With International Volunteer Day just around the corner (December 5^th), do you have any plans to recognize your organization's volunteers? Whether you are looking to attract and retain volunteers or would like to express thanks to your valued volunteers, online recognition awards are one of the best ways to do both.

There is no doubt that countless people volunteer each year with the expectation that their experience is what makes volunteering worthwhile. However, there are even more people who might participate over a long term basis when recognition and communication is given consistently. Volunteer experts agree that communication is the key to attracting and retaining valued volunteers.

By implementing an online volunteer award program, organizations can utilize a single website as a central hub for communication between the organization, employees and volunteers. This allows the volunteer award program to function as a bridge to long term commitment of your valued volunteers.

Another Account Manager I work with mentioned recently that she had a new client who was awarding blood donors and had recently set up a blood bank award program website. Depending on the type of donation, donors received points that could be spent or saved over time and redeemed eventually for brand name merchandise. In addition to the award portion of the website, donors could log into the volunteer award website and find out where the mobile blood bank would be via the online calendar, view information about how and where the blood bank's donations are used and also learn about upcoming company events and news updates via the monthly online newsletter.

Opt-in emails are also an important component of volunteer award websites. For this blood bank program, donors could opt in for emails when they set up an account. When points are awarded, i.e. the participant made a donation, a thank you email would be sent and include a running points total. If a volunteer had not received points, i.e. not made a donation in the past 180 days, he or she could alternately receive an email asking the donor to log into the blood bank award website to see where the mobile blood bank would be and inviting him or her to donate again.

Although this program has been in place for only three months, over 3,000 donors have started accounts with 90% of them opting to receive email updates. Administrators of the program have high expectations as donors are already accumulating award points and helping to attract more interest in the volunteer program. This type of online volunteer award program is specifically designed to maximize the organization's ability to attract and retain volunteers and donors over time.

I thought that VolunteerWeek.org put it quite well as they advise, "By communicating all details and project background to volunteers and staying in touch with them frequently, they will begin to create an attachment to your organization and the project even before they arrive. Thus they are more likely to show up on the day of the project and want to stay involved with your program for future volunteer opportunities." Encourage and recognize volunteers this year by offering them a comprehensive online volunteer award program and you can attract and retain a valuable asset of your organization.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Taking your volunteer program online is one of the best ways to ensure you keep in touch.
• Online recognition websites can feature information about current open volunteering positions, company newsletters and even feature a volunteer of the month.
• Volunteers should be able to opt-in for email updates that invite them back to the recognition website when it is updated with new information.
• Public recognition events are very important for volunteers and organizing these events will help to attract and retain volunteers in the future.