202. Volunteer Events without the Headaches - My Training Takeaways Artwork

Volunteer Nation

Nonprofit leadership author, coach, and expert Tobi Johnson shares weekly tips to help charities build, grow, and scale exceptional volunteer teams. Discover how your nonprofit can effectively coordinate volunteers who are reliable, equipped, and ready to help you bring about BIG change for the better. Rather than continuing to “do more with less,” achieve abundance for your organization by engaging community talent that helps you do more with more. Society is evolving and so, too, is volunteerism. With over 25 years of experience working in nonprofits, public sector agencies, and grassroots campaigns Tobi is known for her modern “big hat” thinking and straight talk about what it takes to achieve success in today’s world. You will learn how to coordinate volunteers, improve the volunteer experience, recruit volunteers, appreciate volunteers, and do it all more efficiently with the right volunteer management software and digital tools. It’s a mix of interviews and solo shows you’re not going to want to miss. So, if you’re ready to ditch the stress and harness the power of people to fuel your good work, you’re in exactly the right place. Hit subscribe and let’s DO this!

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Volunteer Nation

202. Volunteer Events without the Headaches - My Training Takeaways

February 19, 2026 • Tobi Johnson, MA, CVA

0:00 | 32:03

Volunteer events can be some of the most powerful tools nonprofits have, but they can also be some of the most stressful.

In this episode, Tobi Johnson shares key takeaways from a recent high-energy training inside the Volunteer Pro Impact Lab, where she taught nonprofit leaders how to run volunteer events that create real impact without chaos or burnout.

Whether you’re hosting corporate teams, community groups, or special one-time volunteer days, this episode will help you rethink how you design, plan, and follow up on events so they become strategic relationship-building opportunities, not just logistical headaches.

You’ll learn how to move beyond simply “getting the work done” and instead use volunteer events to grow advocates, strengthen partnerships, and create long-term support for your mission.

Full show notes: 202. Volunteer Events without the Headaches - My Training Takeaways

Volunteer Events - Episode Highlights

[02:20] - Why Volunteer Events Matter (Visibility, Funding, Advocates)
[03:17] - Why We Dread Them: Common Pain Points and The Need for Systems
[04:26] - Training Context: What the Seminar Covered for One-Time Groups
[07:28] - Takeaway #1: Events as Strategic Relationship Builders
[09:18] - Takeaway #2: Predictable Problems and Setting Boundaries
[12:38] - Takeaway #3: Win in the Planning—Projects, Registration, Expectations, Risk
[21:02] - Takeaway #4: The Volunteer Experience Matters as Much as the Work
[23:54] - Takeaway #5: Follow-Up Is Where Relationships Grow
[26:10] - Final Reflection

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Thanks for listening to this episode of the Volunteer Nation podcast. If you enjoyed it, please be sure to subscribe, rate, and review so we can reach more people like you who want to improve the impact of their good cause.

For more tips and notes from the show, check us out at TobiJohnson.com. For any comments or questions, email us at WeCare@VolPro.net.

Tobi Johnson, MA, CVA

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