It’s no secret that the number of people in Canada who give has been declining since 1990. This means charities and nonprofits have had to rely on a decreasing pool of donors for their fundraising and operational needs. But, the bigger question is why are fewer people donating than ever before and what can we…
For many nonprofits and charities, revenue diversification happens when a crisis strikes such as the loss of a primary funder or investor. But, if nonprofit organizations can be strategic and proactive in their revenue diversification, they can mitigate this risk. At Volunteer Alberta, our leadership team has been working hard to diversify our funding. So,…
When I give skilled volunteerism presentations, I feel there is always a little bit of a disparity between how we talk about conventional volunteering as opposed to “skilled volunteering”. We frame skilled volunteering as this newfangled, shiny amazing thing. And while the term is new, skilled volunteering is not a new phenomenon. So, it is…
Volunteer Alberta Members are leaders in the nonprofit voluntary sector. Last year, we started a new blog series called Member Spotlight to highlight and share their successes and leading practices in our communities across Alberta. By sharing each other’s knowledge and expertise, we hope to strengthen, promote and connect the sector. After all, we are…
Often times when we think of social impact, we think of the grand gestures that are at the forefront of the sector and the most talked about. We think about impact in terms of financial donations, advocacy, and formal volunteering because these are the easiest stories to tell (and the ones our funders usually want…
A big part of retaining volunteers is finding new and innovative ways to engage them. By helping volunteers to develop soft skills, nonprofits can enrich volunteers’ experiences. Soft skills such as the ability to gel well in a team, make sound and/or quick decisions and communicate effectively are important for any nonprofit volunteer to successfully…
Finding solutions that suit your community may not be easy. But, when you approach solving complex issues with a mindset of abundance versus scarcity, multiple solutions tend to present themselves. This is how Volunteer Airdrie approached redesigning their programs and services within the past few years. By looking at what opportunities were available and identifying…
How to approach small business donors Now more than ever, small businesses know about the benefits of giving back. A well-executed community involvement strategy can create a proud and united employee culture, attract new customers and engage existing ones, and improve brand reputation. Really, building relationships with the nonprofit sector should be a no-brainer for…
Volunteer Lethbridge’s unique approach to community collaboration Network leaders play an important role within the nonprofit sector. They create spaces for citizens, volunteers and organizations to collaborate and support one another. Volunteer Lethbridge is a nonprofit Network Leader in Alberta that promotes and fosters the value of volunteerism, community and the nonprofit sector. Currently, Volunteer…
Imagine a room full of people excitedly anticipating for a concert to start. The room goes dark, lights flood the stage, and the crowd goes wild as the headliner takes the stage. But, this night isn’t just for anyone. This concert is exclusively for dedicated volunteers who generously donate their time to their community. What is…