their unique status.

  • Example: “Thank you for the 5 hours you spent with us today! We know your time is valuable, and thanks to [Employer Name], those hours are also worth $100 to our mission.”

The Grant Acknowledgement

When the check from the corporation actually arrives, you must thank the volunteer again. Do not just thank the company. The company only wrote the check because the employee did the work.

  • Example: “We just received a $500 grant from [Employer Name] in recognition of your service! This was entirely due to your hard work. Thank you for being a champion for us both in the field and at your workplace.”

This “double thank you” reinforces the behavior you want to see. It closes the loop and confirms to the volunteer that their administrative effort in submitting the request resulted in real money for the cause.

Strategy 2: Data-Driven Outreach

You cannot retain what you do not track. To effectively retain volunteer grant supporters, you need to know who they are and where they work. One of the most critical steps is to collect employment information as supporters engage with you.

Capture Data at Registration: Include an optional “Employer” field on all volunteer sign-up forms. This allows you to screen for eligibility before the volunteer even arrives. If you know a volunteer who works for Verizon, you know they are eligible for a $750 grant after 50 hours. You can then tailor your retention plan for that individual to ensure they hit that 50-hour threshold.

Segment Your Lists: Do not send generic appeals to your high-value corporate volunteers. Create a segment in your CRM for “Grant-Eligible Volunteers.” Communications to this group should always reference their unique ability to generate funds.

  • Generic email: “We need volunteers for our upcoming gala.”
  • Targeted email: “As an employee of [Company], your volunteer hours at our gala could unlock a $500 grant. Join us and double your impact!”

Strategy 3: The “Annual Reset” Campaign

Most volunteer grant programs operate on a calendar year. Limits reset, and hours must be logged within specific timeframes. A major reason for donor attrition is simply forgetting to submit hours before the deadline or forgetting to restart the habit in the new year.

The Year-End Push

In November and December, run a campaign specifically targeting volunteers who have logged hours but haven’t hit their grant thresholds or haven’t submitted their requests. Remind them that “money is being left on the table” and provide a direct link to their company’s submission portal.

The New Year Kickoff

In January, send a “Welcome Back” message. Remind your supporters that their grant potential has reset.

  • Message: “New Year, New Impact! Your 20 hours of VTO and volunteer grant eligibility have reset. Let’s make 2025 our best year yet.”

Quick Tip: Use deadlines to your advantage. Many companies have a submission deadline of January 31st or March 31st for the previous year’s hours. Send a countdown email (“Only 5 days left to claim your grant!”) to drive urgency and secure retention.

Strategy 4: Gamification and Milestones

Retaining volunteer grant supporters requires keeping them engaged over the long haul. Gamification—using milestones, badges, and progress bars—can be highly effective.

Track Progress Toward Grants

If you know a volunteer needs 20 hours to trigger a grant (like at ExxonMobil ), keep them informed of their progress.

  • Here’s an example: “[Volunteer Name], you have volunteered 15 hours! Just 5 more hours, and you unlock a $500 grant from ExxonMobil. Sign up for a shift this week to cross the finish line.”

Celebrate Milestones

When a volunteer hits a milestone, celebrate it publicly (with their permission). Feature them in your newsletter or on social media as a “Corporate Champion.” Highlighting their dual contribution of time and money creates a sense of pride and encourages them to maintain that status.

Strategy 5: Leverage Group Dynamics

People are more likely to stay engaged if they feel part of a community. Group volunteer events are excellent for this, but they are also a goldmine for volunteer grants.

The Corporate Team Approach

Encourage your existing grant-eligible volunteers to bring colleagues. If you have one retained volunteer from Home Depot, ask them to organize a “Home Depot Day” at your nonprofit. This not only recruits new potential supporters but solidifies the original volunteer’s role as a leader and advocate.

Foster Healthy Competition

If you have clusters of volunteers from different major employers (e.g., a group from Deloitte and a group from Bank of America), create a friendly challenge. “Which corporate partner can log the most grant-funded hours this quarter?” This taps into company pride and keeps volunteers coming back to ensure their team wins.

Strategy 6: Simplify the Process with Technology

The number one enemy of retention is friction. If submitting a volunteer grant request is difficult, volunteers won’t do it, and they might stop volunteering altogether if they feel their time isn’t being maximized.

Automate the Discovery: Invest in workplace giving software. Tools like Double the Donation allow you to integrate employer search functionality directly into your forms. This empowers volunteers to discover their own eligibility instantly, without your team needing to do manual research .

Provide Direct Access: Don’t just tell them to “submit a request.” Make sure to share the direct URL to their company’s specific portal. You can even provide a “Cheat Sheet” of instructions for the top 10 employers in your donor base. By removing the administrative burden, you make it easy for them to say yes to supporting you again and again.

Trigger Email Reminders: Use automation to send the right message at the right time. If a volunteer checks in for their 20th hour, your system should automatically trigger an email: “Congratulations on 20 hours! You are now eligible for the [Company Name] grant. Here is the link to submit it.” This timeliness prevents opportunities from slipping through the cracks.

Strategy 7: Communicate Impact Continuously

Retention is ultimately about relationships, and relationships are built on shared value. You must continuously prove to your volunteers that their grant makes a difference.

Specific Impact Reporting

Don’t just put the money in the general fund and stay silent. Tell the volunteer exactly what their grant bought.

  • Example: “The $500 grant from your volunteer hours purchased 50 new books for our literacy program.”

The “Insider” Feeling

Treat your volunteer grant supporters as insiders. Give them early access to event registration, exclusive updates from your Executive Director, or invites to special appreciation events. When they feel like an integral part of the team, they are far less likely to churn.

Did You Know? Supporters are more likely to get involved and continue their support over time when their time is compensated by their employer. By validating their financial contribution, you validate their personal time investment.

Wrapping Up & Next Steps

Retaining volunteer grant supporters is not a passive activity. It requires a deliberate strategy that combines data collection, personalized communication, and a culture of gratitude. By shifting your focus from simply filling volunteer slots to nurturing corporate advocates, you unlock a sustainable source of revenue that grows alongside your volunteer base.

Remember, every hour a grant-eligible volunteer gives you is an opportunity for double impact. Don’t let that opportunity walk out the door at the end of a shift. To get started, audit your current volunteer list. Identify who works for grant-making companies using a corporate giving database tool. Then, implement the “Double Thank You” strategy immediately for any new grants that come in.

Ready to take your corporate fundraising to the next level? Request a demo with Double the Donation Volunteering to see how our automation tools can help you identify, track, and retain your most valuable corporate supporters today.

Helpful Volunteer Time Off Blurbs to Increase Participation

Helpful Volunteer Time Off Blurbs to Increase Participation

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One of the most persistent challenges for volunteer coordinators is the “9-to-5 gap.” You have passionate supporters who want to help, but their professional obligations keep them tied to their desks during your most critical operational hours. Whether you need help sorting donations on a Tuesday morning or staffing a front desk on a Thursday afternoon, finding coverage during the business day can feel impossible. But there is a solution hiding in plain sight: Volunteer Time Off (VTO).

VTO is a corporate benefit where employers grant employees paid time off specifically to volunteer with nonprofit organizations. It is a win-win-win: companies boost employee engagement, individuals get to support causes they love without using their vacation days, and nonprofits get reliable, skilled help during business hours. Despite the growth of these programs—66% of employers now provide some form of paid time off for volunteering—many supporters simply don’t know they have this benefit.

The key to unlocking this resource is communication. You need to actively market VTO opportunities to your supporter base, educating them on the existence of these programs and encouraging them to use their hours with you. To help you get started, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of volunteer time off blurbs. These ready-to-use templates for your website, emails, and social media channels will help you bridge the awareness gap and fill your weekday shifts with dedicated corporate volunteers.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

By weaving these messages into your communications, you can transform your volunteer program from a weekend-only operation into a robust, week-round community asset.

The Strategic Value of Volunteer Time Off

Before you start pasting these blurbs into your marketing materials, it is important to understand the landscape. VTO is not just a nice perk; it is a significant bank of hours waiting to be tapped. Companies with paid VTO programs offer an average of 20 hours per employee per year . That is 2.5 full workdays that every eligible employee could be spending with your organization.

Furthermore, the desire is there. Studies show that 49% of individuals state that work commitments are their biggest obstacle to volunteering, yet 62% report that the ability to volunteer during business hours would be the top factor for a positive experience . By promoting VTO, you are directly solving your volunteers’ biggest problem: lack of time.

Did You Know? The number of companies offering VTO has increased by 2 in 3 over the last decade. Major employers like Patagonia, Microsoft, and Deloitte all offer generous programs, meaning many of your current supporters likely have hours they haven’t used.

Website Blurbs: Your Education Hub

Your website is the first place potential volunteers go to learn how they can help. It is essential to plant the seed of VTO right where they are looking for shifts.

The “Volunteer Opportunities” Page

This is your primary recruitment tool. Add a section here that explicitly mentions VTO to catch professionals browsing for opportunities.

Template 1: The “Civic Time Off” Hook

Header: Volunteer During Your Workday

Body: Did you know many companies offer paid Volunteer Time Off (VTO)? It allows you to volunteer with us during regular business hours without dipping into your vacation time. If your employer offers this benefit, we have plenty of weekday shifts that need your help! Call to Action: Check your eligibility and sign up for a daytime shift today.

Template 2: The Corporate Partner Appeal

Header: Put Your Corporate Benefits to Good Use

Body: Don’t let your VTO hours go to waste! Companies like [List Local Employers] offer paid time off for employees to volunteer. Use your benefit to support [Nonprofit Name] and make a difference while you work. Call to Action: Search for your company to see if you have VTO hours available.

The Shift Registration/Calendar Page

When a volunteer is looking at a specific Tuesday morning shift, they might hesitate because of work. Use a blurb here to overcome that objection.

Template 3: The Nudge

Header: Stuck at work? Body: You might not have to be! 66% of employers offer paid time off for volunteering. Check with your HR department to see if you can use VTO to join us for this shift. Call to Action: Learn more about VTO.

Quick Tip: Embed a corporate giving database widget on your volunteer page. This allows supporters to type in their employer’s name and instantly see if they have a VTO program, the number of hours offered, and links to the necessary forms.

Email Blurbs: Direct and Personal

Email allows you to target specific segments of your audience. Whether you are sending a general newsletter or a specific plea for shift coverage, these blurbs can drive action.

The Newsletter Feature

Include a “Did You Know?” section in your monthly volunteer newsletter. Since VTO policies often renew annually, regular reminders keep it top-of-mind.

Template 4: The General Education Blurb

Subject: A way to volunteer without using PTO

Header: Unlock Your Paid Volunteer Time Off Body: Dear [Volunteer Name], We know it’s hard to find time to volunteer between work and life commitments. But did you know your employer might pay you to join us? Paid Volunteer Time Off (VTO) is a growing corporate benefit that grants employees paid days to volunteer. It’s separate from your vacation or sick time! Action: Check your employee handbook or ask your HR rep if you have VTO hours to use before the year ends. We’d love to see you during the week!

The “Hard-to-Fill Shift” Recruitment

Use this blurb when you have critical daytime needs that are going unfilled.

Template 5: The Specific Ask

Subject: Need a break from the office? Join us this Tuesday!

Body: Hi [Volunteer Name], We have a critical need for volunteers this Tuesday from 10 AM to 2 PM. We know this is during work hours, but many of our supporters use their company’s Volunteer Time Off (VTO) benefit to cover these shifts. If you work for a company like Thomson Reuters or GM Financial, you likely have paid hours available just for this purpose. Come spend a few hours making a difference! Action: Sign up for the Tuesday shift here.

The Corporate Partner Email

If you collect employment data (which you should!), send targeted emails to employees of companies known to have VTO programs.

Template 6: The Targeted Reminder

Subject: Use your [Company Name] VTO hours with us!

Body: Dear [Volunteer Name], Because you work at [Company Name], you have access to a fantastic benefit: paid Volunteer Time Off. We’ve noticed you haven’t used your hours with us yet this year. We have several upcoming opportunities that fit perfectly with your VTO program. Why not take a day to support [Nonprofit Name] and get paid for it? Action: View our weekday volunteer schedule.

Social Media Blurbs: Visible & Shareable

Social media is ideal for raising general awareness and reaching professionals where they network. Use these platforms to normalize the idea of volunteering during the workday.

LinkedIn

This is the most effective channel for VTO content, as your audience is already in a “work” mindset.

