Annotated Bibliography & Problem Statement

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Volunteer Management in Project-Based nonprofits

White, Karen R.J.. Practical Project Management for Agile Nonprofits : Approaches and Templates to Help You Manage with Limited Resources, Maven House, 2013. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/harrisburg-ebooks/detail.action?docID=2128325. Created from harrisburg-ebooks on 2020-11-16 07:30:36.

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Practical Project ManageMent for agile nonProfits

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Volunteers, like paid employees, require a certain amount of guidance and support in order to achieve success and to have a rewarding experience supporting your organiza- tion. That support needs to start before you recruit; you need to think about the kind of volunteers your project will require, when you’ll need them, and how you’ll integrate them into your existing organizational structure.

Identify the need for Volunteers Volunteer management in project-based nonprofits begins with identifying where volunteers are needed and where they can make the most impact. In Chapter 6, I introduced the concept of the work breakdown structure and how it can be used to identify vol- unteer opportunities. Each identified activity within the structure represents work to be performed, either by a staff member or a vol- unteer. You can use this list of activities to determine the number of volunteers needed as well as the skills those volunteers should possess and when those volunteers will be needed. This determi-

Managing Volunteers

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nation will ensure that the volunteers are assigned to work when needed and to tasks aligned with their individual skills.

To accomplish this determination, you should first conduct a position analysis. You should review the activities within the work breakdown structure, grouping them into logical positions, and develop position descriptions, just as a department manager

would do when establishing a new job within a department. A volun- teer position description (see Fig- ure 10.1) should be similar to a job description that’s used for employ- ees, with a few caveats.

First, most states have regula- tions covering the use of non-paid personnel. You or the individual creating these volunteer position descriptions should consult your legal advisor to ensure compliance

with the regulations. For instance, it might be that rather than calling the documents being created “position descriptions” you might call them “committee roles and responsibilities” so that there is no confusion as to the intent. One nonprofit organization with which I worked developed these committee roles and responsibili- ties documents and made them available to their volunteers via a website that was clearly marked for volunteers so that there was no confusion about the positions not being employment positions.

Another area of caution is the type and amount of activity the volunteer is to perform. Again, states have regulations that limit the number of hours a volunteer can work and the type of work for which they can be used. It’s possible that you can use a volunteer to stuff envelopes in support of an event, but you need to be sure that you’re not using a volunteer to perform that task just so that you can terminate a paid position.

Each volunteer position description should contain explicit lan- guage relative to performance requirements. If you know from past

 glOSSARy Project-based nonprofits are nonprofit organizations that operate through projects. Such projects could include, but are not limited to, fundraising events, campaigns, direct mail, appeals and donor recognition events.

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Figure 10.1. Volunteer position description.

LOGISTICS CHAIR ROLES AND RESPONSIbILITIES

Specific Responsibilities  Receives training/orientation from chair and/or staff partner  Reviews leadership Handbook  Recruits subcommittee members including onsite volunteers before

and after event  Participates in all committee meetings except as excused by

Committee Chair  Provides timely and accurate status and budget report updates to

Committee Chair  Requests authorization to use facility rent-free and secures paperwork  Arranges for all material needs (tables, chairs, flatbed, tents, etc.)  Walks through location for exact placement of logistical support,

medical, committee headquarters, etc.  Arranges restroom and shower facilities, sound system, and lighting if

needed  Arranges first-aid station and setup, and recruits necessary medical

personnel  Sets up water stations  Transports material and sets up site on the day of the event

General Responsibilities  Performs all functions in a cheerful and cooperative professional

manner  Is physically present and accessible before, during, and after the event  Makes arrangements for appropriate representation if unable to

attend committee meetings  Treats all volunteer and staff personnel with respect and dignity  Responds to all inquiries and requests within 48 hours of request

Position Requirements  Attention to detail  good judgment and decision-making skills  Able to make decisions under pressure  good communications skills  Demonstrated team-player  Able to attend monthly evening committee meetings and commit to

event participation  Anticipated volunteer period: October 2011 through December 2012

