Happy National Volunteer Week 2025! Celebrate your volunteers this and every week by ensuring your member volunteers feel the love.
Your member volunteers help move your mission forward, driving success across your organization. Increase engagement and retention with these tips to show volunteer appreciation and celebrate National Volunteer Week!
What is National Volunteer Week?
National Volunteer Week is celebrated annually in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand to recognize the outstanding work of volunteers. Organizations honor volunteers to show the impact of the work in the larger community.
From April 20-26, 2025, National Volunteer Week recognizes the service of volunteers, shining a light on the people and causes that inspire us to serve our communities. This year, National Volunteer Week is celebrating 50 years of thanking the people and causes making a difference in their communities.
Why is an association’s volunteer program important?
Did you know that member volunteers can help you grow your association? However, Momentive Software research found that just 19% of association members volunteered at an event. And only 1 in 5 association members plan to volunteer in the next 12 months.
According to the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Foundation, 32% of former volunteers and 31% of non-volunteers don’t participate in volunteer programs because no one asked. Currently, 70% percent of association members have never volunteered.
The bottom line is this—if you want to drive your organization’s mission, you should invest in your volunteer program.
What are the benefits of volunteering?
Volunteering has many benefits—your members may choose to volunteer for personal and professional reasons, allowing them to give back to your organization.
Some of your members may volunteer for these reasons:Â
- To expand their professional networks
- To play a larger role in legislative, regulatory, & professional advocacy
- To increase personal visibility
- For career advancement
- To improve their technical knowledge
- To gain deeper industry information
Why volunteer recognition is important for your association
Volunteer recognition is vital at your organization because it ensures your member volunteers feel acknowledged and appreciated for their service. When your volunteers feel appreciated, they’re more likely to invest in your organization, saving your staff time and resources. When you thank your volunteers routinely, you maximize retention in your volunteer program, making it more likely your members will continue serving.
7 ways to celebrate 2025 National Volunteer Week
Member volunteers are vital in driving your association’s mission. Follow these tips to increase engagement in your volunteer program:
1. Get social
Share pictures and acknowledgments on social media for your association and the world. Sharing the work of your volunteers can drive volunteer recruitment—publicly acknowledging your volunteer program can attract new volunteers and make your current volunteers feel appreciated. Be sure to tag #VolunteerAppreciationWeek as you celebrate your volunteers to spread the word further.
2. Stay in touch
Thank your volunteers for their efforts by calling or sending handwritten thank-you notes. When you take the time to personally acknowledge the work of your member volunteers, they will feel appreciated and more likely to continue to invest in the future.
3. Highlight your volunteers
Leverage your online community platform to shout out the success of your volunteers. Share images and stories to highlight volunteers who have reached 5-, 10-, and 15-year milestones within your volunteer program. Also, consider shouting out ongoing volunteer projects within your program so that more members are aware of the good your association is doing.
Shining a light on your volunteers will ensure they feel appreciated, and it’s also a great way to boost your volunteer recruitment efforts.
4. Organize a special event
To recognize the work of your volunteers, consider hosting a special event to thank your member volunteers. During the event, celebrate your volunteer’s dedication to your program, mission, and organization. Allow them to share their favorite memories and provide a thank-you gift.
5. Send impact reports
Show your volunteers what they are accomplishing in your association’s volunteer program. Provide a one-sheet document on the impact of your members’ volunteer work and thank each volunteer. Ensure you share the document with your entire organization to recognize your volunteers.
6. Offer volunteer perks
Provide a variety of perks to encourage members to join your volunteer program and boost volunteer retention. Perks could include discounts on membership, event registration, allowing members to teach professional development sessions, or offering mentorship opportunities.
7. Give awards
Go the extra mile to celebrate your volunteers when you award them for being extraordinary members! Consider creating awards to show you care about your volunteers and their contribution to your association and its mission.
