Volunteers.  They’re out there.  They’re just hard to find.  Unfortunately, in these times of dual-income and single-parent households, many potential volunteers will lay low and avoid eye contact when asked to help with fundraising.  Nationally, PTA membership has hovered around 6 million for the past five years.  That’s down from a peak of about 11 million in the 1950s. 

“You have mothers who say ‘Well, I work full time’ and they disregard me completely,” PTA president D’rinda Randall, who lives in Plano, TX, told a local reporter.  “People don’t realize how much they could add to the school if they just share five minutes.”

So where and how do you get good volunteers committed to your fundraising goal?

Finding, Getting and Keeping Motivated Volunteers:  A 10-Step Process

The following 10-step program may help in your search for living, breathing, inspired volunteers.

1.  Assign a volunteer sergeant – It takes one to know one.  Identify the one person you count on the most.  This is your point person for building the volunteer force.

2.  Evaluate needs and plan an attack – Once you have a list of assignments, write a job description for each.  Include: job responsibilities, volunteer qualifications, available job training and benefits (e.g., childcare, free transportation and parking). 

3.  Identify the targets – Parents of kindergartners attending their first PTA meeting are new to the school, eager to help and most likely to be around for a few year.  You may want to offer extra incentives.  One idea: start a volunteer “bank account” where hours accumulate toward tangible rewards such as free game tickets to the school carnival.

4.  Issue a personalized call to arms – Don’t just rely on sign-up sheets and newsletter announcements to bring in volunteers.  Call parents one-by-one.  The art of volunteer recruiting is in personal selling.  When making written appeals, list specific areas where you need people: concessions, classroom, media, office, fundraising, etc. and include estimates for how much time each task requires.

5.  Screen and train volunteers – Even hand-picked soldiers need to be briefed on their assignment.  Ask what they personally want to get from their volunteer experience.  Orient them to the school and provide an opportunity for them to ask you questions.

6.  Let volunteers do their job – Recognize that they may not be experts.  Be patient and encourage them to work as a team.

7.  Check in with them – All volunteers need coaching, particularly those who are in it for the long haul.  Revisit goals and job descriptions.  Find out if the job has changed and if talents are being fully tapped.

8.  Handle problems quickly and diplomatically – Postponing action only reinforces inappropriate behavior, which can lead to bigger, infectious morale problems among all volunteers.

9.  Celebrate victories – Say thanks.  Report results.  Recognize extra efforts.  Whether it’s a big party or a small tea, it matters only that your volunteers feel appreciated.  Again, personal touch is important.

10.  Start early – Begin this year finding and training next year’s crop of volunteers.  Ask this year’s volunteers to write a job description for their replacement.  Then ask them who they recommend for the job.