MANAGING VOLUNTEERS

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experience that physical attendance in monthly committee meetings is needed, then state that in the position description. If there’s an ex- pectation that the volunteers will attend the event they’re working on, then state that fact and tell the volunteers whether scholarships or grants are available to assist with fees. Another requirement that should be clearly identified is what time of day the volunteers will be needed to work. For instance, volunteers supporting solicitation of sponsorships or in-kind services should understand that some amount of their volunteer efforts will be needed during business hours. However, I’ve found that information is not always made clear to prospective volunteers, which can lead to problems later. Volunteers will be unhappy when they’re asked to perform tasks or attend meetings that they were unaware were required, and projects won’t have the volunteer support they need.

Another requirement you need to make clear in the position description is whether the volunteer needs to be proficient with technology and, if so, what technology. As I previously mentioned, many younger volunteers will prefer text messages to phone con- versations, e-mail to letters. However, there is still a segment of vol- unteers who don’t have ready access to the Internet in their homes or don’t carry smartphones. If these communication vehicles will be needed to support the project, then state so in the position de- scription. Also, identify whether the organization can provide the technology if needed.

establish the Project team’s Structure In addition to defining the positions for which volunteers will be recruited, you’ll need to consider how the committee or project team will be organized. Project teams, or volunteer committees, re- quire structure to ensure that the needed work is performed within the determined budget and schedule and that the stakeholders are kept apprised of progress. Structure is also needed to ensure that no duplication of effort occurs. Establishing a committee structure

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is as much about the synergies within the committee as it is about reporting. As you review the position descriptions you’ve devel- oped, consider how the different roles depend on and interact with each other. Close interaction might indicate that a sub-committee could be beneficial.

Many organizations default to a very broad, flat structure, with all volunteers reporting directly to the project manager. While this might be desirable for control purposes, it often becomes unwieldy, especially if you’re a staff member with other responsibilities. The more successful projects with which I’ve been involved, includ- ing an all-volunteer-managed international conference with over 3,000 attendees, chose a different structure. I call this structure the “satellite organization.” Figure 10.2 depicts this structure, in which there’s a core committee that reports directly to the project man- ager, with sub-committees supporting key areas of responsibility. Each sub-committee has a charter that addresses the sub-commit- tee’s authority and autonomy. Each member of the core team is a sub-committee chair, with volunteers working on the activities in their specific area of responsibility. They hold their own com- mittee meetings, where details within their realm of authority are addressed. The sub-committee chair reports back to the core com- mittee on items that impact budget, schedule, or overall theme and provides status updates on the work of the sub-committee.

This structure is ideal in that it:  Addresses logistical challenges that can arise with a large

committee  Provides volunteers with opportunities to be leaders  Enables the project manager to truly focus on the overall

project. I highly recommend this structure if the number of volunteers

working on the project exceeds five or six. In addition to contemplating committee organization, you or

the committee chair must understand to whom you’ll be report-

MANAGING VOLUNTEERS

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ing. Will it be to a staff member or will it be directly to the project sponsor (typically a board member)? How frequently will that in- teraction occur, and with what degree of formality? In Chapter 6 I talked about developing a communications plan for the project. One of the entries in that plan should address this interaction be- tween the committee chair and whomever the chair reports to.

Staff Your Project team Now that you have your organizational structure, and you know to whom you’re reporting, you can start to recruit to fill volun- teer positions, especially those that are needed early in the project’s schedule. This is so important an undertaking that Chapter 12 is dedicated to the topic. However, one key point to bear in mind is that you need to recruit with the same discipline you would for a paying position. You are entrusting these volunteers with a project whose successful completion is important to your organization. They will represent your organization to the public, and they will be entrusted with protecting your image as much as protecting your budget.

