What's Happening?
The Points of Light Foundation has released a report titled 'From Nice to Necessary: Unleashing the Impact of Volunteering Through Transformative Investment,' which highlights the underappreciated role of volunteers in the nonprofit sector. The report reveals
that only 19 cents of every $100 given by foundations is allocated to volunteer engagement. This lack of funding is seen as a significant oversight, as volunteers are crucial to the nonprofit workforce, contributing to various sectors such as healthcare, disaster response, and civil rights. The report calls for better research on nonprofit costs and revenues related to volunteers and emphasizes the need for increased investment in volunteerism infrastructure.
Why It's Important?
The report underscores the critical role volunteers play in scaling nonprofit services and driving social change. Despite their importance, the lack of funding for volunteer support limits the potential impact of these organizations. By highlighting this funding gap, the report aims to encourage foundations to reconsider their funding priorities and allocate more resources to volunteer engagement. This shift could enhance the capacity of nonprofits to deliver services and address societal challenges more effectively. The report also suggests that increased investment in volunteerism could lead to more sustainable and impactful nonprofit operations.
What's Next?
The report calls for action steps to address the funding gap, including articulating the impact of volunteerism investments, encouraging foundations to dedicate specific funding streams to volunteer capacity-building, and proposing the professionalization of volunteer engagement roles. These recommendations aim to elevate volunteerism as a civic priority and ensure that nonprofits have the resources needed to engage volunteers effectively. The report also highlights the need for public funding to support volunteerism, suggesting that government involvement could play a crucial role in addressing the current funding blind spot.
