How to Find and Recruit Volunteers Who Really Care

Finding volunteers who can genuinely embrace and evangelize your nonprofit’s mission is critical to its success. This is why talent brand initiatives around shaping and communicating employer brand are gaining more and more traction in the nonprofit world: they have a big impact on attracting hired staff as well as volunteers who generously donate their time.

Sharing an authentic look at your work culture is one valuable way to draw the attention and interest of volunteers who are more likely to care about what you do. LinkedIn Career Pages provide the perfect platform to promote the qualities of your organization and the energy of your team.

In addition to finding tailored tips for attracting volunteers to your Career Page, there are several other steps you can take in your volunteer search and recruitment efforts to achieve your desired results. The following plan can help.

Recruiting volunteers for your nonprofit who care about its mission

Following these tips can help you identify and engage with volunteer candidates who are more likely to stick around and spread the word. 

Post job listings and volunteer opportunities on LinkedIn

Nonprofits can post a free job or volunteer listing by following a simple process. Follow these recommended tips when posting jobs for nonprofit volunteers on LinkedIn:

• When typing in the title of the role, you’ll automatically receive suggested job titles, helping you surface common labels being used in posts and searches. Consider altering the language of your listing, if warranted, for more visibility.

• For volunteer positions that have specific requirements, consider including screening questions to gather more information about the applicant.  

• Write detailed and thoughtful job descriptions to give potential volunteers a clear idea of what the opportunity entails.

Read more: 5 Top Interview Questions to Ask Nonprofit Candidates

Write strong job descriptions that specify what you’re looking for (and why)

The way you describe a volunteer opportunity can make all the difference in finding the right person to fill it. You want your posting to be informative, but scannable. Emphasize the impact the role will have and use inclusive, welcoming language. Include keywords that relevant audiences might type into a search bar. 

Following the best practices of writing nonprofit job descriptions can help you attract applicants who are ideal for the role.

Use volunteer personas to find the right fit faster

In order to find committed, values-aligned volunteers, it helps to clearly define exactly who you’re looking for.

You can create volunteer personas based on traits shared by your most successful contributors, including skills, interests, motivations, and values. Collaborate with team leads to develop a list of the attributes that matter most, then use LinkedIn’s powerful search filters to find people who match.

Refine your approach by speaking with long-term volunteers or those who have become outspoken advocates. What do they have in common? Use what you learn to guide your outreach and improve targeting to find new volunteers with similar traits. This way, you’re not just filling roles — you’re building a long-term support system of people who believe in your mission as much as you do.

Find hand-raisers through the “Open to Volunteer” feature

This recently added option for LinkedIn members enables them to openly express their interest in volunteering, and share details about the types of opportunities they’re looking for, including causes, skills, locations, in-person versus remote, etc. When searching for potential candidates, you can use this filter to quickly narrow down to people with a propensity to volunteer, and then you can assess the preferences of specific candidates to determine how good of a fit your position might be.

Expand your employer brand to attract mission-aligned volunteers

Your employer brand isn’t just for job seekers. It’s also one of the most effective ways to attract and retain volunteers who share your values. 

Start by identifying your volunteer value proposition (VVP): Why would someone choose to give their time to your nonprofit? It might be the chance to contribute to a cause they care about, grow their skills, or connect with like-minded people. Ask current volunteers what drew them in and use those insights to shape your messaging.

Update your LinkedIn Page and volunteer opportunity posts to speak directly to this audience. Share real stories, showcase impact, and highlight the meaningful experiences volunteers can expect. When volunteers can clearly see what they will gain and how their work will make a difference, they are more likely to care deeply and stay engaged.

Build relationships and learn what drives volunteers

Focus on engaging volunteer candidates throughout the process, inviting their feedback and exploring their aspirations. By understanding a volunteer’s personal goals and values, you can tap into their true passion. One way to put this into practice is to collaborate on a skill-building roadmap. Showing how your nonprofit can help volunteers develop professionally is a highly compelling value proposition.

Re-engage your current volunteers

There’s no better tool for recruiting the right nonprofit volunteers than word of mouth. This is one of the biggest benefits of recruiting volunteers who really care to begin with!

The best way to motivate volunteer advocacy is by giving these individuals a great experience they want to share. Take steps to re-engage your current volunteer base, reminding them why they signed up and empowering them to become leaders for the cause.

An active social media presence helps your nonprofit stay visible to the volunteers who follow it. Volunteer appreciation posts on LinkedIn are a great way to make these folks feel recognized — and encourage them to share your posts with their networks. 

An amazing volunteer experience doesn’t happen on its own. But when you make it happen, you might find that successful volunteer recruitment does happen on its own.

Learn more about finding the right talent to drive your nonprofit’s mission.

 

This blog post was originally published on April 11, 2023. It was updated on April 8, 2026 with new information.