Jaclyn Piatak and Joanne G. Carman on community volunteer retention

Research on community volunteer retention published by Jaclyn Piatak and Joanne G. Carman, professors in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, was featured in the Foundation Group’s ‘The Simple Roadmap to Making Volunteers Lifelong Champions.’ 

The study, Unpacking the Volunteer Experience: The Influence of Volunteer Management on Retention and Promotion of the Organization, found that the most important elements that impact community volunteer retention are:

1. Investment in volunteer training
2. Making volunteers from diverse backgrounds feel welcomed and included
3. Positive interactions between volunteers and paid staff

With these three elements in mind, the Foundation Group created a guide to help organizations recruit lifelong volunteers.

Read the full article from the Foundation Group. 

Access the study via the open-access Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs.