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 oneWhat structural elements every org needs to make volunteers a core capacity The metrics most organizations are leaving on the tableHow investing in your volunteer engagement professional changes everythingIf 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/691Join us at ImpactUp: Story! Join us online from 12-1:30 CST for a free virtual session including a keynote with storytelling phenom, Afdhel Aziz, and a roundtable convo with 4 amazing nonprofit leaders. Then that evening, in nearly 50 cities around the world are hosting local meetups to keep the conversation going in person.Find a meetup near you or join us virtually! //Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter