Make the Case for Volunteering: New Research, Data & Resources

At Points of Light, we equip nonprofits, community leaders and partners with the latest information, research and findings to make the case for volunteering. Our work is critical as communities around the world face rapidly changing challenges. In the U.S., many organizations are navigating fast-paced shifts in federal policy. Points of Light has also issued a statement on the importance of funding volunteer infrastructure.

In addition to advocating for nonprofits and responding nimbly to external developments, we’re bringing you new resources. This year, we’ve made new investments in measurement, evaluation and research. In this post, we bring together data, statistics and related research updates you can use in proposals, funder conversations, social media, blogs and talking points to help make the case for volunteering and the essential work of your organization.

HandsOn Suburban Chicago [United States]

Giving, Philanthropy and the Nonprofit Sector

• The Generosity Commission’s latest report, entitled “Everyday Actions, Extraordinary Potential: The Power of Giving and Volunteering” provides an in-depth analysis of current trends in philanthropy and volunteerism. The report underscores the significant drop in the number of households engaged in philanthropic activities and volunteer work over the past several decades. [United States]
• Independent Sector’s 2024 Health of the U.S. Nonprofit Sector report reveals that only 25% of funders, compared to 72% of nonprofit leaders, believe that volunteers significantly enhance service quality. The nonprofit sector encounters substantial challenges, with 47% of nonprofits struggling to recruit enough volunteers, 35% finding skilled volunteers hard to come by and 38% having trouble securing volunteers during the traditional workday. While public perception of the nonprofit sector is divided, 79% of individuals reported that their previous volunteering experiences positively influenced their views of nonprofit organizations. [United States]

Atados [Brazil]

Benefits of Volunteering for the Individual

• The effects of volunteering on loneliness among lonely older adults: A recent trial among older adults in Hong Kong found after six months, volunteers reported less loneliness, more social support and better mental wellbeing than non-volunteers. [Hong Kong]
• The association between the onset and ending of volunteering on loneliness and perceived social isolation among older adults: Longitudinal evidence from the German Ageing Survey. A study from the German Ageing Survey analyzed the relationship between the initiation and discontinuation of volunteer work during retirement age and its impact on loneliness and social isolation among older adults. The study findings suggest that older adults who choose to volunteer may experience a decrease in self-reported loneliness even if they subsequently stop volunteering. [Germany]
• Volunteering during early retirement reduces depression. A study on early retirees in the United States demonstrated that participation in volunteer activities significantly decreases the likelihood of depression. [United States]
• Economics of intergenerational volunteering: A mixed-methods study of snow-buddies program in Niagara region, Canada. This study examined the financial costs and savings of a community-based intergenerational volunteer program. The program averted significant financial expenses from hospitalization and resulted in a high financial benefit. [Canada]
• Investigating causal link between volunteering and blood pressure by gender, race, and cohort. A study among older adults investigated the causal link between volunteering and blood pressure, revealing that individuals who volunteered extensively (over 201 hours annually) exhibited a reduced likelihood of clinically high diastolic and systolic blood pressure. [United States]

HandsOn Mexico [Mexico]

Challenges in Perceptions of Volunteering

• Perceived influences of mentoring on mentors’ social well-being. A study of a mentoring and service-learning program at the University of Padova in Italy examined the perceived effects of mentoring on the social well-being of university students who mentored at-risk preadolescents. The results reveal a complex link between mentoring and social well-being and offer new insights into the potential mechanisms that may drive the lasting impact of mentoring and other community-involved service-learning opportunities. [Italy]
• Lagging behind by doing good: How volunteering prolongs unemployment. A study using the Danish Volunteer Survey discovered that jobless individuals who volunteer remain unemployed approximately two weeks or 31% longer than those who do not. The study questions the effectiveness of promoting volunteering as a reemployment strategy. [Denmark]
• Towards a new form of volunteering 2.0: A survey at Apsopad International. A study centered on a Moroccan humanitarian NGO examined the increasing trend of digital volunteering and its transformative effects on nonprofit organizations and their volunteers. The findings suggest that digital volunteering considerably improves flexibility, but it poses challenges in fostering strong social connections. [Morocco]

Is your organization engaged in or contributing to new and innovative research related to volunteering? We’d love to hear more! Please contact Ferzana Havewala, vice president, research & insights at Points of Light, at [email protected].