691. The Volunteer Strategy Gap (And How to Close It) - Nicole R. Smith, CVA

In today's episode, Jon and Becky sit down with Nicole R. Smith, CVA, Executive Director of AL!VE (Association of Leaders in Volunteer Engagement), to talk about what it really looks like to treat volunteers as a strategic powerhouse, not an afterthought.

Nicole has spent her career championing the people who champion volunteers, and she's here to close the gap between organizations that say volunteers are vital and the ones that actually build systems to prove it. 💪

In this episode, you'll hear:

• Why volunteer engagement is a leadership issue, not just a logistics one
• What structural elements every org needs to make volunteers a core capacity 
• The metrics most organizations are leaving on the table
• How investing in your volunteer engagement professional changes everything

If volunteers have ever felt like an untapped superpower in your org, Nicole will help you see exactly what's possible—and where to start today. 🩵

Episode Highlights: 

• Faith, Dance & Falling into Volunteer Engagement (02:29)
• The Volunteer Strategy Gap: Vital but Under-Resourced (07:14)
• Top-Down Support for Volunteer Managers (11:32)
• Key Infrastructure: Training, Tech & Culture (15:59)
• Hidden ROI: Capacity, Community & 3-6x Returns (24:35)
• Nicole’s One Good Thing: Random Act of Kindness (Even for the "Undeserving") (36:45)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/691

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