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New Study Shows Older Volunteers Provide 800% ROI to Nonprofits

July 21, 2010

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NCOA reports on how nonprofits can use boomers to meet community needs

Washington, DC – Older adult volunteers can provide an 800% return on investment to nonprofits, says a new report released today by NCOA. The report, The Boomer Solution: Skilled Talent to Meet Nonprofit Needs, is the result of a three-year collaborative study of more than 60 nonprofits nationwide. 

The Boomer Solution outlines how nonprofits can best capitalize on the growing influx of boomer talent into the volunteer workforce to advance their missions in the community.

“With the number of older volunteers on the rise, there has never been a better time for nonprofits to leverage the power of older adults to help meet important social needs in our communities,” says Thomas Endres, vice president of Civic Engagement at NCOA. “This timely report provides new ideas and insights, brings best practices to the table, and demonstrates the value of this nonprofit capacity-building model.”

As part of the study, funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies, nonprofits developed and tested various models of integrating skilled older adult volunteers with nonprofit staff. Volunteers were placed in leadership roles and positions within nonprofit organizations that matched their area of expertise.

Using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and marketplace wage data, NCOA developed a return on investment measurement tool to compare the expense of recruiting, training, and maintaining skilled volunteers to the value of volunteers’ service.

To achieve the best results, NCOA recommends that nonprofits:

• Shift leadership style. Organizations that are willing to use skilled volunteers in new ways need to communicate openly with current employees and volunteers about how the organization may need to change to integrate skilled volunteers. 
• Recruit the right talent. Skilled volunteers are seeking projects with a mission, not a task-oriented job. A position described as offering “significant and meaningful work” with impact on the community will attract more talent than positioning the role simply as a volunteer opportunity. 
• Manage and match talent accordingly. Boomers want to put their years of experience to good use, and nonprofits must be willing to manage them in a new way. Be open to volunteers taking on leadership roles and be ready to create new positions to utilize this talent. 
• Be open to new solutions. Whether it means collaborating with another nonprofit to build a recruiting network or enabling a volunteer team to work independently, working with skilled volunteers means thinking differently and trying new things. Nonprofits that allowed volunteers to work autonomously and in leadership roles often enjoyed the greatest financial and operational benefits.

The executive summary and full version of the NCOA report, which includes successful case studies and additional best practices, is available for free download at www.ncoa.org/boomersolution. More resources and other examples of NCOA’s civic engagement work are also posted here. 

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About NCOA  The National Council on Aging is a nonprofit service and advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, DC. NCOA’s mission is to improve the lives of millions of older adults, especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged. NCOA is a national voice for older Americans and the community organizations that serve them. It brings together nonprofit organizations, businesses, and government to develop creative solutions that improve the lives of all older adults. NCOA works with thousands of organizations across the country to help seniors find jobs and benefits, improve their health, live independently, and remain active in their communities.
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