Volunteer Recognition Ideas

Keep your volunteers motivated by recognizing their achievements.

Volunteers are truly rare people--they pour their heart and soul into the work they do for an organization and do it without getting paid.

While it's true that most volunteers are there to simply help others, it's certainly nice to thank them for their hard work every once in a while. It may be difficult to think of an appropriate thank-you gift, especially if your organization has limited funds. Recognize your volunteers using any of a number of creative ways that don't always require a ton of money.

Banquet

One of the best ways to thank all of your volunteers at once is to hold a recognition banquet. The size and type of food you serve at the banquet is completely up to your budget; you can simply have a potluck-style dinner or have it catered by a popular restaurant.

A banquet is also a great way to recognize your volunteers with service awards. Take the opportunity to present awards to volunteers whose service helps keep your organization going. Your volunteers will surely appreciate the recognition and the opportunity to network with one another.

Outside Excursions

Recognize your best volunteers by sending them on a trip. The type of trip you is completely up to you--it can be anything from a complimentary trip to a local museum to something more extravagant, such as a day spa. Again, this is completely up to what you think is appropriate and what your budget allows.

Rewarding your volunteers this way is sure to create loyalty to your organization and, in turn, ensure that your best volunteers stay with you.

Newspaper Advertisement or Article

Everyone likes to see his name in print, so one effective way to recognize your volunteers is to place an article or advertisement in a local newspaper that talks about your organization and why your volunteers are the best.

To do this, simple call one of your local newspapers or publications and ask how you can submit a volunteer recognition piece. Some newspapers have special "achievement" sections where businesses and organizations can boast about their achievements. If the publication doesn't have that, find out how to place a larger advertisement in an upcoming issue. From there, the representative will guide you on the publication's submission guidelines. Be sure you let your volunteers know when their names will be in print.

References

• Energize Inc: Volunteer Recognition

Resources

• Allbusiness: How to Attract Volunteers