Finding Volunteers for your Nonprofit using LinkedIn’s Search Function

Great volunteers can be a huge asset to your nonprofit organization.

Not only do they donate hundreds to thousands of hours each year to your organization, but through word of mouth marketing and social media, they share your goals with a wide network of potential donors and volunteers.

Since nonprofits tend to rely on volunteers to carry out their mission and objectives, nonprofits need a great group of volunteers they can rely on to increase contact with the community and create a valuable experience. Volunteers can help with anything from administrative tasks and internal organization to fundraising and program delivery, so volunteer recruitment is an important part of any nonprofit organization.

Finding the right volunteers is tricky, but not impossible. Your nonprofit can send out newsletters, social media posts, and word-of-mouth marketing urging new volunteers to join your organization. Be sure to include the impact that new volunteers will make at your nonprofit and how you’re looking for people to help make a difference for the cause you’re advocating for.

While all are great tools for highlighting current volunteers to find new ones, you can also use LinkedIn’s resources to advertise your need for volunteers. With LinkedIn’s advanced search tool, you can explore the vast network looking for talented people who can help advance your mission. You’ll find skilled volunteers, board members and potential donors. You can also narrow down your search by location, companies your potential volunteers work for, and keywords on how they would engage with organizations like yours.

To start, type in what you’re looking for in the search bar on the top of your LinkedIn screen. While there won’t be an actual ‘Advanced Search’ button, after you type in your initial search, you can fill in the blanks with filters found underneath the search bar. So, if you’re looking for volunteers who work at Chase Bank in the New York City area, you would type in ‘Chase Bank’ on the search bar. You can then filter your search by 1st or 2nd connections, the New York City area as location, and the industry, as well as other filter options like school, past company, and keywords.

The updated advanced search also comes with features that directly help nonprofits and other organizations seeking volunteers. You can search for people who are open to joining a nonprofit board and are interested in pro bono consulting and volunteering, which potential volunteers can specify directly in their LinkedIn profile. Potential new volunteers can also add their past volunteer experience, which is a helpful resource in deciding if they will be a good addition to your nonprofit.

Be strategic when searching LinkedIn for potential volunteers. You want to find volunteers who have an affinity for your cause, and will be the most suitable in helping your nonprofit’s needs. Whether you’re looking for 100 volunteers to help with a one-day fundraiser, or looking for people to help with weekly meetings or smaller scale events, searching for volunteers on LinkedIn has never been easier.

Recruiting nonprofit members is easier with LinkedIn Sales Navigator

Your nonprofit’s next member is probably already on LinkedIn. LinkedIn Sales Navigator can help you find them faster, giving you access to advanced targeting features, lead recommendations, rich insights about prospects, and the ability to message anyone on the platform, even if you’re not connected. To learn more, contact our team today.