Association members volunteer more of their time

“The Decision to Volunteer: Why People Give Their Time and How You Can Engage Them” is a new study that examines both association member and community volunteering and shows the deep commitment association members have to volunteerism. A book based on the study will be available in August.

The study was conducted by the American Society of Association Executives and The Center for Association Leadership, based on analysis of research obtained from more than 26,000 participants. This is the largest study of its kind analyzing why members choose to volunteer their time and what keeps them engaged. The study shows:

• Association members featured in this study are highly engaged and commit more of their time to volunteerism than the national average;
• Regardless of whether they are volunteering in the community or for their association, they have a purpose in volunteering driven by values and career growth;
• The best way to approach potential volunteers is by directly asking them to participate;
• Younger volunteers are slightly less engaged in volunteering than their older counterparts, but they actually believe more strongly in the importance of volunteering;
• Age, career status and family status all affect an individual’s capacity and motivation to volunteer for associations;
• Association members seek connections between their careers and volunteerism.

“Our new publication is a great resource for all associations and nonprofit organizations that rely on a volunteer workforce,” said John H. Graham IV, CAE, president and CEO of ASAE. “It answers questions that we have asked many times before about getting more volunteers involved in our organizations and keeping them engaged. It also advances knowledge about association members’ community volunteering and points to a way that charitable and philanthropic organizations can benefit through collaboration with associations for their volunteer needs.”

Twenty three organizations that rely on volunteers co-sponsored this study and provided access to their membership. Click here for more information about “The Decision To Volunteer” or to purchase a copy.