Template 7: The Professional Development Angle

“Looking for a way to give back without sacrificing your weekends? 🏢🤝 Many companies now offer Paid Volunteer Time Off (VTO) as part of their benefits package. It’s a great way to build skills, bond with colleagues, and support [Nonprofit Name]—all on company time! Check with your HR team today. #CorporateSocialResponsibility #VTO #Volunteer”

Template 8: The “Use It or Lose It” Reminder

“Don’t leave your benefits on the table! 📉 If your company offers Volunteer Time Off, those hours likely expire at the end of the year. Take a break from the screen and spend a day with us at [Nonprofit Name]. Your community needs you (and your inbox can wait!). 📧🚫 #VTO #EmployeeEngagement #NonprofitLife”

Instagram & Facebook

Use these interactive social media platforms to show the “fun” side of taking a VTO day.

Template 9: The Visual Story (Photo of a volunteer smiling during a daytime shift)

“Meet Sarah! 👋 She’s an accountant at [Company Name], but today she’s a hunger hero. Thanks to her company’s Volunteer Time Off (VTO) program, she spent her Tuesday morning packing meals instead of spreadsheets. 📦✨ Does your job offer VTO? Come join us! [Link in Bio]”

Template 10: The Short & Sweet

“Work 9-to-5? You can still volunteer! 🕒 Many employers offer paid time off for service. Ask your boss about VTO and come spend a day with us! #VolunteerTimeOff #DayOfService”

Registration and Intake Blurbs

The best time to capture VTO potential is when a volunteer first registers with your organization. Adding a small blurb to your intake form can prompt immediate action.

The Registration Field

Template 11: The Intake Prompt

“Many companies offer Volunteer Time Off (VTO) or Volunteer Grants. Please enter your employer’s name so we can help you maximize your impact!”

Best Practices for VTO Marketing

Writing the copy is step one. To truly fill those daytime shifts, you need to be strategic about how you deploy these blurbs.

1. Collect Employment Data: You cannot target VTO opportunities if you don’t know who is eligible. Make “Employer” a standard field on all volunteer interest forms. This allows you to segment your email lists and send specific appeals to employees of VTO-friendly companies like Microsoft or Sentinel Group.

2. Focus on “Civic Time Off:” Some companies refer to VTO as “Civic Time Off” or “Community Service Leave.” Use these terms interchangeably in your blurbs to ensure you are catching everyone’s attention.

3. Highlight the “Win-Win:” Always frame VTO as a benefit to the volunteer. It prevents burnout, offers a change of pace from the office, and allows them to be a “hero” for your organization during its most critical hours.

4. Leverage Group Events: Encourage volunteers to use VTO for team-building. A blurb like, “Bring your whole team for a VTO day!” can fill 10-20 slots in a single booking. This is especially effective for companies looking to boost morale and retention.

Wrapping Up & Next Steps

Integrating volunteer time off blurbs into your communications strategy is a low-effort, high-reward way to solve your daytime staffing challenges. By educating your supporters about the benefits sitting in their employee handbooks, you unlock a new pool of availability that was previously inaccessible. Whether through a LinkedIn post, a newsletter segment, or a simple question on a registration form, every mention helps normalize the concept of daytime volunteering.

Start by auditing your current volunteer touchpoints. Are you asking about employment? Do you have a dedicated webpage explaining VTO? Once you identify these gaps, paste in the templates above to start the conversation.

Ready to take your corporate engagement to the next level? Request a demo with Double the Donation Volunteering to see how our fundraising automation tools can help you identify eligible volunteers, promote VTO and volunteer grants, and maximize your impact with minimal effort.

Volunteer Grant Blurbs-Templates To Boost Revenue

Volunteer Grant Blurbs: Quick Templates To Boost Revenue

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For many nonprofits, volunteers are the lifeblood of the organization. They staff events, tutor students, walk dogs, and perform the essential labor that keeps the mission alive. But what if those hours of service could generate more than just labor? What if they could generate cold, hard cash? This is the reality of volunteer grant programs, a form of corporate philanthropy where companies provide monetary grants to organizations where their employees volunteer. Often referred to as “Dollars for Doers,” these grants essentially provide “free money” for nonprofits and schools, allowing organizations to drastically increase the ROI of their volunteer programs.

Despite the incredible potential of these programs, billions of dollars in corporate philanthropy go unclaimed every year. The reason is rarely a lack of eligibility but rather a lack of awareness. Organizations typically have limited information on the companies their volunteers work for, and the volunteers themselves often lack awareness of their companies’ volunteer grant availability and eligibility criteria. If supporters are never made aware of their employers’ giving programs, they won’t know to complete the grant request process, and their employers will be unable to supply the appropriate funding.

To bridge this gap, nonprofits must actively market these opportunities. One of the most effective ways to do this is by incorporating volunteer grant blurbs into your existing communication channels. By using pre-written, persuasive copy across your website, emails, and social media, you can educate your supporters and drive significant revenue without adding a heavy lift to your development team.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

By implementing these communication strategies, you can turn your volunteer program into a dual-threat resource that provides both operational support and financial sustainability.

The Value of Volunteer Grants

Before diving into the templates, it is crucial to understand the landscape you are navigating. Volunteer grants are a specific type of corporate giving program that supplies monetary grants to organizations where employees volunteer. These programs are more common than you might think; approximately 40% of Fortune 500 companies offer volunteer grant programs to engage their employees and support charitable causes.

The financial impact of these grants can be substantial. Statistics show that 80% of companies with volunteer grant programs offer between $8 and $15 per hour for volunteering with a nonprofit. For example, companies like Microsoft offer $25 per hour an employee volunteers, while ExxonMobil offers $500 for every 20 hours an employee volunteers.

However, the average employee participation level for volunteer grants sits at just 3%. This low participation rate highlights the broad “knowledge gap.” Although it is up to individual volunteers to complete the grant request process and secure funds on your behalf, promoting the opportunity to your volunteer base can go a long way. By increasing awareness of volunteer grants through sharing information on social media, personal outreach, and at volunteer events, you can unlock this unclaimed revenue.

Did You Know? Volunteer grants are widely available across industries. Companies like Verizon, Disney, and Dell all offer generous programs where they provide donations to nonprofits based on the volunteer hours their employees contribute.

Website Blurbs: Your Digital Hub

Your nonprofit’s website is the hub of all things related to your organization, making it the perfect place to promote volunteer grants . Integrating volunteer grant blurbs into key pages ensures that visitors who are looking for ways to support you are immediately informed about this opportunity.

The “Ways to Give” or “Volunteer” Page

This is the most logical place to house detailed information. You want to catch volunteers when they are already in the mindset of giving their time.

Template 1: The Educational Hook

Header: Amplify the Impact of Your Time With Volunteer Grants

Body: Did you know that your time could be worth double to us? Many companies offer volunteer grant programs where they provide monetary grants to nonprofit organizations based on the number of hours their employees volunteer. This means that every hour you spend volunteering with us could generate additional funding for our programs. See if your employer has a volunteer grant program today!

Template 2: The Statistical Appeal

Header: Make Your Hours Count Twice

Body: 40% of Fortune 500 companies offer volunteer grant programs as a way to engage their employees and give back to charitable causes. These grants essentially provide “free money” for nonprofits, allowing us to drastically increase the ROI of our volunteer programs. Call to Action: Use the database tool below to see if your company has a volunteer grant program to further increase the value of your time.

The Donation Confirmation Page

While typically reserved for matching gifts, this page is also a prime real estate for volunteer grants. If a donor has just given money, they are highly engaged. Reminding them that they can also support you through volunteering—and getting paid for it by their employer—can plant a seed for future engagement.

Template 3: The Cross-Sell Opportunity

Header: Want to do more for [Nonprofit Name]?

Body: Thank you for your donation! If you are also interested in volunteering, check if your employer offers volunteer grants. Companies like Allstate and Microsoft donate up to $25 per hour for every hour you serve. It is a great way to maximize your contribution without opening your wallet again.

Quick Tip: For the best results, we recommend embedding a database widget on your nonprofit website, donation pages, and volunteer forms. This allows supporters to search for their company and immediately access forms and guidelines.

Email Blurbs: Direct to Inbox

According to fundraising research, email has the highest ROI of any marketing platform. As a result, you do not want to leave it out of your volunteer grant promotional strategy. Email allows you to be direct, personal, and timely, especially when following up after an event.

The Newsletter Feature

Include a recurring section in your monthly newsletter. Since your list grows and changes, repeating this message ensures new subscribers see it and reminds long-time supporters who may have changed jobs.

Template 4: The General Awareness Blurb

Subject: Double your impact without spending a dime

Header: Monetize Your Volunteerism with Employee Volunteer Grants Body: Dear [Volunteer Name], Did you know you may be able to unlock additional funding for our cause? Many companies match their employees’ volunteer hours with monetary grants. For example, 80% of companies with these programs offer between $8 and $15 per hour for volunteering. Check with your HR department or visit our corporate giving page to see whether your volunteer hours can qualify for a grant for [Nonprofit Name].

The Post-Event Follow-Up

This is perhaps the most critical communication touchpoint. After a volunteer has completed a shift, they are feeling good about their contribution. Use this momentum to ask for the grant.

Template 5: The “Thank You” Pivot

Subject: Thank you for volunteering! (Plus one more way to help)

Body: Dear [Volunteer Name], We really appreciate your support of our organization. Your time is invaluable to us, and with volunteer grants, its impact can be multiplied. Did you know that thousands of companies have volunteer incentive programs that support employee volunteering?. These programs could offer volunteer grants (which match your volunteer time with donations to our organization) or volunteer PTO. Next Step: Please visit our company-sponsored volunteering page to see if your company offers one of these programs and access the forms, guidelines, and instructions you need to participate.

The “Company Specific” Email

If you have collected employment data during registration, you can send highly targeted emails to volunteers who work for known grant-making companies.

Template 6: The Targeted Ask

Subject: [Volunteer Name], maximize your impact with [Company Name]

Body: Dear [Volunteer Name], It looks like your company, [Company Name], has a volunteer incentive program that supports employee volunteering. Based on your recent volunteer hours, you may be eligible to submit a grant request. Please see the instructions and documentation below to take advantage of your company’s volunteer incentives. [Link to Company Form]

Social Media Blurbs: Broadening the Reach

Social media is perfect for quick, shareable content that raises general awareness. Whenever you post about volunteer opportunities, include a snippet about volunteer grants. Link back to your corporate giving page on your website, encouraging followers to look there for more information.

Facebook & LinkedIn

These platforms allow for slightly longer copy and are great for sharing success stories or detailed infographics.

Template 7: The Informational Post

“Did you know? 40% of Fortune 500 companies offer volunteer grant programs to engage their employees and support charitable causes. If you volunteer with us, your employer might donate money for every hour you serve! 🕒 = 💵. Check if your company participates here: [Link to Website].”

Template 8: The “Did You Know” Graphic (Pair with an image of volunteers in action)

“Amplify the Impact of Your Time With Volunteer Grants!. Your hard work helps us run our programs, but your volunteer grant could help us fund them. See if you qualify to turn your hours into dollars: [Link to Website].”

Twitter/X & Instagram

Keep it punchy and visual on these platforms. Plus, use hashtags to increase discoverability.

Template 9: The Short & Sweet

“Turn your volunteer hours into cash for [Nonprofit Name]! 💸 Many employers offer volunteer grants of $8-$15 per hour. Check your eligibility today: [Link]. #VolunteerGrants #CorporateGiving #NonprofitTech”

Template 10: The VTO Angle

“Does your company offer Paid Volunteer Time Off? 65% of companies offer paid-release-time volunteer programs. Spend a day with us and get paid by them! Learn more: [Link].”

Registration and Intake Blurbs

The best time to plant the seed for volunteer grants is right when a supporter is signing up. By incorporating volunteer grant blurbs into your registration forms, you can capture employment data and educate volunteers at the same time.

The Registration Form

Include an optional “Employer” field and a brief blurb explaining why you are asking.

Template 11: The Intake Prompt

Header: Volunteer Grants

Body: See if your employer offers a volunteer grant program!. Many companies provide monetary grants to organizations where their employees volunteer. Field: [Search for Company] Result: If eligible, display: “Yes! Your company has a matching gift program. Grant amount: $500 for every 20 hours”.

The Confirmation Screen

After they hit submit, use the confirmation screen to reinforce the message.

Template 12: The Confirmation Nudge

Header: You’re signed up!

Body: Thanks for joining us. Before you arrive, check whether your employer offers Volunteer Time Off (VTO) or Volunteer Grants. You could earn paid time off or secure a donation for us just by showing up! Action: [Link to Search Tool]

Quick Tip: If your organization subscribes to Double the Donation, you can direct recipients to your volunteer grant search tool to make determining eligibility quick, easy, and convenient.