Resist the temptation to recruit from only one company or one group of friends. Consider a multitude of sources for your volunteers to avoid being dependent on one particular group or company. Change out volunteers from one project to another. If you have the same team with the same membership planning a special event or an appeal, over time you’ll find staleness enter- ing into the picture, with a potential negative impact to overall participation. While there’s indeed a benefit to doing something consistently (donors know what to expect), you also need to recognize that changes in the economy and changes in society might be affecting your project or the way it’s managed; then you need to react accordingly and make changes that will be ben- eficial to your organization. Sometimes a fresh set of eyes, or someone with a different background, can help you make those changes happen.

MANAGING VOLUNTEERS

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Plan for turnover The truth is, life will happen to your volunteers and some will not be able to stay with you for the full project. As you develop your team’s charter and structure, include deputies to all key po- sitions — these individuals should be ready to step in as needed. Invite them to committee meetings.

Sometimes you’ll be put into the position where you need to invite a volunteer to depart from the project — sometimes for non-performance, other times to resolve conflicts. Again, you’ll need to have a back-up plan that you can execute so that the proj- ect isn’t harmed. When you must ask a volunteer to leave your project, you need to be tactful and sensitive to his or her privacy in sharing the departure news with the rest of your committee. It may be best to state that “so and so” is no longer able to participate and let it go at that.

Oversee Volunteer Performance You expect volunteers to perform when they step forward and com- mit to complete a task that’s important to achieving the project’s goals. They likewise expect to be able to perform, to feel a sense of achievement, of meaningful contribution. This requires that both you and the volunteer understand what performance is expected of them. It’s important that these expectations be documented in the volunteer position description and expressed in measurable terms. When recruiting a volunteer, provide the volunteer with the position description and give him or her time to review it; the volunteer must understand the performance expectations and be able and willing to meet them. You should then together review the position description to be sure that he or she understands and accepts the requirements.

You also need to consider how the volunteer’s performance will be monitored so that you can address any issues quickly. Asking for periodic status reports, conducting one-on-one meetings — the

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same techniques used when monitoring employees — are appro- priate. And if a volunteer is struggling with an assignment, is un- able to provide the time required, or is missing some key skill, then consider how you might assist that volunteer — perhaps by asking another volunteer to work alongside them — before you decide that you need to replace the volunteer.

It’s equally important for you to realize that these resources are volunteers, that this assignment is not their primary focus. There will be times when you’ll need to be lenient and flexible. If a sta- tus report is missed, or if a sponsorship inquiry didn’t happen as scheduled, but you know that these things will happen and the project’s bigger target won’t be affected, then remember that you’re dealing with volunteers and let it go.

Deal with non-Performing Volunteers That said, you’re responsible to the organization to ensure that the project is completed and that stakeholder objectives are met. This means that sometimes you’ll just have to replace a disruptive or unsuitable volunteer. Do it the same way you would dismiss an em- ployee — respect the individual, explain the reason for the dismiss- al, and offer another volunteer opportunity more aligned with his or her abilities or personality. As stated previously, when this situ- ation occurs you need to be tactful and sensitive to the volunteer’s privacy in sharing departure news with the rest of the committee.

Summary Proper engagement with volunteers assigned to project work is critical to the success of the project. The organization is relying on the volunteers to assist staff in fulfilling the project’s objectives, while relying on the project manager to ensure that the volunteers working on the project are properly engaged. The project manag- er needs to assume responsibility for that engagement and work

MANAGING VOLUNTEERS

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with the volunteers so that the project is a positive experience not just for the organization but also for the volunteers. This is accom- plished by ensuring that the right volunteer is assigned to the right activity at the right time, with the right amount of engagement and guidance from staff.

