What would you say if we told you that your organization had a chance to have breakthroughs in projects or programs, led by an experienced person who donates their time. Surely you’d say, “Sign me up!”

This possibility could be your organization’s reality. Many of today’s volunteers are well-educated, professionally experienced people looking for places to make a difference. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says in their 2010 report that people with higher levels of education are more likely to volunteer than those who are less educated.

With the current economic downturn, many people have retired early, want to build a resume for a career change, or want to meaningful work while they job search. Recent graduates or graduate students want job experience, internships, and references that will distinguish them from other job-seekers.

According to a 2009 study by the Corporation for National and Community Service, about half of all nonprofit organizations expected their reliance on volunteers to increase in 2010. How will your organization take advantage of the terrific new opportunities this new wave of volunteerism represents?

Volunteers can provide just what your group needs right now -- help with marketing, program delivery and support, writing, researching, fundraising, and high-level financial, legal and technical assistance.

The Boston-based nonprofit, New Generation Energy (NGE) is a good example of this shift. It provides investment and donation options to individuals, businesses, and foundations in the areas of renewable energy, conservation, and the environment. From issuing Renewable Energy Investment Notes to growing its Corporate Partners Program, the small organization does it with the help of a cadre of high-level volunteers.

“Our volunteers and interns help us in many ways from high-level marketing strategy, to installing energy meters,” explained by NGE’s Associate Director Karla Franco. “As a lightly staffed organization, volunteers are how we carry out our mission. They’re out doing energy assessments, helping shelters go green, and promoting NGE’s programs.”

In our over 20 years of experience with environmental and conservation organizations, ICL has observed that creating a positive volunteer experience is supported by a well-managed program with a strong organizational commitment. Matching skills to the appropriate assignment, or developing one that makes good use of what the volunteer offers is also very important to volunteer satisfaction.

Think of it no longer as volunteer management, but as talent management. Today’s volunteers look for chances to innovate, solve problems, or create something new. They seek specific jobs or projects that can be done on a defined timeline. In managing talent, the organization gains people who feel part of the organization and who may return to give more work, tell others about your group, or become donors.

So what does it take to find, engage, and keep these skilled, talented volunteers?

Create a volunteer culture. As with fundraising, implementing a volunteer strategy takes involvement from everyone in your organization. Work with all board members and staff to promote a culture of inclusiveness and encourage your team to highly value a volunteer’s skill set.

Think outside the box. Highly-skilled volunteers can fulfill many needs in your organization. At NGE volunteers have titles such as “Corporate Partnerships Associate” and “Communications Coordinator” that reflect the role, needed skills, and importance to the organization.

Consider how to best provide structure and flexibility. Some groups use a traditional model in which job descriptions are developed based on current needs. Others are experimenting with a model that adapts more to the needs of the volunteer. It asks the questions, “What skills does this person have and how can we involve them to meet our goals?” Using both strategies allows you to intentionally plan for and recruit volunteers and be open to creatively involving volunteers in ways that may not seem apparent until you’ve talked to someone with a unique skill, interest, or background.

Look for the right people in the right places. What’s the key to attracting high-level volunteers?

“We take a lot of time creating our volunteer position descriptions and are open about our needs. Our volunteers understand us and are willing champion our cause, which is essential for it to be a good match,” advised NGE’s Franco. NGE recruits many professionals and students through its volunteer positions posted on Craigslist and Idealist.org.

Where else can you go to attract great volunteers? Check out our tips here.

Keep volunteers by making sure they know they matter. Get to know your volunteers. Have meet and greet lunches. Welcome them into the organization and give them a solid orientation. Celebrate accomplishments collectively and measure the impact of volunteer service annually.

Give volunteers what they need. People volunteer for a multitude of reasons. Experience, references, access to networks, personal accomplishment, and simply wanting to do good are all motivations for today’s volunteers. Take the time to get to know volunteers, their expectations and motivation for volunteering.

The economic downturn continues to be a challenge for many environmental and conservation organizations. In response, many of them are rethinking how they engage community members in their work and recommitting themselves to promoting meaningful volunteer service as a critical strategy for their long-term effectiveness. Share your story with us, or leave a comment below and let others know how staff and volunteers are achieving great things together at your organization!