Best Practices for Implementing These Blurbs

Writing the copy is only the first step. To truly maximize the revenue potential of volunteer grants, you need to deploy these blurbs strategically.

1. Create a Multichannel Strategy. Few organizations adequately promote the volunteer grant opportunity to supporters, often resulting in limited program awareness and unclaimed revenue. To close the knowledge gap, implement a multichannel marketing strategy that uses your website, email, and social media in concert.

2. Leverage Automation. Managing volunteer grants on your own can quickly become complex and tiresome. Investing in workplace giving software can streamline these processes. Tools like Double the Donation’s corporate volunteer software make it easy to identify volunteer grant opportunities and guide supporters through the process. Automated email streams can drive supporters to claim volunteer grants without your team lifting a finger.

3. Highlight the “Free Money” Aspect. Always emphasize that volunteer grants essentially provide “free money” for nonprofits and schools. This language is powerful because it frames the action as a low-effort, high-reward activity for the volunteer. They have already done the hard work of volunteering; the grant is just the cherry on top.

4. Track Your Results. You cannot improve what you do not measure. Monitor key metrics, including the number of volunteer grant submissions, total revenue generated, and open rates for your volunteer grant emails. Tracking performance data will help you refine your approach and ensure that your strategy continues to grow.

Wrapping Up & Next Steps

Integrating volunteer grant blurbs into your communications is a low-risk, high-reward strategy. By simply educating your existing volunteers about the programs their employers already offer, you can unlock a sustainable stream of unrestricted revenue. Whether it is a dedicated page on your website, a recurring segment in your newsletter, or a prompt during registration, every mention brings you one step closer to capturing the billions of dollars in corporate philanthropy currently left on the table.

Start by auditing your current volunteer communications. Where can you insert a blurb? Which emails are your volunteers engaging with most? Once you identify these touchpoints, copy and paste the templates above to start the conversation. You won’t regret it!

Ready to take your corporate fundraising to the next level? Request a demo with Double the Donation to see how our automation tools can identify eligible volunteers and send blurbs like these on your behalf, maximizing your revenue with minimal effort.

Top Volunteer Time Off Best Practices-Tips & Tricks

Top Volunteer Time Off Best Practices: Tips & Tricks

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In the dynamic landscape of nonprofit management, securing reliable volunteer support is often just as challenging as securing funding. Organizations frequently struggle to fill shift rosters, particularly during standard business hours when most potential supporters are tied up at work. However, a growing trend in corporate social responsibility is changing this dynamic. Volunteer Time Off (VTO), a corporate benefit where employees receive paid time off to volunteer, is bridging the gap between professional obligations and community service. For nonprofits, advocating for and leveraging these programs is not just a nice-to-have strategy; it is a critical operational tool that can revolutionize how you staff your programs.

Despite the immense potential of VTO, many organizations fail to fully capitalize on it because they treat it as a passive benefit rather than an active recruitment tool. By implementing specific volunteer time off best practices, you can transform your volunteer management strategy. This involves shifting from simply accepting help to actively identifying eligible employees, tailoring your outreach to fill your hardest-to-staff hours, and communicating the unique value of these corporate partnerships.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover:

By mastering these practices, you can turn the standard 9-to-5 barrier into a new avenue for engagement, ensuring your mission is supported by a steady stream of dedicated, corporate-backed volunteers.

Understanding Volunteer Time Off (VTO)

Before executing a strategy, it is essential to understand exactly what you are leveraging. Paid volunteer time off is a mechanism through which employees partake in volunteer activities during work hours for regular pay. It is a specific type of employee benefit where team members receive a set number of hours designated for volunteerism above and beyond their existing paid time off (PTO).

The prevalence of these programs is growing rapidly. Currently, 66% of employers provide some sort of paid time off program for volunteering. Among companies that offer paid VTO, the average benefit is 20 hours per employee per year, which equals about 2.5 working days. This represents a massive pool of untapped hours that nonprofits can access.

Did You Know? The number of companies offering VTO has increased by 2 in 3 over the last decade. This surge reflects a shift in corporate culture where businesses are actively seeking ways to engage employees and support local communities simultaneously.

For the volunteer, VTO removes the primary barrier to service. Statistics show that 49% of individuals state work commitments are their biggest obstacle to volunteering. Furthermore, 62% of individuals report that the ability to volunteer during business hours would be the top factor for a positive experience. By targeting VTO, you are directly addressing the needs of your supporters while solving your own staffing challenges. Here are some best practices for doing so!

Best Practice 1: Collect Employment Info at Registration

The most critical step in leveraging VTO happens before a volunteer ever sets foot in your facility. You cannot promote relevant VTO opportunities if you do not know where your supporters work. Therefore, one of the most effective volunteer time off best practices is to integrate employment data collection directly into your registration and signup processes.

Here’s how you can do so:

Capture Data Upfront: When a supporter signs up for a shift or registers as a volunteer, include a field for “Employer” or “Company”. This should not be an afterthought; it should be a key part of your intake form. By knowing their employer immediately, you can determine if they have access to VTO benefits before they even attend the event.

Automate the Discovery: Advanced volunteer management integrations can streamline this process. For example, as a volunteer enters their information, a seamless integration can prompt them to search for their employer. If they select a company like Disney or Verizon, the system can instantly identify if that company offers a volunteer incentive program.

Incorporate Pre-Event Promotion: Once you have this data, you can tailor your pre-event communications. Instead of a generic confirmation email, you can send a personalized message: “We see you work for [Company Name]. Did you know they offer paid time off for volunteering? You might be able to use your VTO hours for this upcoming shift!” This proactive approach educates volunteers who may be unaware of their own benefits and encourages them to utilize them for your cause.

Best Practice 2: Fill Hard-to-Fill Volunteer Slots

One of the most significant operational headaches for nonprofits is finding coverage during the workday. Most volunteers work 9-to-5 jobs, leaving them available only on evenings and weekends. VTO is the perfect solution to this problem because it is specifically designed for volunteering during work hours.

Targeted Scheduling: Use your employment data to identify volunteers who work for companies with VTO programs. When you have gaps in your Tuesday morning or Thursday afternoon schedules, target these specific segments with your outreach. Frame the request around their benefit: “Take a break from the office and use your VTO hours to support us this Wednesday.”

Pitching “Civic Time Off:” Some VTO programs are categorized as “Civic Time Off”. This framing is particularly useful for administrative or skills-based volunteering that must happen during business hours. If you need a graphic designer or an accountant, pitch the opportunity to professionals at VTO-eligible firms as a way to use their work hours for social good.

Host Group Events During the Week: Encourage existing volunteers to organize group events with their colleagues during the workday. If a volunteer works at a VTO company, they can rally their team for a Wednesday afternoon service project. This fills multiple slots at once and creates a reliable pipeline of daytime support.

Best Practice 3: Communicate the Impact

To encourage utilization, you must articulate why using VTO matters. It isn’t just about the volunteer getting a paid day off; it is about the tangible value they bring to your organization. Volunteerism provides nonprofits with operational support without added costs.

Monetizing the Hour: When discussing VTO, quantify the value. Explain that by using VTO, volunteers are essentially donating their professional time to your cause. This support allows you to redirect funds that would have been spent on staffing or contractors toward direct mission delivery.

Enhancing Retention: Supporters are more likely to get involved and continue their support over time when their time is compensated by their employer. By encouraging VTO use, you are actually helping to build a more sustainable and loyal volunteer base. Communicate this to your supporters: “Using your VTO helps you stay consistent with your volunteering without burning out your personal free time.”

Highlighting Skill-Based Contributions: Corporate employees often bring professional expertise to the table, such as copywriting, graphic design, accounting, or legal services. When asking for VTO, highlight how these specialized volunteer skills provide affordable access to knowledge that accelerates your mission.

Best Practice 4: Promote VTO on Digital Channels

Awareness is the biggest hurdle. You need to make sure your supporters know that VTO exists and that you welcome it. A multi-channel marketing approach is essential for driving participation.

Create a Dedicated Web Page: Establish a dedicated “Volunteers” or “Corporate Engagement” page on your website. This page should serve as a centralized hub for resources, explaining what VTO is and listing top employers with programs. Explicitly state: “Check out our Volunteer Time Off page to see if your company offers a program”.

Incorporate Social Media Advocacy: Market volunteer time off programs on your social media channels. Share graphics that ask, “Does your company pay you to volunteer?” Include engaging visuals and testimonials from volunteers who have used VTO. Tag local businesses known for their programs to increase visibility.

Implement Smart Email Marketing: Incorporate VTO messaging into your regular newsletters. Use snippets like, “Monetize your volunteerism with employee volunteer grants or VTO”. Segment your lists to send specific VTO reminders to subscribers who have identified their employers in previous surveys or forms.

Quick Tip: Use a database tool on your website to allow volunteers to search for their eligibility. A simple search widget can instantly tell a user if their company offers VTO, minimum hours required, and links to forms .

Best Practice 5: Follow Up After the Event

The engagement loop isn’t closed until you’ve followed up. Even if a volunteer didn’t use VTO for a specific event, a post-event follow-up can plant the seed for next time or prompt a retroactive request if the company allows it.

Automated Thank-Yous: Set up automated email streams that trigger after a volunteer completes a shift. In the thank-you email, include a section on VTO: “Thank you for volunteering! Did you know your company might pay you for the time you just spent with us? Check your eligibility here.”

Encourage Future Sign-Ups: Use the follow-up to push for future daytime shifts. “Enjoyed having you! Since you work for [Company], you likely have 20 hours of VTO available. We’d love to see you at our next weekday event!” This personalized touch shows you value their time and understand their benefits.

Verify and Validate: If a volunteer does use VTO, be prompt in verifying their hours. Corporate programs often require digital or paper verification. Designating a staff member to handle these requests quickly ensures the volunteer gets their paid time and the company records the impact, increasing the likelihood of future support.

Best Practice 6: Get Familiar with Standout VTO Programs

Knowing which companies offer these benefits allows you to target your recruitment efforts. Here are a few notable examples:

  • Patagonia: Offers up to 18 paid volunteer hours per year and additional paid two-month internships for environmental activism .
  • Thomson Reuters: Provides two paid days (16 hours) of volunteer time each year.
  • GM Financial: Offers 8 hours of VTO per quarter for full-time staff and 4 hours for part-time staff .
  • Microsoft: Includes 30 hours of pro bono services each year and focuses on accessible legal knowledge.
  • Deloitte: This company is recognized for generous volunteer time off programs that encourage employee engagement.

Do any of your existing volunteers or other supporters work for these companies? Make sure you’re collecting employment data throughout the volunteer journey so that you can check!

Wrapping Up & Next Steps

Implementing these volunteer time off best practices can fundamentally change how your nonprofit staffs its operations. By moving the conversation from “can you spare some time?” to “use your work benefits to support us,” you unlock a new category of availability that is vital for daytime operations. VTO transforms volunteerism from a personal sacrifice into a professional benefit, creating a sustainable model for community engagement.

To get started, audit your registration forms to ensure you are collecting employment data. Build a dedicated section on your website for VTO resources, and begin targeting your daytime shift recruitment toward employees at VTO-friendly companies. With the right data and a proactive strategy, you can fill your schedule and deepen your corporate partnerships simultaneously.

Ready to streamline your corporate fundraising? Request a demo with Double the Donation to see how our industry-leading tools can help you identify, track, and secure more volunteer grants and matching gifts today.

Volunteer Grant Best Practices-What Nonprofits Should Know

Volunteer Grant Best Practices: What Nonprofits Should Know

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In the world of nonprofit fundraising, there is an old adage that “time is money.” While usually meant metaphorically, in the realm of corporate philanthropy, this is quite literally true. Volunteer grants, or programs where corporations donate monetary funds to nonprofits based on the number of hours their employees volunteer, represent one of the most valuable yet underutilized revenue streams available. For organizations relying on the dedication of volunteers to keep operations running, these grants offer a unique opportunity to monetize that time and secure “free money” that requires no additional solicitation.

Despite the clear benefits, billions of dollars in corporate philanthropy go unclaimed every year, simply because organizations and volunteers alike are unaware these programs exist. To bridge this gap and unlock this funding, nonprofits must move beyond passive hope and adopt a proactive strategy. Implementing structured volunteer grant best practices can transform your volunteer program from a labor resource into a significant revenue driver.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

Success in this arena does not require a massive overhaul of your current operations. Instead, it requires a shift in perspective and the application of a few key strategies. By treating volunteer grants with the same rigor as major gifts or matching donations, you can build a sustainable pipeline of corporate support that fuels your impact for years to come.

