The Continued Rise of Event-Based Volunteers: Trends and Strategies for the Future

Event-based volunteering has long been part of the volunteerism landscape. People are increasingly busy and, therefore, interested in volunteering on a one-time, low-commitment basis.

According to recent research by the Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement (MAVA), the shift toward event-based volunteerism continues to rise. This begs the question: What are the current trends in event-based volunteerism, and how can organizations strategically respond to these trends?

What is an event-based volunteer?

First, it’s important to establish a common understanding of the term “event-based volunteer.” For the purpose of this research, MAVA defines an event-based volunteer as a person who volunteers with an organization one time for a set number of hours, with no commitment to future volunteer engagement.

Trends in event-based volunteerism

MAVA identified nine trends occurring in event-based volunteerism:

1. More interest: Volunteer engagement leaders report increased interest in event-based volunteer opportunities.
2. Interest from younger volunteers: Younger volunteers (25 and under) are expressing interest in volunteering, and it’s primarily on an event-based basis.
3. Smaller groups: Groups—particularly corporate groups—are coming back post-pandemic, but they are smaller in size than in previous years.
4. Seeking meaningful work: Volunteers are looking to complete tasks that connect with their values and are personally meaningful.
5. Ghosting: Individuals and groups are ghosting volunteer engagement leaders by beginning the process of volunteering and then discontinuing communication.
6. Late sign-ups: More people are registering for opportunities a day or two before the event.
7. No shows: Volunteer engagement leaders report that the number of volunteers who sign up for an event and then do not show is on the rise.
8. Limited staff capacity: Organizations are stretched thin, and many staff members feel they do not have the time or knowledge to manage volunteer groups.
9. Difficulty recruiting for fundraising events: Volunteer engagement leaders report that recruiting volunteers for fundraising events, such as galas or golf tournaments, is becoming increasingly difficult.

Strategies for engaging event-based volunteers

In addition to the trends outlined above, MAVA identified five strategies for successfully engaging event-based volunteers in our current environment:

1. Connect to volunteer values: Building on the trend that event-based volunteers seek work that is personally meaningful, it’s important to offer opportunities that align with volunteer values in addition to providing a narrative about the impact of volunteer work.
2. Engage leadership volunteers: Engaging volunteers as leaders allows organizations to build their capacity for event-based volunteers without relying exclusively on paid staff.
3. Create family-friendly events: Many volunteer engagement leaders reported that volunteer events billed as family-friendly were extremely popular and easy to fill.
4. Prioritize inclusion and accessibility: Not only is prioritizing inclusion and accessibility the right thing to do, but it can also improve recruitment and foster a stronger connection between your organization and the community.
5. Optimize communication: MAVA’s research indicates that successful organizations cannot overcommunicate with event-based volunteers.

In closing

Event-based volunteerism is not a fad; in fact, it is likely the foundation of the future of volunteerism. The continued increase in event-based volunteer opportunities makes it essential that organizations both understand event-based volunteers and actively develop strategies to engage these volunteers. Harnessing the energy and enthusiasm of event-based volunteers will be a key factor in volunteer engagement for years to come, and organizations that start this important work now will be better positioned to engage volunteers in the future.

Want to learn more?

If you’re interested in learning more about MAVA’s research about event-based volunteers, check out the full report. It’s free for MAVA members and is available on MAVA’s website: Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement.

MAVA is also offering a virtual training on this new research on November 12, 2025. Learn more and register here: The Rise of Event-Based Volunteering: MAVA Trends Study - Events - Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement.