How do you prove your value to stakeholders with volunteer metrics?

1 Why volunteer metrics matter

Volunteer metrics matter because they help you demonstrate the return on investment (ROI) of your volunteer program, which is the ratio of the benefits or value created by your volunteers to the costs or resources invested in them. By measuring and reporting on volunteer metrics, you can show your stakeholders how your volunteers contribute to your organization's goals, mission, and social impact. You can also use volunteer metrics to identify areas of improvement, celebrate successes, and motivate your volunteers.

2 How to choose volunteer metrics

When using volunteer metrics, it is important to choose those that are relevant, meaningful, and aligned with your stakeholder's expectations and interests. To do this, consider the questions you want to answer with your volunteer data. These could include inquiries about the number and demographics of volunteers, the amount of time, effort, and money they contribute, their satisfaction and engagement levels, their impact on beneficiaries and staff, and how they help achieve strategic objectives. Once you have identified these questions, select volunteer metrics that are SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

3 How to collect volunteer metrics

The next step in using volunteer metrics is to collect the data necessary for their calculation. Various methods and tools can be employed to do this, such as surveys and feedback forms, interviews and focus groups, observations and assessments, and records and reports. It's important to collect volunteer data regularly, consistently, and ethically, adhering to best practices and standards for data collection, storage, and protection. These methods allow you to gain insight into the experiences, opinions, satisfaction, stories, challenges, and suggestions of your volunteers, beneficiaries, staff, and partners. Furthermore, they enable you to monitor and evaluate volunteer performance, behavior, and impact on activities, outputs, and outcomes. Additionally, they can document the number of volunteers involved in your organization's cause as well as their hours worked, tasks completed, skills used, and expenses incurred.

4 How to analyze volunteer metrics

The third step in using volunteer metrics is to analyze the data that you have collected and calculate the metrics that you have chosen. To do this, you can employ various techniques and tools, such as descriptive and inferential statistics, visualization, and storytelling. Descriptive statistics are useful for summarizing and describing the basic features of your volunteer data, while inferential statistics can be used to test hypotheses and draw conclusions. Visualization can help present your data in an attractive and engaging way, while storytelling can narrate and illustrate your data in a compelling manner. It is important to analyze volunteer data objectively, accurately, and critically, following the best practices and standards of data analysis, interpretation, and verification.

5 How to report on volunteer metrics

The final step in using volunteer metrics is to report on the results of your analysis and the value of your program to your stakeholders. You can use various formats and channels to report on volunteer metrics, such as reports and publications, presentations and meetings, newsletters and blogs, and videos and podcasts. When reporting on volunteer metrics, it is important to do so clearly, concisely, and strategically, following the best practices and standards of data communication, visualization, and storytelling. Reports can document and disseminate your volunteer metrics in a formal way, such as annual reports or research papers. Presentations and meetings can be used to share and discuss your volunteer metrics in a direct manner. Newsletters and blogs can update stakeholders regularly about your volunteer metrics. Videos and podcasts can showcase your volunteer metrics creatively.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?