Volunteerism Isn’t Just About Good Intentions — It’s About Outcomes

In the world of volunteerism, we often lead with heart. And rightly so — this work is deeply human. It’s fueled by compassion, generosity, and a desire to do good. But if we stop there — if we lead only with intention and never with outcomes — we risk selling our own impact short.

Throughout my career, I’ve seen how far a team can go when everyone is aligned — not just around a vision, but around results. Good intentions might get people in the room, but it’s measurable progress that keeps them there. Results create momentum. They give teams a shared sense of “what good looks like” and a path to get there.

The same is true in volunteer engagement.

Heart Alone Isn’t Enough

Leaders of volunteers carry a heavy load. Many are a department of one, juggling recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, appreciation, and reporting — all without enough time or support. Most care deeply about what they do. But in today’s climate, that’s not enough.

We can’t keep treating volunteer engagement as a “nice to have.” We have to start treating it as a strategic arm of the organization.

Because that’s what it is.

When volunteers are well-led, they expand your reach. They deepen your mission. They become advocates, connectors, and multipliers. But if we don’t track that — if we don’t show that — we lose influence. And often, we lose budget, buy-in, and momentum too.

The Data Gap

In the 2025 Volunteer Management Progress Report, only 27% of organizations reported tracking new volunteer conversion rates. Just 39% tracked annual retention. And fewer than half tracked participation rates at all.

It’s no wonder so many leaders feel under-resourced. If we can’t measure impact, we can’t communicate value — and if we can’t communicate value, we struggle to justify investment.

The result? Volunteerism remains under-leveraged, under-supported, and under-optimized.

We can do better.

The Shift We Need

What I’m advocating for is simple, but powerful: a shift from good intentions to great outcomes. From passion-driven leadership to outcome-driven leadership with passion.

This means:

• Defining success clearly
• Measuring what matters
• Sharing stories backed by data
• Aligning with executive goals
• Treating volunteer engagement like the strategic function it is

It's time for more leaders of volunteers to follow the path of professionalizing, modernizing, and elevating their work. Beyond logging hours, successful volunteer programs require intentionally designed systems that unlock impact.

Where to Start

If this feels overwhelming, start small.

We have over 1,000 users/admins in Better Impact’s peer-to-peer user groups, where leaders of volunteers share best practices, swap strategies, and learn from one another. If you’re not plugged in yet, join one.

Getting into the Better Impact ecosystem is more than just software — it’s about stepping into a community of people who care about this work and are committed to getting better at it.

Because volunteerism isn’t about doing the best you can on your own. It’s about building systems and support that lets you do the best job that can be done.

Why Now

Volunteerism is a powerful force for good — but in a world where time is scarce and expectations are shifting, it's no longer enough to lead with heart alone. Leaders of volunteers have a responsibility to lead with outcome-driven strategy, too.

Because this work matters. And the moment demands our best.