How to Say Thanks to Volunteers: Ideas for Nonprofits

While volunteering can be a hugely rewarding experience on a personal level, you still want your volunteers to feel seen and appreciated for their efforts. But how do you thank a volunteer for helping others?

There are lots of meaningful, low-cost (and no-cost) ways that your nonprofit can express its gratitude and strengthen its relationship with its volunteers. Here are just a few ideas for saying thank you for giving back to the community. 

Post a thank you message to volunteers on social media

Thanking volunteers on social media not only shows your appreciation for their support but can plant the idea of volunteering in the minds of others. LinkedIn can be a great platform for thank you messages to volunteers because people use their real names on their profiles, allowing you to easily tag specific volunteers in relevant posts, such as when you’re sharing a photo that features them. This increases the likelihood that they’ll engage with or share the post, giving your nonprofit exposure to their network.

If you’re not sure how to write a compelling thank you message to volunteers on LinkedIn, check out these examples of volunteer appreciation posts from nonprofits just like yours. 

Write a thank you email to volunteers

If you want to take a more private approach, why not send a heartfelt email? Writing a thank you email to volunteers can be a quick way to recognize volunteers at scale, which is especially useful in situations where you’ve had to activate a large number of supporters to respond to a crisis or support a major initiative. But if you have only a small handful of volunteers or someone has gone above and beyond, consider writing a personalized email. This could come from the volunteer coordinator who worked closest with them or even from your CEO or founder to make them feel really special. 

Weave volunteer thank you quotes into your day-to-day messaging

Saying thank you to a community of volunteers shouldn’t be a one-off thing. To ensure your volunteers know how important they are to your mission, highlight them consistently in your messaging — on your website, on social media, in speeches and press releases, and more. Include quotes from your leaders about how critical volunteers are to driving your nonprofit’s mission and feature real examples of their impact. Doing so will not only resonate with existing volunteers but will signal to others that your organization is one that truly values and cares about its volunteers. 

How do you thank a volunteer for helping others? Authentically and often!

Showing authentic gratitude is essential for fostering lasting relationships with your volunteers. Balance in-the-moment messages of thanks with long-term appreciation efforts to build a strong and sustainable volunteering community at your nonprofit.