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As stated in the previous chapter, recruiting and retaining good volunteers is critical to the overall success of many nonprofit organizations. Yet outside of some large health- care systems and national organizations, few nonprofits are able to establish a human resources department to oversee its volun- teers and how they are recruited, assigned, and managed. Rather, these functions are left to the operational managers whose efforts require volunteer support.

recruit the Best When there is no volunteer department to assist with recruiting, superior project managers will select recruits from the volunteers with whom they have worked in the past. But if you’re a new proj- ect manager you might not have a roster from which you can solic- it resumes. One tool that you can easily adopt is to use a repository of the resumes of all past volunteers. If this repository is available electronically, you can search the resumes for key words culled

recruiting and retaining reliable Volunteers

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from the position descriptions for the roles you’re trying to fill. Ask people who are interested in volunteering for your organiza- tion to send you a “volunteer resume” that focuses on volunteer positions they have fulfilled in the past as well as their profes- sional positions. Or have them complete a volunteer information form (see Figure 11.1).

Once you have information from your prospective volun- teers you need to match your position description to their re- sumes or information forms and create a short-list of candidates with skills that align with your specific position needs. Approach those candidates with the volunteer opportunity, sharing the po- sition description with them. Be sure they understand the com- mitment required of them, including the estimate of the time required to complete the necessary work and to attend meetings. If they’re expected to purchase tickets to an event, or make a donation in support of a campaign, be sure that’s also commu- nicated. Not all potential committee volunteers will be in a posi- tion to “pay to play.”

When recruiting volunteers, it’s important to understand what a candidate brings to your organization. A review and dis- cussion about their resume will permit you to understand their background and experiences. For instance, if they held a position in a retail environment, they might have excellent design skills and could be great on a decorations committee. Or if they held a finance position, perhaps they could handle the budget tracking and reporting for the project. You should also explore with the candidate what they enjoy doing. Maybe they want to do some- thing that provides them with a chance to be creative or to apply some newly acquired skills. The important thing is to have the dis- cussion and to understand the candidate’s motivation and skill set.

Provide Leadership If you’re not the committee chair and project manager on the proj- ect, you need to pay particular attention to staffing the committee

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VOlUNTEER INFORMATION FORM Page 1 of 2

DATE:

NAME: Last First Middle

ADDRESS: Street City Zip Code

Home Phone #: Emergency Contact:

Cell Phone #: Name:

Business Phone #: Phone #:

Company: Relationship to you:

Job Title:

E-mail address:

Preferred Method of reaching you:  Home Phone  Cell Phone  E-mail (Please check one)

May we call you at work?  Yes  No

Skills — Please check all that apply:  MS Office  Project management  Graphic design  Journalism  Creative writing  Business writing  Basic carpentry  Meeting planning  Telephone skills  Able to drive  Finances/Budgets Please list any others:

Please identify your availability for project team meetings; specify any time limitations (e.g., after 6:30 p.m., not Sundays): Daytime: Evenings: Weekend:

All information contained on this form is confidential in nature and will not be shared except as needed in support of the volunteer assignment.

Figure 11.1. Volunteer information form, page one of two.

RECRUITING AND RETAINING RELIABLE VOLUNTEERS

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Figure 11.1. Volunteer information form, page two of two.

VOlUNTEER INFORMATION FORM Page 2 of 2

NAME: DATE:

Please identify any past volunteer experiences you have had with us:

Have you volunteered for other organizations? If so, please identify and describe your responsibilities.

Why are you interested in volunteering with us? Please identify any skills you hope to develop in your time with us.

SIGNATURE: DATE:

All information contained on this form is confidential in nature and will not be shared except as needed in support of the volunteer assignment.

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chair as well as the deputy chair. These volunteers need to have excellent people and communications skills. They should have demonstrated experience managing budgets as well as resolving conflicts. These individuals will be your project manager and dep- uty manager. Do interviews — multiple if needed — to ensure that you’re assigning someone who will get the job done without alien- ating other volunteers or becoming the project’s martyr. Recruit these positions first and then engage those volunteers in recruiting the other volunteers.

Mix It Up! Consider a mixture of volunteers on your project team. Don’t let the team become a clique of friends — you’ll lose authority over your project. Also, a project team consisting of individuals with different backgrounds and experiences will bring variety to your project. The last thing you want a participant to say when receiv- ing an appeal or event invitation is “Oh! I went to this last year, this looks like the same thing. I think I’ll pass….” New volunteers sup- porting your project will bring new ideas so that each year’s event is fresh and inviting to potential attendees.