Understanding the Landscape of Volunteer Grants

Before diving into specific tactics, it is crucial to understand the mechanism and scale of the opportunity. Volunteer grants, often called “Dollars for Doers,” are corporate giving programs that award monetary grants to eligible nonprofits where employees volunteer. These programs recognize that time is a valuable asset and seek to support the organizations that their employees are passionate about.

The potential here is immense. Approximately 40% of Fortune 500 companies offer volunteer grant programs. The rate of giving varies, but 80% of companies with these programs offer between $8 and $15 per hour volunteered. For a volunteer who commits just 20 hours a year (the average offered by companies with paid volunteer time off programs), this could translate into hundreds of dollars in additional unrestricted revenue for your nonprofit.

However, the challenge lies in participation. The average employee participation level for volunteer grants sits at just 3%. This low engagement rate is rarely due to a lack of willingness but rather a lack of awareness. Volunteers often do not know their employer offers such a program, or they are unsure of the eligibility criteria and submission process. This gap represents your greatest opportunity. By educating your supporters and simplifying the process, you can capture the revenue that is currently being left on the table.

Best Practice 1: Collect Employment Information Early and Often

The foundation of any successful corporate fundraising strategy is data. You cannot advocate for a volunteer grant if you do not know which of your volunteers work for grant-making companies. Therefore, one of the most critical volunteer grant best practices is to systematically collect employment information.

Integrate into Registration: Don’t wait until after an event to learn who your volunteers are. Incorporate an optional field for “Employer” or “Company” into your volunteer registration forms and sign-up sheets. If you use a digital volunteer management system, ensure this data field is active and reportable.

Screen Your Database: Just as you would screen donors for major gift capacity, you should screen your volunteer database for corporate eligibility. Identifying volunteers who work for companies like Microsoft, which offers $25 per volunteer hour , or ExxonMobil, which offers $500 for every 20 hours, allows you to prioritize your outreach.

Regularly Refresh Data: Employment status changes. Make it a habit to ask volunteers to update their contact and employment information annually. A simple “Update Your Profile” campaign can uncover new opportunities among your existing base. By maintaining accurate records, you can segment your communications and send targeted reminders to those most likely to qualify for a grant.

Did You Know? Companies like Disney, Verizon, and Dell are known for their generous volunteer grant programs. Identifying volunteers from these major employers can lead to immediate revenue wins.

Best Practice 2: Communicate the “Double Impact”

Your volunteers are already highly motivated individuals who care deeply about your cause. To drive grant submissions, you need to connect their service to the financial health of your organization. This involves communicating the concept of “double impact”—that their time is valuable, but their time plus a grant is transformative.

Monetize the Message. When promoting volunteer opportunities, explicitly state that volunteers can “monetize their volunteerism” through employer grants. Use language that empowers them: “Did you know your 10 hours of service could provide $150 in funding for our programs?” This reframes the grant request not as an administrative chore, but as a second, equally powerful donation.

Use Visuals and Storytelling. Incorporate graphics into your newsletters and social media that illustrate the equation: 1 Hour of Volunteering + Corporate Grant = Greater Impact. Share success stories of other volunteers who have secured grants. For example, “Thanks to Sarah’s volunteer grant from her employer, we were able to purchase new supplies for our after-school program.”

Educate on Eligibility. Many volunteers assume they must be full-time executives to qualify. Clarify that many programs extend eligibility to part-time employees and even retirees. By dispelling these myths, you broaden the pool of potential applicants and encourage more supporters to check their status.

Best Practice 3: Master the Post-Event Follow-Up

The period immediately following a volunteer event is the “golden hour” for securing a grant. Volunteers are feeling good about their contribution and are still mentally engaged with your organization. This is the perfect time to make your ask.

Send a Dedicated Thank You: Within 24 to 48 hours of an event, send a personalized email thanking the volunteer for their time. In this email, seamlessly pivot to the grant opportunity.

The “Soft Ask” Template: “Thank you so much for helping us at the [Event Name]! We couldn’t do this without you. Did you know that your hard work might also be eligible for a volunteer grant from your employer? Many companies will donate money to nonprofits where their employees volunteer. It’s an easy way to double your impact without taking any more of your time. Please check with your HR department or visit our corporate giving page to learn more.”

Provide Actionable Links: If you know the volunteer’s employer, provide a direct link to their company’s submission portal or guidelines. If you use a matching gift database tool, include a search link so they can look up their eligibility instantly. The fewer clicks it takes to find the form, the more likely they are to submit it.

Best Practice 4: Create a Dedicated Web Page

Your website should be the central hub for all information regarding corporate philanthropy. Creating a dedicated “Volunteer Grants” or “Corporate Community” page is a best practice that serves both education and SEO purposes.

Centralize Resources. This page should explain what volunteer grants are, list top local employers with programs, and offer a step-by-step guide on how to submit a request. Include a database search tool if you have one, allowing visitors to check their eligibility in real-time.

Link Across Your Site. Don’t hide this page. Link to it from your main “Volunteer” landing page, your “Ways to Give” section, and even your donation confirmation screens. The goal is to make the concept of volunteer grants ubiquitous across your digital presence.

Host Forms and Guidelines. If your organization requires verification of hours (a common step in the grant process), explain that procedure clearly on this page. Provide contact information for a staff member who can assist with verification forms, ensuring that volunteers know exactly who to turn to for help.

Quick Tip: Use your dedicated web page to highlight specific program guidelines. For instance, if you have volunteers from CarMax, note that they match donations for dependents up to age 26, creating a family-wide culture of giving.

Best Practice 5: Leverage Group Volunteering

Group volunteer events are a goldmine for volunteer grants. When a company sends a team of employees to volunteer together, they are often signaling a strong internal culture of corporate social responsibility (or CSR).

Pitch the “Team Grant.” Many companies offer specific “team volunteer grants” that are separate from individual quotas. When coordinating a group event, ask the company organizer if such a grant is available. Pitch the event not just as a service day, but as a strategic partnership opportunity.

Capture Data on Site. During group events, ensure you capture the contact information of every individual participant, not just the team lead. This allows you to follow up with each employee individually to request their personal volunteer grant, in addition to any corporate sponsorship the company may have provided.

Celebrate the Partnership. After the event, publicize the company’s support on your social media channels. Tag the company and mention the impact of the volunteer grant. This positive reinforcement encourages the company to return next year and validates its CSR efforts with its customer base.

Best Practice 6: Invest in the Right Tools and Software

Managing volunteer grants manually can be time-consuming. As your program grows, investing in the right technology becomes an essential best practice to scale your revenue without burning out your staff.

Automate the Search Process: Tools like Double the Donation allow you to integrate employer search functionality directly into your volunteer forms. This empowers volunteers to discover their own eligibility without your team needing to research every individual.

Implement Triggered Emails: Automation platforms can send triggered emails based on the employment data you collect. If a volunteer identifies as an employee of The Home Depot, the system can automatically send them the specific guidelines and forms for The Home Depot’s grant program, ensuring the right information reaches the right person at the right time.

Ensure Smart Tracking and Reporting: Dedicated software provides robust dashboards that help you track the status of grant submissions and identify revenue trends. Knowing which companies are generating the most grants allows you to focus your relationship-building efforts where they will yield the highest return.

Wrapping Up & Next Steps

Implementing these volunteer grant best practices is a strategic investment in your nonprofit’s financial sustainability. By shifting your approach from passive acceptance to active advocacy, you unlock a hidden revenue stream that complements your existing fundraising efforts. Volunteer grants not only provide essential, unrestricted funding but also deepen your supporters’ engagement, transforming them from one-time helpers into lifelong champions of your cause.

To get started, audit your current data collection methods and ensure you are capturing employment information from your volunteers. Build a dedicated page on your website to house your resources, and begin incorporating “double impact” messaging into your post-event follow-ups. With consistent effort and the right tools, you can turn volunteer hours into a powerful engine for growth.

Ready to streamline your corporate fundraising? Request a demo with Double the Donation to see how our industry-leading tools can help you identify, track, and secure more volunteer grants and matching gifts today. You won’t be sorry!

Advocating for a VTO Program-Ultimate Guide for Volunteers

Advocating for a VTO Program: Ultimate Guide for Volunteers

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Volunteers are the lifeblood of any nonprofit organization. They dedicate their time, energy, and skills to help you achieve your mission, often balancing their service with full-time jobs and personal responsibilities. But what if those full-time jobs actually paid them to volunteer with you? This isn’t a fantasy; it is the reality of Volunteer Time Off (VTO). While many forward-thinking companies have already adopted these programs, thousands more have yet to formalize their corporate volunteering policies. This presents a massive, untapped opportunity for your organization: empowering your supporters to champion the cause from the inside out.

Advocating for a VTO program is a strategic initiative that turns your most dedicated volunteers into corporate ambassadors. When an employee approaches their leadership with a proposal for paid volunteer time, they offer a solution to modern business challenges such as employee burnout, retention, and engagement. As a nonprofit leader, your role is to equip these supporters with the research, data, and narrative they need to make a compelling pitch. By doing so, you not only secure more daytime volunteer hours for your own organization but also help foster a culture of philanthropy in the wider business community.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

By the end of this article, you will be equipped to help your volunteers unlock thousands of hours of paid service, transforming sporadic weekend warriors into reliable, weekday partners.

What is Volunteer Time Off (VTO)?

Before you can ask a volunteer to advocate for a policy, everyone involved needs a clear understanding of what is being requested. Volunteer Time Off (VTO) is a corporate benefit in which employers grant employees paid time off to volunteer with nonprofit organizations. This is distinct from standard Paid Time Off (PTO) because it does not eat into an employee’s vacation or sick days. Instead, it is a separate bank of hours—typically ranging from 8 to 40 hours per year—designated solely for community service.

For the nonprofit, VTO is a game-changer. It unlocks the “9-to-5” window, allowing skilled professionals to volunteer during your operating hours without financial penalty. For the employee, it signals that their company values their personal passions and community involvement. For the company, it is a powerful branding and retention tool. Despite these benefits, many companies simply haven’t implemented a program because they aren’t aware of the structure or fear productivity losses. This is where your advocacy strategy comes into play.

Why Companies Should Care: The Business Case

When a volunteer walks into their HR director’s office to discuss advocating for a VTO program, they cannot lead with your nonprofit’s needs. The pitch must be centered on the company’s benefits. Corporate leadership thinks in terms of ROI, retention, and recruitment. You need to arm your volunteers with the data that proves VTO is an investment, not an expense.

Employee Retention and Recruitment

The modern workforce, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, demands more than just a paycheck. They want purpose. Studies consistently show that employees are more likely to stay with a company that supports their philanthropic interests. A VTO program is a low-cost, high-impact benefit that differentiates a company in a competitive hiring market. It tells prospective hires that the company cares about work-life balance and community impact.

Combatting Burnout

Burnout is a significant cost to businesses, leading to lower productivity and higher turnover. Volunteering has been proven to reduce stress and increase feelings of well-being. By offering VTO, companies are essentially providing a wellness benefit that recharges their workforce. An employee who spends a Friday afternoon planting trees or mentoring students returns to work on Monday feeling refreshed and connected, rather than drained.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Visibility

Consumers prefer to buy from companies that do good. A formal VTO program gives a company authentic stories to tell. Instead of just writing a check, they can showcase photos of their team making a tangible difference in the community. This builds brand loyalty and strengthens community relations, which is invaluable for local businesses.

Did You Know? According to recent corporate giving statistics,  more than 66% of companies now offer some form of paid-release time for volunteering. If your volunteer’s employer doesn’t offer VTO, they are falling behind the industry standard. This fear of missing out (FOMO) can be a powerful motivator for corporate leadership to modernize its benefits package.

Step 1: Preparing Your Volunteers for Advocacy

The most effective advocate for a VTO program is an internal champion—an employee who loves their job and loves your mission. However, you shouldn’t send them into the boardroom unprepared. The first step in advocating for a VTO program is research.

Analyze the Current Benefits Landscape. Ask your volunteer to look at their current employee handbook. Does the company already have a matching gift program? Do they sponsor local events? If there is existing philanthropic activity, a VTO program is a natural next step. If there is nothing, the “ask” might need to start smaller, perhaps with a single day of service.

Research Competitor Offerings. Nothing spurs action like competition. Help your volunteer find out if their company’s direct competitors offer VTO. If “Company A” offers 16 hours of VTO and “Company B” offers none, Company B is at a disadvantage for recruiting talent. Providing this competitive intelligence allows the employee to frame the request as a necessary step to stay competitive in the market.

Gather Internal Support. Advocacy is stronger in numbers. Encourage your volunteer to talk to their colleagues. Are there other employees who volunteer? Would they use VTO if it were available? Walking into a meeting with a petition or a list of interested employees shows that this is a company-wide desire, not just a personal request.

Step 2: Identifying the Decision Makers

Knowing who to pitch is just as important as the pitch itself. In a massive global corporation, this decision might sit with a dedicated CSR team. However, in small to mid-sized businesses where new VTO programs are most likely to be launched, the decision-maker is often closer to home.

Human Resources (HR). For most companies, VTO is categorized as an employee benefit. The HR Director is often the best entry point because they are directly responsible for recruitment, retention, and morale. They are the ones analyzing exit interviews and looking for ways to keep staff happy. A VTO program is a tool in their arsenal.

The CEO or Business Owner. In smaller organizations, the owner makes every financial decision. If your volunteer has a direct relationship with the leadership, a casual conversation can be the spark. Owners often want to give back but fear the loss of productivity. A direct assurance from a high-performing employee can alleviate those fears.

Marketing Leadership. If the company is struggling with brand identity or local visibility, the Marketing Director might be the internal champion you need. They will see the VTO program as a source of content and positive PR. They can argue for the program from a branding perspective, adding weight to the HR arguments.

Step 3: Structuring the VTO Proposal

Once the groundwork is laid, it is time to make the formal request. While the conversation should be organic, having a structured proposal helps. You can even provide your volunteers with a template or a “one-pager” that they can customize to fit their own needs.

For the best results, the VTO proposal should address the “What,” the “Why,” and the “How” of the intended program:

The Introduction: Start with gratitude for the company’s current culture and a statement of the employee’s dedication. Then, pivot to the need.

  • Example: “I am proud to work for a company that values its people. In talking with my colleagues, many of us are passionate about giving back to our community but struggle to find the time during the traditional work week.”

The Proposal: Clearly define what VTO is. Avoid vague language.

  • Example: “I propose we pilot a Volunteer Time Off (VTO) program. This would provide each full-time employee with 8 hours of paid time annually to volunteer with a 501(c)(3) nonprofit of their choice. This is a standard benefit offered by 66% of companies today.”

The Benefits: Reiterate the business case.

  • Example: “Implementing this program would boost our team’s morale, provide excellent content for our social media channels, and help us attract socially conscious talent. It aligns perfectly with our company value of ‘Community First’.”

The Guardrails: Address productivity concerns immediately.

  • Example: “The program would require manager approval for all time off to ensure business needs are met. We can restrict eligibility to employees in good standing and require verification from the nonprofit to ensure the time is used appropriately.”

Ready to get started with a compelling VTO proposal? Jump ahead to our free, customizable template that can help your supporters advocate for VTO programming with ease.

Step 4: Proposing a Pilot Program

Change can be scary for corporate leadership. If the answer to a full VTO program is “no” or “not right now,” encourage your volunteer to pivot to a pilot program. A pilot is a low-risk way for a company to test the waters without committing to a permanent policy change.

The “Day of Service” Pilot: Suggest a single, company-wide Day of Service. The company closes for a half-day or allows a specific department to take an afternoon off to volunteer together. This allows leadership to see the team-building benefits firsthand with minimal disruption.

The Departmental Pilot: Recommend that one department (e.g., Marketing or Sales) trials the VTO policy for six months. If productivity remains stable and employee satisfaction rises, the program can be rolled out to the rest of the company.

The “Dollars for Doers” Alternative: If paid time off is strictly off the table due to hourly billing or coverage issues, suggest a Volunteer Grant program instead. In this model, the employee volunteers on their own time (evenings/weekends), and the company makes a monetary donation to the nonprofit. This achieves the CSR goals without affecting work hours.

Quick Tip:When advocating for a VTO program, remind the company that they can cap the number of hours. Starting with 8 hours (one day) per year is a very manageable risk. It equates to less than 0.5% of an employee’s total working hours, yet the perceived value to the employee is massive.

Bonus: Free Template to Advocate for a VTO Program

To ensure your supporters feel confident approaching their leadership, provide them with a pre-written email template they can adapt as needed. This kind of “copy-paste” resource removes the anxiety of drafting a proposal from scratch and ensures the pitch clearly highlights the benefits of volunteer time off , such as improved employee retention and strengthened corporate social responsibility.

Take a look:

Subject: Proposal: Boosting Employee Engagement through a Volunteer Time Off Pilot

Dear [Name of Manager/HR Director],

I am writing to you because I am proud to work for a company that values [insert company value, e.g., community, leadership, or innovation]. My experience working here has been incredibly rewarding, and I wanted to share an idea that could help us further strengthen our team culture.

As you may know, I actively volunteer with [Nonprofit]. Dedicating my time to this cause helps me build leadership skills and stay energized, which I strive to bring back to my work every day. However, finding time to volunteer during standard business hours can be a challenge.

The Proposal
I would love to see [Company] consider launching a pilot Volunteer Time Off (VTO) program. This is a standard benefit where the company grants employees a small bank of paid hours (e.g., 8 hours per year) specifically to volunteer with a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Why It Matters for Us

  • Retention & Recruitment: Studies show that employees are more likely to stay with companies that support their philanthropic passions.
  • Wellness: Volunteering is a proven way to reduce burnout and increase workplace satisfaction.
  • Community Visibility: It creates authentic stories about our team’s impact that we can share with clients and on social media.

The Ask
I am not asking for a permanent policy change today. I would simply like to request a brief 15-minute meeting to discuss what a “Day of Service” or a departmental pilot program might look like. I have some data on how we can structure this to ensure it doesn’t impact productivity.

Thank you for your time and for continuing to make [Company] a great place to work.

Best regards,

[Your Name]
[Your Job Title]

As you share this template, remind your volunteers that this resource is simply a starting point. They should feel empowered to customize each section to reflect their specific company culture, whether that means focusing on employee engagement metrics or highlighting specific community partnerships.

The Nonprofit’s Role: Supporting the Advocate

You cannot simply ask your volunteer to “go get us a VTO program” and walk away. You must be an active partner in their advocacy. Your organization needs to provide the resources that make them look professional and prepared.

Create a VTO One-Pager: Design a branded PDF that explains the benefits of VTO from a nonprofit perspective. Include statistics on how volunteer hours translate into community impact. This document gives your volunteer something physical to hand to their boss.

Offer to Host the First Event: Make the “Yes” easy. Tell your volunteer, “If your company agrees to a pilot, we will host the first team-building day. We will organize the activity, provide lunch, and take photos for your company newsletter.” Removing the logistical burden from the company makes the proposal much more attractive.

Be Responsive: If a company reaches out to verify hours or ask questions, answer immediately. Corporate partners move fast. If your administrative process is slow, they may decide the program is too much hassle.

Overcoming Common Objections

When advocating for a VTO program, your volunteers will likely face resistance. Equip them with responses to the most common objections.

  • Objection: “We can’t afford to pay people not to work.”
    • Response: VTO is cheaper than turnover. The cost of one day of salary is significantly less than the thousands of dollars it costs to recruit and train a new employee. VTO builds loyalty that saves money in the long run.
  • Objection: “Employees will abuse it to take vacations.”
    • Response: The policy will require verification. The employee must provide a signature or letter from the 501(c)(3) nonprofit confirming the hours were served. Without proof, the time is deducted from their standard vacation bank.
  • Objection: “It’s a scheduling nightmare.”
    • Response: VTO is treated exactly like PTO or a doctor’s appointment. It requires manager approval and advance notice. Business needs always come first; if it’s a busy week, the request can be denied.

When your dedicated supporters are well-prepared with recommended solutions to their employers’ concerns, you increase the likelihood that a VTO program will ultimately be born.

Conclusion: Wrapping Up & Next Steps

Advocating for a VTO program is a long-term investment. It transforms the relationship between your nonprofit and your volunteers from a simple transaction of time into a strategic partnership. By empowering your supporters to champion this cause, you are helping them create a better workplace while securing vital resources for your mission.

When a company adopts a VTO program, it unlocks a floodgate of potential. Suddenly, their entire workforce becomes a pool of potential daytime volunteers. The ripple effects—financial grants, sponsorships, board members—can last for years.

Ready to mobilize your advocates?

  • Segment your list: Run a report to find consistent volunteers who work for small to mid-sized local businesses.
  • Make the ask: Reach out to your top 10 candidates. Invite them for coffee and pitch the idea of them becoming a VTO advocate.
  • Equip them: Send them the data and templates they need to succeed.

Your volunteers are already giving you their hearts and hands. With your help, they can give you the gift of time, paid for by their employers.

Ready to supercharge your efforts with the right technology? See how Double the Donation Volunteering can help power your organization’s corporate volunteer engagement. Request a personalized demo today!

Advocating for a Volunteer Grant Program-Supporter’s Guide

Advocating for a Volunteer Grant Program: Supporter’s Guide

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Your volunteers are the heartbeat of your organization. They show up early to set up events, they stay late to clean up, and they dedicate their unique skills to furthering your mission. But what if their impact could go even further? What if every hour they donated also resulted in a monetary contribution to your cause? This is the power of a volunteer grant program. While many major corporations already offer these “Dollars for Doers” initiatives, thousands of companies have yet to formalize their corporate philanthropy. This presents a unique opportunity for your nonprofit: empowering your supporters to champion the cause from the inside out.

Advocating for a volunteer grant program is a strategic move that transforms your volunteers from supporters into partners in revenue generation. When an employee approaches their leadership with a well-structured proposal for a corporate giving program, they are not just asking for money. They are offering a solution to employee engagement, retention, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) challenges. As a nonprofit professional, your role is to equip these volunteers with the data, the narrative, and the confidence to make that pitch successfully.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

By the end of this article, you will have a roadmap for turning your most passionate volunteers into corporate ambassadors who can unlock new, sustainable revenue streams for your mission.

Understanding the Value of Volunteer Grants

Before asking a volunteer to approach their boss, it is essential to understand exactly what is being requested. Volunteer grant programs are corporate giving initiatives where companies provide monetary donations to eligible nonprofits as a recognition of the time their employees volunteer. For example, a company might donate $500 for every 20 hours an employee serves, or they might offer a set rate of $25 per volunteer hour.

These programs effectively bridge the gap between time and money. For the nonprofit, it means unrestricted revenue. For the volunteer, it validates their personal sacrifice of time. And for the company, it provides a tangible way to support the community while boosting employee morale.

Despite these clear benefits, many small to mid-sized businesses simply have not considered implementing a program because they lack the framework or assume it is too administratively burdensome. This is where your advocacy (and the advocacy of your existing supporters) comes in.

Preparing for Advocacy: Research and Alignment

The first step in advocating for a volunteer grant program is not the pitch itself, but the preparation. You need to help your volunteer understand their company’s current landscape. Sending a volunteer into a meeting with the CEO without background knowledge is a recipe for failure. Instead, encourage them to act as a consultant analyzing the company’s culture.

Analyze the Current Culture

Does the company already participate in community events? Do they sponsor a local Little League team or host an annual food drive? If a company already demonstrates a propensity for giving, formalizing a volunteer grant program is a natural evolution rather than a radical shift.

Review Competitor Offerings

Nothing motivates corporate leadership quite like competition. If a direct competitor or a similar-sized company in the same region offers a volunteer grant program, that is a powerful leverage point. Help your volunteer research industry standards. For instance, 40% of Fortune 500 companies offer volunteer grant programs. If their employer wants to compete for top talent, they need to match the benefits packages of industry leaders.

Quick Tip: Use resources like Double the Donation’s corporate giving database or public CSR reports to find examples of companies in the same industry that already have successful volunteer grant programs. Concrete examples make the concept feel less risky to hesitant executives.

Building the Business Case: The “Why” for the Company

When a volunteer walks into their HR director’s office, they should not lead with how much the nonprofit needs money. They must lead with how the company will benefit from the program. Corporate philanthropy is an investment, and like any investment, leadership wants to see a Return on Investment (ROI).

Employee Engagement and Retention

The strongest argument for advocating for a volunteer grant program is talent management. Modern employees, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, demand more from their employers than just a paycheck. They want to work for organizations that share their values. Studies consistently show that companies with robust CSR programs have lower turnover rates and higher employee satisfaction scores.

Skill Development

Volunteering is often an unofficial training ground. An employee who serves on a nonprofit board learns governance and strategic planning. An employee who organizes a fundraising walk learns project management and logistics. By supporting these activities through grants, the company is effectively subsidizing professional development that benefits their own workforce.

Brand Reputation and Community Relations

Consumers vote with their wallets, and they increasingly favor companies with a strong social conscience. A volunteer grant program provides excellent fodder for marketing and public relations. It allows the company to say, “We don’t just write checks; our people show up, and we back them up.”

Did You Know? Companies with engaged employees see 81% lower absenteeism and 43% lower turnover. When you pitch a volunteer grant program, you are actually pitching a strategy to improve the company’s bottom line through a happier, more stable workforce.

