Across the United States, more than 75.7 million people spent time formally volunteering between 2022 and 2023,
according to AmeriCorps. That number represents a 22% growth over two years– the largest expansion of formal volunteering on record. Per the AmeriCorps press release, this data “truly showcases that the spirit of volunteerism is on the rise in America post-pandemic.”
Indiana saw a similar upward trend–
approximately 1.8 million Hoosiers (or 33%) contributed their time to a cause they care about.
As someone who has spent the past decade working in nonprofits, Rena Shown says engaging with nonprofits via volunteer work or serving on boards is one way for residents to take ownership of their community.
“What I've found over the years is that my job is to connect those individuals who have a desire to solve community problems and the resources in which to do so and give them the ability to do that,” she explains. “I think that takes real ownership over the community, like you are invested in it– you believe in it.”
Currently, Shown works as Chief of Development & Strategic Partnerships at
Turnstone, where she gets to see the importance of volunteers first-hand, and she serves on
the Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana Get on Board Committee, which helps connect interested individuals to opportunities to volunteer or serve on committees or boards at area nonprofits.
For people interested in volunteering, it can be difficult to know where and how to get started. Shown offers Input Fort Wayne three tips for getting involved.
1. Start small
While you might be eager to make an impact, Shown says it’s best to start small. Consider starting with a donation, attending an event, or connecting with someone familiar with the organization’s work to learn more.
If you’re interested in participating or working directly with an organization, Shown says to start with volunteering before jumping into any committee or board positions. Volunteering is an easy way to understand and support a nonprofit organization before becoming involved in a deeper way.
“You should be a volunteer,” Shown says. “You should be a committee member. You should be a donor. You should be someone who's engaged with that organization before you attempt to try to join a board.”
Boards are a vital part of nonprofit operations, but an ineffective or disengaged board can hinder the growth and impact of an organization. A large part of the work done by the Get on Board committee is training current or potential board members to be effective, using resources from
BoardSource.
“If we have more people trained to be good board members in our community, then that's going to help nonprofit staff members do their jobs better,” she explains.
She says it’s a misstep she sees often– someone joins a board because a friend or colleague asked, lacking interest or knowledge on the work being done, and lacking the proper training to be an effective member of a board.
“Part of the responsibilities of being a good board member is that you understand your role in the financial security of the organization and the public standing of the organization,” Shown explains. “If you yourself aren't a contributor or a volunteer or someone who's giving back to that organization– where's the trust in the community to support that agency? They take their lead from the community members who are serving on these boards. They see that and they mimic that. I think that's something that's important for people to understand.”
2. Find an opportunity that speaks to you
Shown says there’s an abundance of opportunities in northeast Indiana, so find one that aligns with your interests.
“Fort Wayne is not just the city of churches and restaurants but social services organizations and arts and culture organizations in general,” she explains. “The nonprofit community social sector here really uplifts and supports the other work that's being done in Fort Wayne.”
This coincides with her tip to start small. If you attend an event and decide it’s not the right fit for you at this time, you’re not under any commitment to serve with that organization long-term. You can test the waters at various organizations and decide what work is most meaningful to you.
To find those opportunities, Shown suggests plugging into local media and resources.
“A lot of the initiatives that you see the city take on are driven by a nonprofit leader or an organization in the community that has identified this as something that we should care about more broadly, so I think you can really start to see where you fit just by reading the newspaper, paying attention to social media ads that nonprofits are sharing, and signing up for newsletters just to see what really starts to get your interest.”
If you’re looking for something that might be a bit more to the point in terms of open opportunities with nonprofits, the Get on Board Committee has a tool for that, which Shown describes as an automated matchmaking system.
“We have a
Get On Board page where nonprofits can submit their openings for what they're looking for, whether it's volunteers, board members, committee members, all of the above, and they put their mission in there and they put their contact information,” she explains. “Then people in the community can come and look at that board and start to reach out and connect with organizations that are looking for individuals.”
While their directory is not an exhaustive list of all the opportunities in the region, Shown says it’s a good place to start exploring what organizations need help.
3. Know that your time is just as valuable as a check
If you’re in a position to support a cause financially, that’s a great way to show support, but not everyone has the means to donate money or items. While nonprofits are often running campaigns or fundraising to meet monetary goals, the time donated by volunteers or committees can be just as important.
Shown says both time and money are needed in the nonprofit world, but the people doing the work are usually the largest expense.
“Our largest expenses are the people who are serving those individuals who need help, so at times when we're not able to be fully staffed to provide that service, having volunteers is just as valuable as getting a sponsorship check or a donation from someone who's not volunteering their time,” she explains. “They have equal, if not more value, depending on what you're needing it for. The giving back of time– honestly, I don't want to put a price tag on what your time is worth, and that is why it's priceless.”
For more information on Get on Board or to find volunteer opportunities,
click here.