Look for Future Board Members As you work with your volunteers, consider how you might engage with them in the future. Some of your volunteers are looking for a meaningful relationship with your organization and the current assignment might just be the “let’s see how this works” opportunity. Schedule discussions with the volunteers supporting your projects; understand their motivation and reasons for joining the project team. Consider how you might leverage their skills and knowledge on other projects — perhaps even on your board. You’re making an investment in the volunteer; you’ll want to retain that volunteer for future years.

RECRUITING AND RETAINING RELIABLE VOLUNTEERS

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Make the Volunteer Welcome If the volunteer is new to your organization, schedule a tour with them. Provide literature and encourage them to explore the or- ganization’s website. You might consider inviting the new volun- teer to meet others with whom they would interact, perhaps at an informal lunch or over coffee. If you already have a project team (committee) in place, the candidate should be invited to attend the next meeting to “try out” the committee before committing.

Don’t dismiss volunteers after the project is concluded. Keep them connected to the organization between assignments. Invite them to attend information sessions to apprise them of your orga- nization’s activities such as staff changes, promotions, and overall organizational health. Actively seek their suggestions and inputs when planning.

Summary Today people are overwhelmed with conflicting priorities and need to juggle their time. So it’s important that nonprofit manag- ers — both operations and project managers — artfully engage the volunteers they recruit. Volunteers are increasingly critical assets and, once obtained, should be nurtured and appropriately utilized. The volunteer who leaves an organization feeling unappreciated or misused is not only a lost volunteer but also potentially a lost donor and organization champion.

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Nonprofit organizations frequently find themselves relying on volunteers to work on projects necessary to obtain the funding required by the organization’s mission. And in these days of decreased funding for staff positions, the use of vol- unteers is increasingly important.

Yet we tend to not practice good personnel management when interacting with volunteers. It’s as if we place volunteers into a dif- ferent resource class than our staff. Yes, volunteers are different — they don’t collect a paycheck or certain other benefits from us. But they are indeed just as critical to our success. I’ve found that by applying the following five rules I’ve been able to obtain the best from every volunteer, and they’ve all had rewarding experiences.

RUlE #1 recruit the right Volunteer for the right Job

How many times have you expressed elation at filling a volunteer role only to later find yourself regretting it because the “found” body is not able to do the needed work? Filling a volunteer position

Five rules of effective Volunteer engagement

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on a project is just as crucial to a nonprofit’s success as filling a paid position. Yet we’re hesitant to apply the same level of discipline to the process of recruiting volunteers as we do in recruiting staff.

When recruiting to fill a volunteer position, we resist asking the candidate why they want the position. Instead we assume that they responded to our request because they share our passion about the organization’s mission. The reality might be that they volunteered because they need to do community service or they want to be on a committee with one of their friends. Or they have some other reason. Without knowing the “why,” it will be difficult for you to judge the individual’s commitment or flexibility.

In addition to understanding the candidate’s motivation for volunteering, you need to know what they can bring to your proj- ect. You need to have an open, one-on-one discussion with them about their background and experience so you’ll know how they’ll best fit your project management needs. Handle this discussion as you would an employment interview: schedule it in advance; con- duct it in a professional environment; be prompt and courteous; do the appropriate follow-up. The following list identifies some of the questions I’ve found it useful to ask of the volunteer-candidate:  How did you hear about our event? Our organization?  Why do you want to volunteer here?  Please describe your typical workday — what do you do?  How available would you be in the evenings or weekends?  Do you have access to a computer and a smartphone

at home?  What would make this volunteer activity a success for you?  Please share your vision of the outcome (of the event, cam-

paign, mailing, etc.) — what would success look like?  Please tell me about your other volunteer activities? One important note: If you’re not the project manager but, in-

stead, are recruiting the project manager (committee chairperson),

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recruit that position first and then be sure that the chairperson is involved in all subsequent recruiting activities. That chairperson is the individual who will be held responsible for the success or failure of your project so they need to be comfortable that the right folks are on their committee or project team.

