LeadForward Vol.1 No. 1

Volunteers

"Value volunteers for lasting impact."

in the spotlight

by Dan Johnson

"Your volunteers decide that they're going to go to a spaghetti dinner or decide that they're going to volunteer for another organization... because you haven't made that valuable enough to be with you."

I’ve spent years in the nonprofit world, and if there’s one truth I’ve come to embrace, it’s this: volunteers are the heartbeat of any mission-driven movement. Yet, too often, they’re treated like optional extras— appreciated, sure, but rarely empowered. And I believe that’s a mistake we can’t afford to keep making. When I think about what really sustains a nonprofit—not just financially, but culturally—it isn’t just donor dollars or program outputs. It’s people. It’s the quiet force of those who show up with sleeves rolled and hearts open. Volunteers may not appear on payroll, but their value is priceless. We need to stop underestimating their worth and start redesigning our leadership cultures around them. Let me be clear: people don’t volunteer just because they have extra time. They join because something in our mission speaks to them. But here's the truth that hits hardest—they won’t stay unless they find purpose, ownership, and growth in what they do. That’s what I call the three volunteer paychecks.

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