The Volunteer Engagement Leader’s Playbook: Building Influence, Credibility, and Impact

Engaging volunteers is one of the most powerful strategies nonprofits can leverage to advance their missions. Yet too often, volunteer involvement is treated as a program—a siloed effort managed by one department—rather than as a strategy that can transform an entire organization.

That shift from programmatic to strategic doesn’t happen overnight. It requires persistence, creativity, and a willingness to lead change from wherever you sit in the organization.

Recently, I had the opportunity to moderate a Better Impact webinar where two seasoned professionals—Sarah Sukhrum, CVA, Volunteer Services Manager for Pasco County, FL, and Wendy Johnson, MPA, CVA, Volunteer Resources Supervisor & Internship Coordinator for The Indianapolis Public Library—shared how they’ve navigated that journey. Their organizations look very different, but their leadership journeys have striking similarities.

And while the stories they told were inspiring, what stood out most were the practical lessons that any volunteer engagement professional can adopt to strengthen credibility, expand influence, and amplify their organization’s impact.

Here are five lessons to carry forward as you step into your role not just as a manager of volunteers, but as a leader of organizational strategy.

1. Build Relationships Beyond Your Department.

Leadership begins with relationships. Both Sarah and Wendy make a point of getting out of their own offices and into their colleagues’ worlds. For example, Sarah joined animal control officers on ride-alongs; Wendy visited every library branch to better understand operations on the ground.

These efforts paid off in two ways: they gave Sarah and Wendy a deeper understanding of organizational needs, and they built credibility with colleagues who might not have otherwise seen the value of volunteer involvement. When colleagues know you, trust you, and see that you understand their work, they are far more likely to listen when you propose new ideas.

Action Step: Identify one department you don’t work with regularly. Ask if you can shadow them, join a staff meeting, or simply have coffee to learn about their work.

2. Lead Change One Step at a Time

Transforming organizational culture is daunting. Both leaders resisted the temptation to overhaul everything at once. Instead, they looked for “early adopters”—colleagues open to experimenting—and launched pilot programs framed as low-risk trials.

By starting small, they built a track record of success that opened the door to larger, more strategic initiatives.

Action Step: Find one colleague willing to pilot a new way of engaging volunteers. Document the process and outcomes, then share the results widely.

3. Tell the Story with Data—and Emotion

Data opens doors, but stories seal the deal. Both Sarah and Wendy regularly report not just what volunteers did, but why it mattered. Sarah described how volunteers preparing surgery packs save veterinary staff 15 hours a week—a clear, measurable win. Wendy, meanwhile, finds “vocal allies” among her colleagues to speak about the difference volunteers make in their own programs.

They also frame impact differently depending on their audience, tailoring the message to “find their currency” (as Sarah describes it). This not only builds organizational buy-in but positions volunteer engagement as an essential driver of results.

Action Step: Choose one program area. Gather both hard numbers (time saved, dollars leveraged, outcomes achieved) and stories (who benefited and how) and share them in your next leadership or staff meeting.

4. Invest in Professional Credentials

Both leaders hold the Certified in Volunteer Administration (CVA) credential, which bolsters not only their knowledge but also their credibility. Credentials like the CVA signal to colleagues and executives that volunteer engagement is a professional discipline—worthy of investment, expertise, and strategic consideration.

Action Step: Explore training, certifications, or professional development opportunities that will both strengthen your skills and demonstrate your leadership to others.

5. Prioritize Your Own Growth and Connection

Finally, both Sarah and Wendy emphasized the importance of ongoing growth. Sarah encouraged professionals to “never stop learning,” while Wendy reminded us to stay connected with peers, because “our role can feel isolated—there’s knowledge, and comfort, in sharing the journey.”

Volunteer engagement leaders can sometimes feel like a department of one, but professional networks, conferences, and peer groups provide the support and perspective needed to keep moving forward.

Action Step: Identify one professional network or peer learning group to engage with in the coming year. If one doesn’t exist locally, join one virtually or start one yourself.

Leading Beyond Your Title

The biggest takeaway from Sarah and Wendy’s journeys is this: you don’t have to wait for permission to lead. Whether your title says “manager,” “coordinator,” or “specialist,” you can influence your organization’s strategy by building relationships, telling compelling stories, and continually investing in your own growth.

Volunteer engagement is not just about recruiting helpers; it’s about unlocking capacity, fostering innovation, and positioning nonprofits to achieve more than they ever could alone.

The question is: how will you step into your role as a leader of that transformation?

If you’d like to hear more directly from Sarah and Wendy—and gain even deeper insights into how they approached these challenges—you can watch the full Better Impact webinar recording. Their stories bring these lessons to life and might spark new ideas for your own journey.