RUlE #2 Define the Job Clearly

Prepare a position description (see Figure 10.1 in Chapter 10) and review it with the volunteer. Be sure the description includes a clear discussion about expected performance, including security and confidentiality considerations as needed. If the volunteer is going to be using your organization’s technology or facilities, be sure the position description explains their responsibilities re- garding the safekeeping of that property. Ask the volunteer to read and observe any pertinent corporate policies, such as discrimina- tion or harassment policies.

Once you’ve identified a qualified volunteer, be sure they know what’s expected of them. Have a discussion about the anticipated effort, including frequency and location of mandatory meetings and other events. Share the project’s work breakdown structure, if it exists, and other project documents, highlighting where the volunteer’s efforts will fit in.

Finally, review the project’s overall organizational structure with the volunteer. Give the volunteer a sense of what it will be like to work on the project. If you already have a project team in place, invite the candidate to attend the next meeting so that they can see if they really want to work with your team. You want to make sure that there will be no potential conflicts within the project team, that all assigned volunteers will be able to work together harmoniously.

There’s always the risk of personality conflicts within project teams. Volunteer project teams, however, face additional poten-

FIVE RULES OF EFFECTIVE VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT

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tial conflicts. One such conflict might occur if you have repre- sentatives from competing businesses on your team. For instance, having representation from two restaurants might create friction when it comes to selecting an event caterer. Another source of conflict could arise if a similar project had been conducted in prior years and the former project manager or committee chair is on the current project team; they might tend to resist doing something different.

If you sense that there could be conflicts among your team members, perhaps one of the volunteers could be reassigned to an- other project supporting the organization, or maybe the potential conflict could be resolved by the project team members. For in- stance, if the conflict is related to business competition, one man- ner by which the conflict could be resolved would be for the parties to recuse themselves from discussions related to their businesses.

Just remember that, when building your project team, it’s im- portant to acknowledge that the risk of conflict exists and to en- sure that it won’t affect the project’s performance.

RUlE #3 Communicate Frequently (and Listen!)

Keeping volunteers informed and connected is the lifeline of your relationship. Communicate with them as frequently as you do your staff, and perhaps even more so! Remember, your staff members are connected to your organization’s informal communications network, the volunteers are not. Let the volunteers know when there’s a significant event within your organization, such as a re- organization or a promotion, even if it doesn’t affect their project. It will make them feel that they’re part of your organization and invested in its overall mission.

Schedule periodic one-on-one meetings with key volunteers and ask them how it’s going. Be prepared to address their concerns and questions. During these meetings, I like to ask the volunteer if

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they understand how important their contribution is to the team and to the organization, whether they’ve met the project’s sponsor, are they acquiring any new skills, and are they feeling happy about the work they’re doing. Use this meeting to determine if this person is a volunteer you can, and want to, approach for the next project.

Reinforce communications within the project teams. Consid- er leveraging technology such as Facebook or Twitter to support communications among team members. They can use it to keep each other apprised of progress. If you’re the project manager, con- duct team meetings on a regular schedule, at a time and location that’s convenient for the majority of the team. Distribute meeting agendas and handouts at least 24 hours before the meeting so that attendees can be prepared. Distribute meeting minutes within 24 hours after the meeting.

RUlE #4 Be Prepared to reassign a Volunteer

Unfortunately, we occasionally need to change our volunteer as- signments. Perhaps the volunteer isn’t able to perform as needed or there’s a conflict of personalities, or there’s a greater need for help on another aspect of the project. When this occurs discuss the issue with the volunteer. Remember, this is someone who has

Figure 12.1. Follow these five rules of good personnel management to obtain the best from every volunteer.

FIVE RULES OF EFFECTIVE VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT

RUlE #1 Recruit the Right Volunteer for the Right Job

RUlE #2 Define the Job Clearly

RUlE #3 Communicate Frequently (and listen!)

RUlE #4 Be Prepared to Reassign a Volunteer

RUlE #5 Cultivate Good Volunteers

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shown sufficient interest in your mission to join the project team, to invest their time and effort. You owe it to this person to explain honestly why the change is needed. Together you should explore ways that the volunteer can continue to support the project if that’s what the volunteer wants. If there’s truly no suitable role for the volunteer on that particular project, you should explore other projects within your organization that might be better suited to the volunteer’s abilities.

If the change is needed because team dynamics are not working in the best interest of your mission, you should determine whether the volunteer is suited to your organization at all. If he or she is, then do your best to identify another position that would work for them. If you think the volunteer is not appropriate for your orga- nization, then you need to gracefully thank them for their efforts and explain that there’s a mismatch between their work approach and the culture of your organization.

Dismissing someone can be a difficult task — it’s never easy or pleasant, but you must do it for the sake of your mission. If you feel uncomfortable holding these discussions, or if you’re not sure what to say to the volunteer, ask someone in your personnel de- partment or management team to provide you with coaching and to let you do some role-playing as you prepare to take action.

RUlE #5 Cultivate Good Volunteers

It might be trite but it’s worth saying: A volunteer in the hand is worth two in the bush. Good volunteers are a scarce commodity. You need to invest in your volunteers, cultivate them, groom them, and grow them. Give some thought as to how you’re going to keep a good volunteer who’s interested and connected with your organi- zation upon completion of the current project assignment. Is there another role they can perform for you? Are they a candidate for a more influential role, such as serving on an advisory group or a

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board? Can they take on increasing responsibility and manage a project for you? Develop a volunteer progression plan for them, increasing their role within your organization.

Be certain to thank ALL volunteers, frequently and sincerely — especially those who are good performers — and let them know that they’re truly appreciated. Recognize them as contributors to your organization’s goals. These volunteers are not giving money, but they’re giving their time, an equally important resource for your organization.

Case Study: The Volunteer-Managed Project I had been asked to serve as a volunteer project manager for a two- year volunteer effort culminating in the successful production of an international conference. This activity was conducted during the time period in which the organization was growing in mem- bership and in event participation, transitioning from a small, volunteer-managed association to an international association and addressing the challenges resulting from that transition. Some key attributes of the program included the following:  It was a nonprofit function.  It was run by volunteers with managerial/executive

day jobs.  It was important to retain volunteer engagement over

an extended period of time.  It was particularly challenging to schedule and keep

the project on track given the volunteer workforce’s day-job commitments.

Recognizing the importance of this volunteer undertaking and realizing that my job would require travel during the planning pe- riod, I asked the association’s leadership to identify a co-project manager, someone who could ensure the project’s continued prog- ress in my absence and someone with experience with conference

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planning. In hindsight, this was one of the best risk mitigation ac- tions taken. Having two managers provided team members with continuous leadership and timely decision making. A key factor in the success of this management approach was an agreement be- tween my co-manager and me to not let our egos enter into the relationship and to support each other’s decisions once a decision was made.

The project’s core team consisted of sixteen volunteers, supple- mented by the association’s full-time meeting planner and a team from the association’s publishing department responsible for pub- lishing the conference proceedings. The volunteers, who in their day jobs were all senior managers with full-time jobs, most of which required travel, brought with them enormous skill sets and enormous challenges. These volunteers were solicited from mem- bers of the association’s local chapters and from personal contacts within the association. Early team-building sessions and an ego box where egos were checked at the door were essential in bring-

ing this virtual team together to develop a vision and theme. It was a volunteer team structure that was adopted by subsequent symposia teams.

