September 9, 2013
Businesses and nonprofit organizations often join forces to form a mutually beneficial relationship, and now, these partnerships can incentivize volunteers to take part in events put on local nonprofits. Recently launched in Portland, Ore., SwapServe uses a Web-based strategy to lead volunteers toward small companies where they can agree to donate a few hours of their day at a nonprofit to receive a free or discounted product or service.
Nonprofits can get more volunteers
While nonprofits may prefer when people donate their time out of the goodness of their heart, these organizations will definitely take any of the help they can get. Through SwapServe, local businesses in Portland are giving away free goods and service to motivate residents to volunteer at nonprofits throughout the city. By being introduced to new volunteers, nonprofits can hope that these people will want to participate in future events and maybe even become regular contributors, according to Nonprofit Quarterly.
Businesses supply volunteers, get more customers
Companies that use SwapServe can demonstrate how they are socially responsible, but they are also using the service to get more traffic at their locations. Derek Keepers, founder of SwapServe, told Portland ABC affiliate KATU that firms and nonprofits are both truly able to benefit from his service.
"It's a great way to give back, but it's also a legit advertising model," Keepers said. "Everybody who volunteers is going to come and get their free stuff, so you're basically paying a couple of bucks to get somebody through the door."
Nonprofits can't rely solely on SwapServe
The SwapServe model is a great way for volunteers to learn about local organizations, but nonprofits that take part in the service still need to focus on getting people to contribute to their events. The volunteers gained from SwapServe often have limited skill sets, and an article for Nolo, a website that provides legal advice, stated nonprofits need to truly demonstrate how thankful they are that people are taking the time to contribute to their organization. To do this, nonprofit decision-makers must stress to their team the importance of having volunteer appreciation events, during which the organization can show its appreciation to the people who are continually donating their time.
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We first started using First Nonprofit’s Unemployment Savings Program when we were a small startup nonprofit. We didn’t have an HR department and needed expertise in the event that an unemployment claim was made. We knew we were eligible to be a reimbursing employer, but weren’t sure how to navigate that process. They made it easy to set things up, plan for, and then manage claims when they came at a very reasonable cost. The amount of time and stress they’ve saved us dealing with all this has been worth way more than the cost. We’ve now grown to a large nonprofit and do have an HR department but have no plans to stop using their services. I highly recommend them to every nonprofit I come into contact with!
Throughout our membership in the Unemployment Savings Program, First Nonprofit understood our demands, community dynamics, and the importance of seamless services; that allowed us to serve our constituents better.
Because INCS advocates for the operating conditions that allow charter public schools to provide high quality public education, partnering with First Nonprofit was an easy decision. First Nonprofit’s unemployment programs provide our member schools two operating elements crucial to their ability to provide high quality public education: savings and budget certainty. Capable, committed teachers are the key to student success. By participating in the unemployment insurance savings plan, charter public schools gain peace of mind and are able to invest more money in their teachers.
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