216. Your Quick Guide to Better Volunteer Thank You Notes 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

216. Your Quick Guide to Better Volunteer Thank You Notes

May 28, 2026 • Tobi Johnson, MA, CVA

0:00 | 29:19

A generic “thanks” isn’t enough. Personalized thank-you notes can transform volunteer retention.

In this episode, Tobi Johnson shares a simple four‑step framework to write meaningful appreciation: specific actions, impact, acknowledgment, and gratitude. She also offers creative ways to recognize remote volunteers, scale appreciation, and build a culture of genuine gratitude.

If you want volunteers to feel valued and stay engaged, this episode gives you an easy, actionable formula for better thank-you notes.

Full show notes: Episode 216 - Your Quick Guide to Better Volunteer Thank You Notes

Volunteer Thank You Notes – Episode Highlights

[00:00] - Introduction to the importance of volunteer thank you notes
[06:30] - The transformative power of the right thank you note
[13:49] - Recognizing all volunteers, not just stars
[20:32] - Connecting volunteer efforts to organizational impact
[25:15] - A quick four-step framework for crafting your message
[30:30] - Closing remarks and call to action

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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

Host