Volunteer Time Off Letters-Templates to Boost Impact

Volunteer Time Off Letters: Templates to Boost Impact

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Volunteers are the engines that keep nonprofits running. They staff events, mentor beneficiaries, clean up parks, and perform the essential day-to-day tasks that allow organizations to thrive. However, the number one barrier preventing supporters from volunteering more is a lack of time. Between professional responsibilities and personal lives, finding a few hours to slip away during the workday can feel impossible for your supporters. This is where Volunteer Time Off letters become a critical tool in your communication arsenal.

Volunteer Time Off (VTO) is a corporate benefit where companies pay their employees to volunteer during work hours. It removes the conflict between “earning a living” and “making a difference.” Yet, despite the fact that 66% of employers provide some form of paid time off program, many employees are unaware this benefit exists or are hesitant to request it.

By sending strategic Volunteer Time Off letters, your nonprofit can educate your supporters, encourage them to utilize their corporate benefits, and unlock hundreds of hours of reliable, daytime volunteer support. Furthermore, VTO is often a gateway to financial support; companies that offer VTO often offer volunteer grants (financial donations based on hours served).

In this guide, we’ll cover:

If you are ready to fill your daytime volunteer shifts and deepen relationships with corporate partners, this guide is your roadmap.

The Strategic Value of Promoting VTO

Why should a nonprofit spend time teaching volunteers about their own HR benefits? Because VTO solves the two biggest problems volunteer coordinators face: recruitment and retention.

When a volunteer has to take unpaid leave or use precious vacation days to support you, the “cost” of volunteering is high. When they can use VTO, the cost becomes zero—in fact, they are being paid to be there. This dynamic shifts volunteering from a sacrifice to a perk.

Expanding Your Volunteer Pool Companies with paid VTO programs offer an average of 20 hours per year per employee. This is approximately 2.5 days of full-time work that each supporter could dedicate to your mission. By sending Volunteer Time Off letters, you are essentially inviting supporters to take a “paid field trip” to your organization. This appeals to professionals who want to help but cannot commit to weekends or evenings.

Unlocking Financial Revenue VTO and volunteer grants are cousins in the corporate philanthropy world. If a company values volunteering enough to pay its employees for it, it likely also offers “Dollars for Doers” grants. 40% of Fortune 500 companies offer volunteer grant programs. By getting a volunteer in the door via VTO, you are setting the stage to ask them to log their hours for a financial grant later.

Did You Know? 62% of individuals report that the ability to volunteer during business hours would be the top factor for a positive experience. By proactively encouraging VTO, you are directly improving donor satisfaction and engagement.

The Anatomy of a Perfect VTO Appeal

Writing a request for a supporter to take time off work requires tact and excitement. You aren’t asking for a favor; you are reminding them of a benefit they have earned. To ensure your Volunteer Time Off letters are effective, they should contain these five core elements:

1. The “Value Proposition”

Start by framing the letter around the impact the volunteer can make and the benefit to them. “Spend a day out of the office making a difference” is a compelling hook.

2. The Educational Pivot

Assume the volunteer doesn’t know their company offers VTO. Use phrases like, “Did you know your company might pay you to volunteer with us?” This positions you as a helpful resource, not just a requester.

3. Clear Eligibility Data

If you know they work for a VTO-friendly company (like Patagonia or Deloitte), be specific. Mentioning their employer by name increases open rates and engagement.

4. The “Easy Button” (CTA)

Provide a clear call to action. Do not just say “come volunteer.” Say, “Sign up for our specific VTO-friendly Friday shifts here” or “Click here to download a flyer to show your manager.”

5. The Financial Connection

Briefly mention that their time might also result in a financial grant. This plants the seed for future fundraising without making a direct monetary ask.

Scenario 1: The Known Eligible Volunteer Time Off Letter

The highest conversion rate comes from volunteers you know work for VTO-friendly companies. If your database indicates a supporter works for a company like Thomson Reuters (which offers 2 paid days/year) or GM Financial (8 hours/quarter), you can send a highly specific letter.

Subject: Take a paid day off to support [Nonprofit Name]!

Body:

Dear [Volunteer Name],

We know how hard you work, and we appreciate every moment you spend supporting [Nonprofit Name]. We also know that balancing a career with your passion for our mission can be a challenge.

Great news: Because you work at [Employer Name], you don’t have to choose between work and volunteering.

Our records show that [Employer Name] offers a generous Volunteer Time Off (VTO) program. This means you are eligible for [Insert Hours, e.g., 16 hours] of paid time off specifically to volunteer with organizations like ours.

Why not use a VTO day to join us? We have several upcoming daytime opportunities that would be perfect for using your VTO benefit:

  • [Event/Shift Option 1]
  • [Event/Shift Option 2]

Next Steps:

  • Check your internal HR portal to confirm your available VTO hours.
  • Register for a shift on our calendar [Link].
  • Enjoy a day out of the office making a real difference!

