Fundraising, News, Workplace Giving

September 24, 2025

Matt Nash is the executive director of The Blackbaud Giving Fund, a donor-advised fund that connects nonprofits to generous donors.

What if the key to increasing generosity wasn’t just asking for donations but inviting people to volunteer? Most people want to give back, but time, money and a sense of helplessness often prevent them.

According to a 2023 report by the Generosity Commission, about 75% of Americans aim to be generous, either day-to-day with friends, family or neighbors or by giving back to nonprofits or community groups. About half of people are motivated to give or volunteer because they care about a cause or see it as a way to further express their values. However, 91% said that giving and volunteering are priorities but feel they can’t devote enough time or give the amount of money that the nonprofit deserves.

How can nonprofits bridge the gap if so many people want to give but feel constrained? One powerful answer: volunteering. Research shows that those who give their time are more likely to give financially and vice versa. Nathan Dietz, research director for the Do Good Institute and lead author of the “Social Connectedness and Generosity” report, sums it up nicely, saying, “The relationship between volunteering and giving is one that is important and, at times, symbiotic. If nonprofit organizations provide rewarding volunteer opportunities, it is more likely to result in giving later, and those who give also often want to volunteer to help the causes they care about.”

Giving and volunteering are interconnected—one action often fuels the other. The more a person engages, the more committed they become to a cause. Here’s how nonprofits can use volunteerism to drive financial support and vice versa.

Giving And Volunteering Are Reciprocal

Studies show that giving and volunteering work collaboratively to support each other and that volunteers are 14.5 percentage points more likely to donate, while donors are 9.3 percentage points more likely to volunteer for nonprofits they support. Nonprofits that offer volunteer opportunities must make volunteers feel connected to and inspired by the nonprofit’s cause, which can increase their impact with both groups. Volunteer opportunities are integral in strengthening the ties between the volunteer and the organization, thus increasing their desire to continue volunteering and begin donating.

Whether someone donates first or volunteers first, the effect is the same: deeper engagement with the nonprofit’s mission. When people give their time, they often develop an emotional investment that can lead to financial contributions. This is crucial, especially since many donors concentrate their support on just one or two nonprofits annually. By offering volunteer experiences, organizations can secure their place as a top cause for these individuals. When donors volunteer, they see firsthand the impact of their giving, strengthening their commitment. No matter which way you view it, one begets the other. When individuals are passionate about a nonprofit’s mission, they’re more likely to support it through several touchpoints.

With this understanding, nonprofits should strategically segment and refine their outreach. When engaging donors, highlight volunteer opportunities. When engaging volunteers, show the tangible impact of financial contributions. This will show each group additional ways to support the nonprofit.

Volunteers Are Committed Donors

Volunteers are active donors, even when overall donation rates decline, showing that volunteers are an essential funding asset despite overall trends. Donors are valuable contributors to nonprofits, and by building strong relationships with volunteers, nonprofits can encourage ongoing generosity, no matter the financial climate.

Hands-on and skills-based volunteering can offer volunteers meaningful experiences that help foster deeper connections to the nonprofit and its mission—whether they’re packing clothes or offering strategic marketing recommendations. A Fidelity report shows that Millennials are most likely to volunteer their unique skills and view volunteer experiences as a significant factor in their decision to donate to a nonprofit. Additionally, about a third of Millennials give more to nonprofits they volunteer with than to nonprofits they don’t volunteer with. This is more than Gen-X (21%) and Baby Boomers (12%) and is particularly notable because Millennials seem to be one of the most generous generations.

Since volunteer experiences are key considerations for donations, particularly for Millennials, nonprofits should create opportunities for volunteers to donate physical or skills-based work to support their cause. During these events, nonprofits should highlight the importance of continual volunteering and donations to help encourage support across multiple touchpoints. For example, they can explain how volunteers are important in preparing and serving meals but that donations are imperative to buy the food.

Connections Create Commitment

Participation in community groups or organizations boosts the likelihood of volunteering by 14.3 percentage points and donating by 8.6 percentage points. When people volunteer with a group, they have shared experiences that reinforce relationships. These shared experiences can encourage volunteers to maintain these connections and volunteer for the nonprofit again. When nonprofits outline their need for returning volunteers, it can help encourage people to volunteer as a group again. Nonprofits should encourage volunteers to bring a friend or form small groups to deepen engagement and increase long-term giving.

Typically, religious organizations see the highest volunteer rates, likely due to their consistent role in people’s lives and the strong feelings of community. Nonprofits should strive to become a consistent presence in their donors’ and volunteers’ lives through regular communication, volunteer opportunities, appreciation events, etc., to help create experiences and feelings of connection within the organization.

Additionally, urban neighborhoods typically have higher levels of generosity than suburban and exurban areas. This further supports the idea that a sense of community increases engagement among people considering volunteering or donating.

Corporate volunteering programs offer nonprofits a powerful opportunity to turn employees into long-term supporters. Online platforms make it easy for nonprofits to organize workplace volunteer events, strengthening employee bonds while fostering ongoing support. By engaging corporate employees, nonprofits can turn one-time volunteers into lifelong advocates.

When nonprofits consider how to increase donations, they should first look to their active supporters and identify ways to encourage increased commitment. Ultimately, generosity isn’t just about money or time; it’s about engagement. Nonprofits can harness the power of volunteering by designing engaging opportunities and building strong relationships with volunteers to cultivate lifelong champions for their cause.