Identifying the Decision Maker

Knowing who to pitch is just as important as knowing what to pitch. In a massive corporation, the decision might lie with a CSR department or a foundation director. However, in the small to mid-sized businesses where advocacy is most needed, the decision-maker is likely different.

Human Resources (HR)

For many companies, volunteer grants fall under “Employee Benefits.” HR directors are often the best entry point because they are directly responsible for employee engagement and retention strategies. They are the ones feeling the pain of turnover and looking for cost-effective ways to boost morale.

Marketing and Public Relations

If the company is focused on brand image, the Marketing Director might be the champion you need. They will see the value in the “good news stories” generated by the grants.

The C-Suite

In smaller companies, the CEO or owner makes every financial decision. If the volunteer has a direct line to leadership, a casual conversation expressing their passion for the nonprofit can plant the seed.

Drafting the Proposal: What to Say

Once the research is done and the target is identified, it is time to construct the pitch. Your nonprofit can support the volunteer by providing a template or talking points, but the request needs to come authentically from the employee.

The Introduction

The volunteer should start by expressing their gratitude for working at the company and their passion for their community service. Example: “I’ve been volunteering with [Nonprofit Name] for two years, and it has been an incredibly rewarding experience that helps me stay energized in my work here.”

The Problem

Identify the gap. Example: “I’ve noticed that while many of our competitors offer volunteer grant programs to support employee passions, we don’t currently have a formal way to recognize this service.”

The Solution

Propose the volunteer grant program. Example: “I would love to see us implement a volunteer grant program. It’s a simple system where the company donates a set amount for every hour an employee volunteers. It would show the team that the company values our time and our community.”

The Ask

Don’t ask for a massive budget immediately. Ask for a conversation or a pilot. Example: “Could we set up a brief meeting to discuss what a pilot program might look like? I have some data on how this could boost our employee engagement scores.”

Overcoming Common Objections

When advocating for a volunteer grant program, resistance is normal. Companies are protective of their budgets and wary of administrative bloat. Prepare your volunteers to answer these common concerns.

  • Objection: “We can’t afford it.”
    • Response: Volunteer grants are scalable. You can cap the total donation per employee (e.g., $500 per year) and the total program budget. Unlike a blank check, the company controls the maximum exposure. Furthermore, the cost of the grants is often tax-deductible, and it is significantly cheaper than the cost of recruiting new employees to replace those who leave due to disengagement.
  • Objection: “It’s too much paperwork to manage.”
    • Response: Technology has solved this. There are numerous third-party platforms (CSR software) that verify hours and process payments automatically. For smaller programs, a simple form signed by the nonprofit is all that is needed. The administrative burden is minimal compared to the cultural payout.
  • Objection: “How do we know the charities are legitimate?”
    • Response: The policy can restrict grants to 501(c)(3) organizations in good standing. This ensures the funds are going to verified charitable causes and not political or controversial groups.

Quick Tip: Suggest a “Dollars for Doers” pilot program for a single quarter or for a specific department. This allows the company to test the waters, see the employee response, and measure the budget impact before rolling it out company-wide.

Free Template: Advocating for a Volunteer Grant Program

Empower your supporters to advocate effectively. Your team can make it easy by providing helpful resources such as this pre-written template!

Subject: Proposal: Enhancing Employee Engagement through Corporate Volunteer Grants

Dear [Name of HR Director or Manager],

I am writing to you today because I am proud to work for a company that values [mention a specific company value, e.g., community, leadership, or integrity]. My experience working here has been incredibly rewarding, and I wanted to share an idea that could help us further strengthen our culture and employee engagement.

As you may know, outside of my role at [Company Name], I actively volunteer with [Nonprofit]. Dedicating my time to this cause helps me build leadership skills and stay energized, which I strive to bring back to my work every day.

I have noticed that many companies in our industry are implementing Volunteer Grant programs (often called “Dollars for Doers”) to recognize this kind of service. Currently, we do not have a formal way to recognize or match the time employees dedicate to the community.

The Proposal I would love to see [Company] consider launching a pilot volunteer grant program. This is a simple initiative where the company provides a modest monetary donation (e.g., $250 or $500) to a nonprofit once an employee has volunteered a specific number of hours (e.g., 20 hours) with them.

Why It Matters for [Company]

  • Employee Retention: It shows the team that the company values our passions and our time, which is a key driver for satisfaction.
  • Professional Development: It effectively subsidizes the soft skills (like project management and teamwork) that employees learn while volunteering.
  • Brand Reputation: It creates powerful stories about our team’s community impact that we can share with clients and customers.

I am not asking for a large budget commitment today. I would simply like to request a brief 15-minute meeting to share some research I’ve found on how a “pilot program” could work and the potential return on investment for our team.

Thank you for your time and for continuing to make [Company] a great place to work.

Best regards,

[Your Name]
[Your Job Title]

The Nonprofit’s Role: Supporting the Advocate

While the volunteer makes the pitch, the nonprofit provides the ammunition. You cannot be passive in this process. You must actively resource your supporters to be effective advocates.

Create an Advocacy Toolkit

Don’t make your volunteers reinvent the wheel. Instead, create a digital toolkit that includes:

  • A one-page summary of the benefits of corporate philanthropy.
  • Sample letters or emails they can send to HR (such as the one above).
  • A graphic showing the impact of a potential grant (e.g., “$500 buys school supplies for 20 kids”).
  • Your nonprofit’s Tax ID and proof of 501(c)(3) status.

Verify Hours Promptly

If a company agrees to a pilot, your responsiveness is critical. When a volunteer logs hours, verify them immediately. If the administrative side is slow or difficult on your end, the company may decide the program is too much hassle to continue with.

Showcase the Impact

When a volunteer successfully advocates for a grant, celebrate it! Feature the volunteer and their company in your newsletter. Send a personalized thank-you note to the company leadership. Showing the company the public recognition they receive reinforces the decision and encourages them to renew or expand the program.

Establishing Program Parameters

If the company is interested but unsure how to structure the program, your volunteer can offer suggestions based on industry standards. This positions them as a helpful partner rather than just a requester.

Standard Thresholds

Most companies require a minimum number of hours to trigger a grant. A common threshold is 10 to 20 hours per year. This ensures the employee is committed before funds are disbursed.

Grant Amounts

Suggest a starting rate of $10 to $15 per hour, or a flat tier system (e.g., $250 for 20 hours, $500 for 50 hours).

Eligible Organizations

Advise the company to keep the eligibility broad (any 501c3) to be most inclusive of employee passions, rather than restricting it to a single cause.

Wrapping Up & Next Steps

Advocating for a volunteer grant program is a long-term play. It might take months of conversations, budget reviews, and policy drafting. However, the payoff is substantial. A single new corporate program can generate revenue for your nonprofit for decades to come.

By empowering your volunteers to take this step, you are doing more than asking for money. You are helping them build a better workplace and fostering a deeper connection between their professional lives and their philanthropic passions.

Ready to get started?

  • Audit your volunteer list: Identify volunteers who work for mid-sized local companies that may not have programs yet.
  • Reach out: Send a personal email to your most dedicated volunteers asking if they would be willing to be an advocate.
  • Equip: Send them the toolkit and offer to do a role-play call to practice the pitch.

Your volunteers are already giving you their time. With a little support, they can give you the key to unlocking corporate treasury. Start the conversation today; request a personalized demo of Double the Donation Volunteering to see how our tools can help.

Navigating Volunteer Time Off Guidelines for Nonprofits

Navigating Volunteer Time Off Guidelines for Nonprofits

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The scarcest resource for any nonprofit is not always funding; often, it is time. You have the mission and the vision, but you need the hands-on support to execute it. Conversely, for your supporters, the desire to help is frequently overruled by the demands of the 9-to-5 workday. This friction between the need for help and the lack of time is exactly what Corporate Volunteer Time Off (VTO) is designed to eliminate. However, simply knowing that VTO exists isn’t enough. To truly capitalize on this corporate benefit, your organization must understand the specific rules of the road: volunteer time off guidelines.

Corporate VTO programs are governed by strict policies that dictate who can volunteer, when they can do it, and for which organizations. These guidelines serve as the gatekeepers to thousands of hours of skilled, energetic, and cost-free labor. When a nonprofit development team takes the time to understand these parameters, they stop viewing VTO as a vague concept and start seeing it as a predictable resource. You can design shifts that fit perfectly into corporate “time blocks,” target employees who have the most hours to burn, and provide the exact verification documentation companies require.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

By mastering the nuances of these guidelines, you can position your nonprofit as the “easiest place to volunteer,” encouraging professionals to spend their paid leave advancing your mission rather than leaving those hours unused at the end of the year.

What Are Volunteer Time Off Guidelines?

Volunteer Time Off guidelines are the internal policies that corporations use to manage their employee volunteer programs. While the concept of VTO is simple (paying employees to volunteer during work hours), the execution can be complex. Companies must balance their philanthropic goals with business continuity. They cannot have their entire sales team vanish on the last day of the quarter, nor can they support organizations that conflict with their corporate values.

These guidelines function as a contract between the employer and the employee. They outline the rights, responsibilities, and limitations of the benefit. For the nonprofit, these guidelines are the “rules of engagement.” If you understand them, you can help your volunteers navigate them. If you ignore them, you risk scheduling events that no corporate partner can attend.

Did You Know? The adoption of VTO is accelerating rapidly. Approximately 66% of companies now offer some form of paid-release time for volunteering. However, utilization rates often lag because employees are unsure of the guidelines or fear asking their managers for time off. Nonprofits play a crucial role in validating this benefit.

Employee Eligibility: Who Gets the Time Off?

The first section of any VTO policy document defines who has access to the benefit. Unlike matching gift programs, which often extend to retirees and spouses, VTO is strictly an employee benefit, and usually a restrictive one. Understanding these distinctions helps you target your volunteer recruitment efforts effectively.

Full-Time vs. Part-Time Status

Standard guidelines typically reserve VTO for full-time, salaried employees. These individuals are often given a set bank of hours (e.g., 16 hours) to use annually. Part-time or hourly workers may have reduced benefits or may be excluded entirely to avoid complications with overtime pay and shift coverage. When recruiting, it is safer to assume that your corporate contacts in management or administrative roles have access to VTO, while hourly retail staff may not.

Probationary Periods

Most companies institute a waiting period for new hires. Guidelines often state that an employee becomes eligible for VTO only after completing 90 days or 6 months of employment. This is important for nonprofits to remember when engaging with new corporate partners. Don’t ask the newest hires to take a day off in their first week.

Performance Standing

VTO is a perk, not a right. Many guidelines include a clause stating that employees must be in “good standing” to request time off. If an employee is on a performance improvement plan or has attendance issues, their VTO request will likely be denied. This underscores the importance of VTO as a reward for high performers—the exact type of motivated, capable people you want volunteering at your organization.

Nonprofit Qualification: Does Your Mission Fit?

Just as with grants, companies put strict boundaries around where their employees can spend their time. They want to ensure their brand is associated with reputable, non-controversial organizations.

501(c)(3) Status

The baseline requirement in almost all volunteer time off guidelines is that the beneficiary organization must be a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you are a fiscally sponsored project or a community group without official status, employees may not be able to use VTO to support you.

Mission Alignment and Exclusions

While VTO policies are generally more permissive than cash grant policies, exclusions still apply. Common exclusions in VTO guidelines include:

  • Political Activities: Employees cannot use VTO to campaign for candidates or work at polling places.
  • Religious Worship: While volunteering at a church-run soup kitchen is usually permitted, using VTO to teach Sunday School or participate in religious services is typically banned.
  • Discriminatory Groups: Companies will not approve VTO for organizations whose policies conflict with their internal non-discrimination standards.

“Personal Interest” vs. Community Service

Guidelines often distinguish between hobbies and service. For example, coaching a child’s soccer team might be considered a personal interest activity that requires vacation time, whereas coaching a team for an at-risk youth program would qualify for VTO. Understanding this nuance helps you frame your volunteer opportunities correctly. You aren’t just offering “fun activities”; you are offering “community service opportunities.”

Quick Tip: If you are a religious organization, emphasize your secular community services (like food pantries or shelter operations) when pitching to corporate volunteers. Make it clear that the volunteer activity serves the general public and is not religious in nature to satisfy corporate compliance officers.

Understanding Hour Allocations and Caps

How much time can a volunteer actually give you? This is determined by the “allocation” section of the guidelines. This data is critical for planning your volunteer shifts. If you know a local company offers 8 hours of VTO, scheduling a 10-hour event creates a logistical problem for their employees.