Thank you for being a champion for our cause—both in and out of the workplace.

Sincerely,

[Signature]

Quick Tip: Companies like Microsoft focus heavily on skills-based volunteering during VTO. If you are writing to a tech professional, tailor the letter to ask for specific help with IT, web design, or data analysis during their VTO hours.

Scenario 2: The Unknown Eligibility Volunteer Time Off Letter

For the majority of your database, you may not know their employer, or you may not know if that employer offers VTO. In this case, your Volunteer Time Off letters serve as a discovery tool. You are educating them on the concept and asking them to investigate.

Subject: A perk you might be missing out on…

Body:

Dear [Volunteer Name],

Volunteers like you are the heartbeat of [Nonprofit Name]. We are constantly amazed by your dedication.

We wanted to share a tip that many of our supporters use to spend more time giving back without sacrificing their weekends. Did you know that 66% of companies now offer paid Volunteer Time Off (VTO)?

This means your employer might pay you to spend a morning, afternoon, or full day volunteering with us during the work week. It’s a great way to recharge, give back, and utilize a benefit you may not even know you have.

How to find out: Check your employee handbook or ask your HR representative if your company offers “Volunteer Time Off” or “Community Service Days.”

If they do: We would love to host you! We have shifts available [Days of week] that fit perfectly into a VTO day. Check out our schedule here: [Link].

Plus: Many companies that offer VTO also offer Volunteer Grants—meaning they will donate money to us for every hour you serve. It’s a double win for our mission!

Thank you for everything you do.

Sincerely,

[Signature]

Scenario 3: The Volunteer Time Off Advocacy Letter

What if a volunteer checks, but their company doesn’t offer VTO? Don’t let the conversation end there. Employees have significant leverage to shape corporate culture. You can provide a template for them to send to their HR department to advocate for a VTO program. This positions your nonprofit as a thought leader and partner in their professional development.

Subject: Help bring VTO to [Employer Name]

Body:

Dear [Volunteer Name],

Thanks for checking into VTO for us! Even though [Employer Name] doesn’t currently offer a paid volunteer program, your inquiry shows them that their employees care about community impact.

Many companies launch VTO programs because employees ask for them. If you are interested in advocating for this benefit, we’ve drafted a short note you can share with your HR team or manager.

Sample Email to Leadership/HR:

“Hi [Name],

I am an active volunteer with [Nonprofit Name] and am passionate about supporting our community. I recently learned that many companies in our industry are offering Paid Volunteer Time Off (VTO) as a way to support employee well-being and corporate social responsibility.

Research shows that VTO improves employee engagement and retention. Would [Company Name] be open to exploring a VTO pilot program? I would love the opportunity to use a workday to give back to the causes that matter to our team.

Thanks, [Employee Name]”

Regardless of the outcome, we appreciate you going the extra mile to advocate for service!

Sincerely,

[Signature]

Best Practices for Sending VTO Emails

To ensure your Volunteer Time Off letters result in filled shifts, you need to be strategic about when and how you send them.

1. The “Use It or Lose It” Campaign

Most corporate VTO hours reset on January 1st. In October and November, send a dedicated email reminding volunteers that they might have unused VTO hours that will expire. Frame it as “Don’t leave your benefits on the table!” This creates urgency during the critical year-end giving season.

2. Group Volunteer Pitches

VTO is often used for team-building. Modify your letters to ask volunteers to bring their whole department. “Have VTO? Bring your team for a Service Day!” is a compelling pitch for managers looking for morale-boosting activities.

3. Integrate into Onboarding

When a new volunteer signs up with you, include a section on VTO in their welcome packet. “Check if your employer offers VTO” should be a standard step in your onboarding checklist, right next to signing the waiver.

4. Leverage Data Tools

If you are using a tool like Double the Donation, you can identify which of your donors work for VTO-eligible companies automatically. This allows you to segment your email list and send the “Known Eligibility” template only to the people you know can act on it, increasing conversion rates and reducing email fatigue.

Wrapping Up & Next Steps

Volunteer Time Off letters are a low-cost, high-impact way to increase your volunteer capacity. By guiding your supporters to utilize the corporate benefits available to them, you validate their desire to help while securing the daytime support that is often so hard to find.

Remember, you are not imposing on your volunteers; you are helping them access a perk they have earned. You are empowering them to integrate their professional life with their personal values.

Ready to fill your volunteer calendar?

  • Audit your list: Use an employer append or screening tool to find out where your volunteers work.
  • Update your site: Add a “Workplace Giving” section to your volunteer page that mentions VTO.
  • Send the emails: Use the templates above to launch your first VTO awareness campaign this month.

Start turning corporate policy into nonprofit impact today! Plus, see how a solution like Double the Donation Volunteering can help your team grow its impact with ease.