Free Employee Volunteer Events: How to Make the Most of a Minimal Budget

Volunteers plant flowers in Arizona during an event in 2018.

In an ideal world, every corporate social responsibility department would have unlimited funds available to provide employees with matching grants, paid time off to volunteer, employee volunteer events, and other initiatives. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. That doesn’t mean that you can’t encourage employees to volunteer together. You may, however, need to reframe your expectations. Here are some ways to make the best of a minimal budget.

First, don’t host an event yourself. That may sound counterproductive, but hear us out! Instead of trying to host an event, consider reaching out to established nonprofit partners to see if they have ongoing opportunities that you could promote via an email campaign. If enough individuals attend — even on different days or times — they can still make a difference to the organization. If you don’t have established nonprofit partners, look for food banks with large warehouses or, for those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, a large-scale vaccination site.

Second, consider a virtual alternative. There are many online options available now, but one of our favorites involves working with CareerVillage, a Question-and-Answer platform that allows students to ask professionals about their careers. Set up a video conference for your group and spend an hour or so answering questions. If you have a playlist for events, consider using music to make the event seem less formal and more fun.

Third, track your results. If you’re promoting events via email, look at how many people are opening your emails and clicking on the links to volunteer opportunities. Encourage volunteers to track their hours and provide feedback on their experiences. By recording these metrics, you may be able to make a case for a bigger budget in the future. Employee volunteer programs can often get funding when leadership teams realize that they’re a great tool for employee recruitment, engagement, and retention.

Have more questions on getting started? Contact one of our team members to learn more.