Tips for Retaining & Recruiting Town Volunteers

Hold a Community Service Awards event (could be a barbeque, e.g.) to honor outstanding local volunteers who have demonstrated selfless devotion for the betterment of the community.
Have an "at-home tea party" (send volunteers a tea bag in a card and ask them to enjoy a cup of tea in the quiet of their own home).
Write a news article to be published in the local newspaper, highlighting their contribution or impact upon the program or clientele.
Write a news article to be published in the town's newsletter.
Send a thank-you note.
Ask a volunteer for their input about a program or evaluation.
Utilize a volunteer suggestion box. Carefully consider their suggestions!
Ask a volunteer to serve in a leadership role.
Ask a volunteer to conduct an orientation or educational program.
Ask a volunteer to coordinate a program, event, or initiative.
Invite volunteers to staff meetings. Encourage them to contribute and participate.
Ask a volunteer to develop a window or tabletop display to promote a program.
Send a volunteer to a conference.
Ask the volunteer to present a report, lesson, workshop, or seminar on some aspect of the conference they attended.
Cultivate volunteer’s special interests. Whenever possible, encourage pursuit in their volunteer role.
Share the success or impact of one volunteer with others at a meeting or gathering.
Provide extrinsic rewards (certificates, plaques, pins, etc.). Have a "volunteer of the month" award.
Host a banquet, luncheon, dessert, tea, or reception in the volunteers' honor.
Establish a Volunteer Honor Roll.
Provide educational resources for the volunteers to utilize (videos, pamphlets, books, curriculum, etc.).
Ask effective volunteers to each recruit another volunteer who is "just like them."
Debrief with volunteers following a conference, program, or activity that they participated in or assisted with.
Nominate a volunteer to teach a workshop. When the workshop is accepted, assist the volunteer in preparation.
Ask an effective volunteer to mentor a new recruit.
Provide an effective orientation for each volunteer position.
Send peppermint candies to your organization’s volunteers with the message "You're worth a mint!"
Recognize and share innovative suggestions or programs.
Recognize volunteer’s tenure and/or the number of hours contributed to the agency, organization, or program.
Ask a volunteer to speak at a volunteer meeting.
Run a photograph and news story about the volunteer in the local newspaper.
Ask a volunteer to make a television appearance or radio announcement.
Enable a volunteer to move on to expanded or higher level responsibilities.
Share the volunteer’s personal success story.
Surprise a volunteer with a birthday cake.
Nominate volunteers for awards.
Attend personal celebrations (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.).
Make sure that the volunteer is a "good fit" with their volunteer role.
Plan a volunteers outing (picnic, theater, ball game, family day, pool party, etc.).
Praise volunteers in public, especially in front of family and friends.
Send a thank-you note to the volunteer’s spouse to thank him/her for sharing his/her spouse’s time and talents with the town.
Secure complimentary gift certificates from businesses or the Chamber of Commerce.
Print business cards for volunteers.
Plant a tree or flowerbed in a volunteer’s name.
Encourage volunteers to assume community leadership roles.
Volunteer Fire Service Recruitment and Retention Resources