Volunteers are a tremendous resource for charitable nonprofits. Absent volunteers, many charitable nonprofits would not be able to conduct programs, raise funds, or serve clients. The vast majority of board members who serve on charitable nonprofits’ boards are volunteers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, volunteerism peaked between 2003 and 2005, when 28.8 percent of Americans reported having volunteered the previous year. Today, the numbers are far less. People are busy and more families may need to work fulltime, leaving less time for volunteering. However – volunteer opportunities are shifting with the times. Did you know that it’s possible to volunteer virtually? Or that websites exist just to help match the right volunteers with service projects and even skilled-volunteer opportunities?
Or that companies are incentivizing employees to give of their time through volunteer grants and paid time off programs?
Dive in to learn the ins and outs of volunteerism statistics and trends here!
- 65% of companies offer some sort of paid-release-time volunteer programs for their employees.
- Companies with paid volunteer time off programs offer an average of 20 VTO hours per team member annually (equalling about 2.5 days each year).
- 40% of Fortune 500 companies, and 85% of top matching gift companies, offer volunteer grants as a way to engage their staff and support their volunteer efforts.
Approximately 63 million Americans — 25% of the adult population — volunteer their time, talents, and energy to making a difference.