We had a volunteer dedicated to overseeing the project’s finan- cial status who worked with the association’s financial office. Un- like other volunteer projects with which I had been involved, this one required the local project team to maintain a checking account and

to receive and dispense funds from that account as needed. The volunteer we selected to perform this task for us was in a trusted position in his employment so we were comfortable with him in this role. Otherwise I would have asked for a police background check to ensure fiduciary reliability. The monthly bank statements

 QUICK TIP An ego box is a cardboard box, covered in tinfoil, with a slot in the top and a sign hanging over it that says “Place egos here!” The box sits outside the project team meeting room. It serves as a visual reminder that team members are peers without titles once entering that room.

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were provided by the volunteer to my co-manager and me, with a copy of the project’s budget reports and financial statements on a quarterly basis.

Our project charter was provid- ed by the association’s board of di- rectors. Not only did it contain the fixed dates and location of the con- ference, it also included anticipated profit targets for the event. This con- ference was the association’s larg- est revenue generator. As with any event project, it had multiple drop- dead schedule constraints, not just for the event itself but for contracting outside services, production and distribution of marketing and registration materials, and the publication of the conference proceedings.

With these pre-determined deadlines and volunteer team members, risk planning and communications planning were es- sential to identify, gather, and mitigate potential issues. These are often dispensed with in volunteer projects and yet they are prob- ably more critical in this situation. With volunteer-managed proj- ects, unlike employee-managed projects, natural communications channels are not developed and escalation and risk mitigation paths are non-existent. In this project, in order to assure timely execution, the core project management team established status report templates, used technology to optimize disparate sched- ules, timeboxed schedules, and developed inputs and outputs for all meetings to keep things productive (the regular meetings focused on raising issues that could impact execution and on resolving is- sues that stood in the way of success).

Each core team member was asked to form a sub-team to sup- port their area of the project and to hold separate team meetings to focus on their particular tasks. This allowed the core project man- agement team to focus on the big-picture decisions that needed to be made. It also provided each core team member with an op-

 glOSSARy Timeboxed schedules are schedules for projects designed to fit within specific timeframes. The project’s scope is defined by answering questions such as: “What can we accomplish in the next three months?”

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portunity to identify a deputy to attend core team meetings in lieu of, or in addition to, the core team member. The availability of this deputy was particularly useful when summer vacations and busi- ness travel occurred.

Each sub-team was provided with a charter clarifying their decision-making authorities, their budget, and their expected de- liverables. This use of sub-teams became particularly important when it was time to review abstracts from candidate speakers for the actual conference. With over 500 technical paper submissions to be reviewed by subject-matter experts within a thirty-day win- dow, these additional volunteers were engaged by the core team member (whose role was technical program manager), who made assignments, followed up on them, and kept that team focused on their tasks. This intense oversight by the technical program man- ager permitted the rest of us to stay focused on our individual assignments and not get into the details of reviewing abstracts. The technical program manager also worked with his sub-team to manage all the logistics associated with the technical program, which included scheduling speakers and equipment and coordi- nating with the publications team to ensure that the final papers were received on time and in the format needed for publication.

As mentioned above, the association sponsoring the project was undergoing substantial growth, leading to management and cultural changes. All of this flux was an added challenge to execut- ing the project. Maintaining communications with stakeholders and formalizing how problems would be solved were important elements in keeping the project rolling and on track. My co-man- ager and I worked out a schedule of report updates and broader communications such as newsletters and project highlights, which alternated on a monthly basis, to keep all stakeholders apprised of the project’s progress and the key decisions that the core project management team had made. These reports also included budget reports.

The results were outstanding. As optimistic as the team was, they beat even their own expectations.

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 The conference experienced the highest attendance to date, far exceeding profit expectations.

 The team structure and processes were able to deliver a larger, more professional conference. These practices were used for the next ten years, and the technical program management handbook and volunteer structure are still used today.

 During the two-year project the volunteer project team needed no replacements, didn’t suffer from the usual burnout, and went on to be very active in the local and regional association components.

Summary Volunteers are critical to your project success. You need to en- sure that you treat them well. By following the five rules discussed above you will maximize the value your volunteers provide and the benefits they receive by working with you.

FIVE RULES OF EFFECTIVE VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT

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