The “Hours per Year” Model

Most companies allocate a specific bank of hours that resets annually.

  • 8 Hours (1 Day): Common for smaller companies or those new to VTO.
  • 16-20 Hours (2-2.5 Days): A standard benchmark for major corporations.
  • 40+ Hours (1 Week): Offered by leaders in CSR like Salesforce or Deloitte.

Incremental Usage

Guidelines also dictate how these hours can be used. Can an employee take 1 hour off every Friday to mentor a student? Or must they take full-day or half-day blocks?

  • Minimum Increments: Many policies require VTO to be taken in minimum increments of 2 or 4 hours to minimize disruption to the workday.
  • Shift Implications: If your volunteer shifts are only 1 hour long, it might be harder for employees with “4-hour minimum” policies to participate. Offering “half-day” shifts (e.g., 9 AM to 1 PM) is often the sweet spot that aligns with the majority of corporate guidelines.

Use It or Lose It

VTO hours almost never roll over to the next year. This creates a “use it or lose it” dynamic. This guideline creates a massive opportunity for nonprofits in Q4 (October, November, December). Employees realize they have 8 or 16 hours of unused VTO that will vanish on December 31st. Positioning your holiday opportunities as a way to “maximize your benefits” can drive a surge in year-end support.

The Request and Approval Workflow

Unlike showing up on a Saturday, VTO requires a formal approval chain. Understanding this workflow helps you set realistic timelines for recruitment. You cannot expect a corporate group to show up tomorrow; they need time to navigate their internal red tape.

The Advance Notice Requirement

Guidelines typically require employees to submit VTO requests at least 1 to 2 weeks in advance. For large groups, the lead time might be a month. This allows managers to ensure shift coverage.

Nonprofit Strategy: Market your VTO opportunities well in advance. “Plan your VTO day for next month” is a more effective call to action than “Help us tomorrow.”

Manager Discretion

The approval process almost always hinges on “business needs.” Even if an employee has hours available, their manager can deny the request if the team is busy.

Nonprofit Strategy: Provide volunteers with ammunition to pitch their managers. Give them a one-pager describing the skills they will build or the team-bonding aspects of the event. If the manager sees it as professional development, they are more likely to approve the time off.

The Tracking Portal

Employees usually have to log their request in an HR portal (like Workday, Benevity, or CyberGrants). They will need your organization’s details—address, Tax ID, and contact person—to complete the request. Providing this info upfront removes friction.

Verification Requirements and Compliance

Corporate generosity comes with a need for accountability. Companies need proof that their employees were actually volunteering and not just taking a day off to go to the beach. Volunteer time off guidelines spell out the verification process.

Proof of Service

After the event, employees are often required to submit some form of proof. This might be:

  • A signed letter from the nonprofit on letterhead.
  • An email confirmation from a volunteer coordinator.
  • A digital signature within the giving platform.

Compliance for Nonprofits

If you fail to verify these hours, the employee might get in trouble, or they might not get paid for that day. This damages your relationship with the donor.

Best Practice: Be proactive. Have a “VTO Verification Station” at your event where volunteers can get their forms signed before they leave. Alternatively, send an automated email immediately after the shift with a digital verification letter attached.

Did You Know? VTO verification is often the trigger for Volunteer Grants. Many platforms (like Benevity) treat the VTO verification as a logged hour for grant purposes. By verifying the time off swiftly, you may also be unlocking a check for $20 per hour served.

Leveraging Guidelines to Recruit Volunteers

Knowledge is only useful if it is applied. Once you understand the general structure of volunteer time off guidelines, you can use this information to revolutionize your recruitment strategy.

Targeted Shift Design

Stop designing volunteer shifts in a vacuum. Look at the guidelines of the top employers in your city. If the largest employer offers 4-hour blocks of VTO, ensure you have 4-hour shifts available on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (mid-week is often easier for VTO than Mondays or Fridays).

The “Benefit Reminder” Campaign

In your newsletters, don’t just ask for time. Remind donors of their own guidelines.

  • Subject Line: “You might have a paid day off waiting for you.”
  • Body: “Did you know that many local companies, including [Company A] and [Company B], offer 16 hours of paid Volunteer Time Off? Check your employee handbook guidelines—you might be able to join us for a shift without using vacation time!”

Empowering Employee Champions

Find the “super volunteer” within a specific company and arm them with knowledge about their own guidelines. Often, employees don’t read the handbook. If you can tell a volunteer, “Actually, your company guidelines allow you to bring a team of 10 people for a paid service day,” that volunteer becomes an internal advocate who recruits their colleagues for you.

Wrapping Up & Next Steps

Navigating volunteer time off guidelines allows your nonprofit to speak the language of the corporate world. It shows you respect your volunteers’ professional lives and understand the constraints they work under. By aligning your opportunities with these corporate policies—matching your shifts to their hour allocations, providing the necessary data for their approval workflows, and validating their service for compliance—you remove the friction from volunteering.

The result is a volunteer base that is more reliable, more skilled, and available during the critical business hours when you need help the most.

Ready to maximize your VTO potential?

  • Research: Identify the top 5 employers in your donor database and search for their specific VTO guidelines online (or ask a friendly donor to send you the policy).
  • Adjust: Review your volunteer calendar. Do you have “corporate-friendly” shifts that fit into 4 or 8-hour blocks?
  • Equip: Create a “VTO FAQ” for your website that lists your Tax ID and contact info so volunteers can easily fill out their request forms.

Start leveraging these guidelines today, and turn corporate policy into nonprofit power. Plus, see how Double the Donation Volunteering can help! Request a personalized demo today to get started.

Understanding Volunteer Grant Guidelines-A Helpful Guide

Understanding Volunteer Grant Guidelines: A Helpful Guide

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Corporate philanthropy is a vast landscape, often dominated by the headline-grabbing numbers of matching gift programs. But for nonprofits looking to diversify their revenue streams and maximize the value of their supporters, there is another avenue that is just as lucrative but frequently overlooked: volunteer grants. Also known as “Dollars for Doers,” these programs turn the time your volunteers dedicate to your cause into tangible financial support. However, unlocking this revenue requires navigating a specific set of rules known as volunteer grant guidelines.

Understanding these guidelines is the difference between leaving money on the table and building a robust, sustainable funding source. Every corporation that offers a volunteer grant program establishes its own unique set of criteria that determines who can participate, which nonprofits are eligible, and how much funding is available. For a nonprofit development team, mastering these nuances is essential for identifying opportunities and guiding volunteers toward a successful submission.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

By familiarizing yourself with the standard parameters of these programs, you can proactively identify eligible supporters in your database and provide them with the exact information they need to secure funding for your mission.

What Are Volunteer Grant Guidelines?

Volunteer grant guidelines are the rules and regulations set by a company to manage their employee giving programs. Just as a grant foundation has a Request for Proposal (RFP) outlining their funding priorities, corporations have policies that dictate how their charitable dollars are distributed. These guidelines ensure that the company’s philanthropic efforts align with their corporate values, budget, and social responsibility goals.

For the donor (your volunteer), these guidelines appear as a policy document in their employee handbook or CSR portal. For the nonprofit, they represent the checklist you must satisfy to receive a check. While every company is different, the guidelines almost always fall into four primary categories: employee eligibility, nonprofit eligibility, grant amounts, and submission deadlines.

Did You Know? Approximately 40% of Fortune 500 companies offer volunteer grant programs. Despite this prevalence, the average employee participation rate is only about 3%. This gap is largely due to a lack of awareness about program guidelines—both on the part of the employee and the nonprofit.

Qualifying Employee Types: Who Can Participate?

The first hurdle in any volunteer grant process is determining if the individual volunteer is eligible to request funds. Companies use employment status to define the boundaries of their program.

Full-Time Employees

In almost every case, full-time employees are eligible for the company’s standard volunteer grant program. They typically have access to the highest grant maximums and the broadest range of eligible activities.

Part-Time Employees

Many inclusive companies extend their giving programs to part-time staff. However, the guidelines may differ slightly. For instance, the maximum grant amount for a part-time employee might be lower than that of a full-time counterpart (e.g., capped at $2,500 annually vs. $5,000).

Retirees

This is a massive, often untapped demographic for nonprofits. Retirees frequently have the most time to volunteer, and many legacy corporations (like General Electric and Chevron) continue to honor their service by matching their volunteer hours with grants, even after they have left the workforce. Guidelines for retirees often mirror those for current employees, though the annual caps may be adjusted.

Spouses and Families

Some generous programs go a step further, extending eligibility to the spouses or domestic partners of employees. While less common, these guidelines can effectively double the potential revenue from a single household.

Nonprofit Eligibility: Which Organizations Qualify?

Just because an employee is eligible doesn’t mean the nonprofit is. Corporate volunteer grant guidelines include strict definitions of which types of organizations can receive funds.

501(c)(3) Status

The universal standard for eligibility in the United States is 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. If your organization is a registered public charity, a private operating foundation, or a school, you will meet the baseline requirement for 99% of programs.

Mission Categories

Companies often align their giving with their corporate identity. For example, a healthcare company might prioritize health-related nonprofits, while a tech company might focus on STEM education. While most volunteer grant programs are “open” (meaning they fund any eligible 501(c)(3)), some have guidelines that restrict funding to specific sectors.

Common Exclusions

Almost all guidelines include a list of ineligible organizations. These typically include:

  • Political organizations or campaigns.
  • Religious organizations (unless the program is non-sectarian and open to the community, like a food pantry or homeless shelter).
  • Sports teams or clubs that are not registered charities.

Quick Tip: If you are a religious organization, don’t assume you are ineligible! Many companies will fund specific community programs run by religious groups (e.g., a soup kitchen) as long as the funds are not used for proselytizing or religious worship. Check the specific “anti-discrimination” or “community service” sections of the guidelines.

Volunteer Grant Amounts and Calculation Methods

How much is a volunteer hour worth? The answer lies in the calculation method defined in the guidelines. Companies typically use one of two models to determine the payout.

The Hourly Rate Model

This is the most common structure. The company assigns a specific dollar value to every hour volunteered.

  • Microsoft: Offers $25 per hour volunteered.
  • CarMax: Offers $10 per hour volunteered.
  • Apple: Offers $25 per hour volunteered.

In this model, the guidelines will specify an annual cap (e.g., up to $15,000 per year) but allow the employee to submit hours incrementally.

The Lump Sum (Threshold) Model

Some companies prefer to reward sustained commitment. In this model, the volunteer must hit a specific milestone of hours to unlock a flat grant amount.

  • ExxonMobil: Provides a $500 grant once a volunteer logs 20 hours.
  • Verizon: Provides a $750 grant once a volunteer logs 50 hours.
  • Allstate: Offers grants ranging from $500 to $1,000 based on the role and time commitment.

Understanding which model applies to your volunteers is critical for your communication strategy. For hourly programs, every hour counts. For lump-sum programs, you need to encourage volunteers to reach that specific “20-hour” or “50-hour” finish line.

Minimum Hour Thresholds and Service Criteria

Guidelines almost always establish a “minimum hour threshold” to ensure administrative efficiency. Companies generally do not want to cut a check for a single hour of volunteering.

Low Thresholds: Some tech-forward companies like Microsoft have no minimum or a 1-hour minimum, encouraging micro-volunteering.

Standard Thresholds: A common guideline is a 10-hour or 20-hour minimum. This means an employee must accumulate these hours within a calendar year before they can submit a request.

Eligible Services

Guidelines also define what counts as volunteering.

  • Direct Service: Serving food, tutoring, building homes (almost always eligible).
  • Administrative Work: Serving on a Board of Directors (often eligible for higher grant amounts).
  • Fundraising: Participating in a walkathon (sometimes ineligible if it is purely peer-to-peer fundraising, but eligible if it involves event setup/logistics).

Submission Deadlines and the Application Lifecycle

The final critical component of volunteer grant guidelines is the calendar. Corporate fiscal years drive these programs, and missing a deadline means losing the funds forever.

Standard Deadlines

Most companies operate on a calendar year (January 1 to December 31). The typical deadline for submitting a grant request is often a few months after the close of the year.

Example: A volunteer who served in 2024 might have until January 31, 2025, or March 31, 2025, to submit their request.

Rolling Deadlines

Some companies require requests to be submitted within 90 days of the service date. This is common for hourly programs where employees log time regularly.

The Verification Window

Once a volunteer submits a request, the guidelines shift the responsibility to the nonprofit. You will typically receive an automated email asking you to verify the hours. The guidelines usually dictate a window (e.g., 30 days) for you to respond before the request expires.

Maximizing Revenue Through Guideline Awareness

Knowledge of volunteer grant guidelines allows you to segment your communications and target the right volunteers with the right message. If you know a volunteer works for ExxonMobil, you shouldn’t ask them to submit a request after 5 hours; you should encourage them to hit 20 hours so they unlock the $500 grant. Conversely, if a volunteer works for Microsoft, you should remind them that even their 1-hour consulting call generated $25 for the organization.

Investing in a Database

Trying to memorize the guidelines for thousands of companies is impossible. This is where a corporate giving database becomes invaluable. Tools like Double the Donation Volunteering aggregate these guidelines into a searchable widget. You can embed this on your “Ways to Give” or “Volunteer” page, allowing supporters to type in their employer’s name and instantly see:

  • Minimum hours required.
  • Hourly grant rates.
  • Employee eligibility (FT/PT/Retiree).
  • A direct link to the submission form.

Ultimately, leveraging specialized corporate volunteer software transforms a complex administrative burden into a seamless user experience. By putting this information directly at your supporters’ fingertips, you eliminate the confusion that often prevents submission, ensuring your organization captures every available dollar from their service hours.

Wrapping Up & Next Steps

Mastering volunteer grant guidelines is a strategic move that transforms your volunteer program from a cost center into a revenue generator. By understanding the criteria that corporations use to distribute funds—from employee status to hour thresholds—you can guide your supporters through the process with confidence.

These guidelines are not barriers; they are a roadmap. When you show a volunteer exactly how their time fits into their company’s philanthropic policy, you validate their effort and empower them to make a double impact.

Ready to turn hours into dollars?

  • Audit your volunteer list: Identify the top employers represented among your supporters.
  • Research the rules: Use a database or search tool to find the specific grant guidelines for those top companies.
  • Educate your team: Ensure your volunteer coordinators know which companies require 20 hours vs. 1 hour so they can nudge volunteers effectively.

Start navigating the guidelines today and unlock the corporate funding your mission deserves. Plus, learn how Double the Donation Volunteering can help by requesting a personalized demo!

Improving the Volunteer Journey with Corporate Engagement

Improving the Volunteer Journey with Corporate Engagement

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Volunteers are the lifeblood of the nonprofit sector. From staffing events to mentoring youth and delivering meals, these dedicated individuals provide the essential labor that powers your mission. However, viewing volunteers simply as “free labor” is a strategic mistake that limits your organization’s potential. Just like donors, volunteers move through a lifecycle; a journey that takes them from initial awareness to loyal advocacy. The key to maximizing the impact of this journey lies in recognizing that time is a currency, and for many of your supporters, that currency is backed by their employers.

When you focus on improving the volunteer journey, you are doing more than just filling shifts; you are building an ecosystem of support that drives retention and revenue. One of the most powerful, yet often overlooked, ways to enhance this journey is through corporate volunteerism. By integrating corporate giving programs (specifically Volunteer Grants and Volunteer Time Off) into every touchpoint of the volunteer experience, you can validate your supporters’ contributions and unlock significant unrestricted funding.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

The traditional volunteer journey is often linear and transactional: a person signs up, shows up, and goes home. By layering and improving the volunteer journey with corporate volunteerism into your strategy, you create a cyclical, value-added experience. You show volunteers that their time is so valuable that their employer is willing to pay for it, either through paid leave or a monetary donation to your cause. This shift in perspective not only boosts morale but also creates a sustainable revenue pipeline that requires very little extra effort from your team.

Understanding the Modern Volunteer Journey

Before we can improve the journey, we must map it. The volunteer journey mirrors the donor journey in many ways, but the “ask” is different. Instead of asking for a check, you are asking for a portion of their life. This requires a high level of trust and a seamless experience.

The typical journey consists of five distinct phases:

  • Discovery: The individual realizes they want to give back and finds your organization.
  • Commitment: They register for a specific shift or role.
  • Participation: The actual act of volunteering.
  • Follow-Up: The immediate aftermath and acknowledgment of their service.
  • Stewardship: The ongoing relationship building that leads to repeat volunteering or financial donation.

Corporate volunteerism acts as an accelerant at each of these stages. It provides a compelling incentive to sign up (VTO), a reason to provide personal data (grant eligibility), and a powerful tool for follow-up (grant submission). By weaving these elements into your operational fabric, you ensure that improving the volunteer journey results in tangible growth for your nonprofit.

Stage 1: Discovery and Recruitment

The first hurdle in the volunteer journey is recruitment. The most common objection potential volunteers have is a lack of time. Between professional responsibilities and family obligations, finding hours during the workweek to support a nonprofit can feel impossible. This is where Volunteer Time Off (VTO) becomes a critical recruitment tool.

VTO is a corporate benefit in which employers grant employees paid time off to volunteer. It removes the conflict between work and service, allowing professionals to support your mission without sacrificing their paycheck or using vacation days. By highlighting VTO opportunities in your recruitment marketing, you attract a demographic of skilled professionals who might otherwise be unable to participate.

Marketing VTO Opportunities: To leverage this, your recruitment messaging should explicitly mention corporate benefits. Instead of simply posting “Volunteers Needed on Tuesday at 2 PM,” frame the request as a corporate engagement opportunity. Use language like, “Does your company offer Volunteer Time Off? Spend your workday making a difference with us!” This simple shift signals to potential volunteers that you are knowledgeable about corporate benefits and ready to accommodate their schedules.

Targeting Local Employers: Research major employers in your area that offer generous VTO policies. Companies like Salesforce, Deloitte, and Patagonia are known for encouraging employees to take time away from their desks to serve. If you know a local company has a “Day of Service” or individual VTO hours, reach out to their HR or CSR departments. By tailoring your volunteer opportunities to fit their VTO structure—such as offering half-day shifts that align with corporate schedules—you smooth the path from “interested” to “registered.”

Did You Know? Approximately 66% of employers now offer some form of paid time off for volunteering. This statistic represents millions of potential volunteer hours that are fully subsidized by the corporate sector. By asking about VTO, you help volunteers utilize a benefit they may not even know they have.

Stage 2: Registration and Data Capture

Once a volunteer decides to sign up, they enter the commitment phase. This is the most critical technical step in improving the volunteer journey with corporate volunteerism. The registration form is your primary opportunity to capture the data necessary to unlock future revenue.

If your volunteer intake form only asks for name and email, you are leaving money on the table. You must ask for employment information. Knowing where a volunteer works is the key that unlocks the door to volunteer grants and matching gifts.

Optimizing the Intake Form: Integrating an employer search tool directly into your sign-up flow is the industry’s best practice. When a volunteer registers for a shift, they should be prompted to enter their company name. An automated tool can then instantly check that company against a database of corporate giving programs.

If the system identifies the volunteer works for a company with a volunteer grant program (where the company donates money for every hour served), the system can flag this record for future follow-up. This seamless data capture happens before the volunteer even sets foot on your premises, setting the stage for a successful grant submission later.

Reducing Friction: The goal is to gather this information without making the registration process tedious. Using an autocomplete search widget ensures the data is clean and standardized (e.g., “The Home Depot” vs. “Home Depot”). It also provides immediate gratification to the volunteer, often displaying a pop-up that says, “Good news! Your employer offers volunteer grants. Your 4-hour shift could be worth $100 to our mission!” This immediate feedback loop validates their decision to volunteer and elevates their excitement about the impact they are about to make.

Stage 3: The Volunteer Experience

The day of the event is where the promise of the journey meets reality. A positive experience leads to retention; a disorganized one leads to attrition. While the primary focus here is operational excellence, making sure volunteers have clear tasks and supervision, corporate volunteerism plays a role in the on-site experience as well.

Acknowledging Corporate Partners: If you have groups utilizing VTO or individuals from specific corporate partners, acknowledge them publicly. Simple gestures like a “Welcome [Company Name] Volunteers” sign or a shout-out during the morning briefing go a long way. This recognition reinforces the partnership and makes the individual volunteers feel valued not just as workers, but as representatives of their organization.

On-Site Education: The active volunteering phase is also a prime time for education. Many volunteers are unaware that their hard work can generate cash for the nonprofit. Utilize physical signage (QR codes are excellent here) in break rooms or check-in areas that ask, “Does your company pay for your volunteer hours?”

These prompts encourage volunteers to check their eligibility on their phones during breaks. By normalizing the conversation around volunteer grants during the event, you plant the seed for the post-event email. The goal is to make improving the volunteer journey synonymous with maximizing impact. When volunteers understand that their time has a monetary value to the nonprofit, they take their role more seriously and feel a deeper sense of contribution.

Quick Tip: Create a “Corporate Champion” role for one of your regular volunteers. Task them with helping new volunteers check their grant eligibility during orientation. Peer-to-peer education is often more effective and less intimidating than a staff member asking about employment details.

Stage 4: Post-Event Follow-Up and Conversion

The event is over, the tables are packed away, and the volunteers have gone home. This is where the average volunteer journey ends—but it is where the optimized journey begins to generate revenue. The follow-up phase is the moment to convert those logged hours into volunteer grant submissions.

The Magic of Volunteer Grants: Volunteer grants, often called “Dollars for Doers,” are corporate donations made to nonprofits where employees volunteer. For example, a company might donate $25 for every hour an employee serves. If you have 10 volunteers from that company who each worked 4 hours, that is $1,000 in unrestricted revenue waiting to be claimed.

Automated Email Streams Manual follow-up is difficult to scale. The most effective way to secure these grants is through automated email streams triggered by the volunteer management system.

  • The Thank You: Send an email within 24 hours thanking them for their time.
  • The Ask: If your data capture in Stage 2 identified them as grant-eligible, this email should include a direct link to their company’s submission portal. Use language like, “Did you know you can double your impact without any extra work? Click here to submit your volunteer hours to [Employer Name], and they will send us a grant!”
  • The Reminder: If the grant hasn’t been submitted after a few weeks, a gentle nudge can be effective, especially toward the end of the year when many corporate programs close their books.

Simplifying the Process: The easier you make it, the more likely they are to do it. Provide them with the exact data they need to fill out their employer’s form: your nonprofit’s Tax ID (EIN), the total hours they worked, and a contact person at your organization for verification. By removing administrative barriers, you significantly increase the conversion rate of eligible hours to grant dollars.

Stage 5: Stewardship and Retention

The final stage of improving the volunteer journey is ensuring the volunteer comes back. Retention is far more cost-effective than recruitment. Corporate volunteerism data provides a unique angle for stewardship that goes beyond the standard “we miss you” email.

Reporting on Total Impact: When you steward a volunteer who has utilized VTO or submitted a volunteer grant, you can report on their total impact. instead of just saying, “Thank you for volunteering 10 hours,” you can say, “Thank you for volunteering 10 hours and securing a $250 grant. Your total contribution provided 500 meals to families in need.” This holistic view of their impact is incredibly powerful and reinforces their identity as a vital partner in your mission.

Gamification and Corporate Competitions: Use the employment data you have collected to foster friendly competition. Create leaderboards showing which local companies have logged the most hours or secured the most grant funding. Share these updates in your newsletters and on social media. People love to see their company represented, and this can drive a sense of pride and competition that encourages them to sign up for more shifts.

Building a Corporate Bridge: Volunteers who successfully submit grants or use VTO are your best advocates for deeper corporate partnerships. They have already demonstrated that they care about your cause and that their company supports their interest. Use this relationship to open conversations about event sponsorships, payroll giving, or larger grant opportunities. A happy volunteer is the best bridge to a corporate social responsibility officer.

Conclusion: Wrapping Up & Next Steps

Improving the volunteer journey with corporate volunteerism is a strategy that pays dividends in both human capital and financial resources. By viewing the volunteer experience through the lens of corporate engagement, you transform a simple transaction of time into a multifaceted partnership. From using Volunteer Time Off to attract busy professionals to leveraging Volunteer Grants to monetize their service, every step of the journey offers an opportunity to deepen impact.

The process begins with awareness and data. You must let volunteers know these opportunities exist, and you must have the systems in place to capture the employment data that makes it all possible. It requires a shift in mindset from “managing volunteers” to “empowering corporate partners.”

As you look to implement these strategies, start by auditing your current volunteer registration process. Are you asking for employer information? Do you have a way to verify grant eligibility? Are your follow-up emails asking for the grant? Small tweaks to these touchpoints can result in thousands of dollars in new revenue and a more engaged, loyal volunteer base.

The future of nonprofit sustainability lies in diversification. By bridging the gap between individual volunteering and corporate philanthropy, you build a resilient organization capable of weathering challenges and seizing new opportunities. Start today by reviewing your intake forms and crafting your first VTO-focused recruitment email. The potential is waiting in your volunteer database; you just have to unlock it.

Looking for the right tools to power your efforts? Get a personalized demo of Double the Donation Volunteering to see our corporate volunteer solution in action.