Volunteer Nation

In this episode of The Volunteer Nation Podcast, host Tobi Johnson sits down with Diana Villarreal and Gail Cavallaro from the Community Foundation for greater Richmond to explore how strategic volunteer engagement is shaping the future of nonprofits. 

Diana and Gail share the foundation’s mission and walk us through its inspiring history, along with the wide range of programs designed to support nonprofit growth at every level—from...

In this episode of The Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi Johnson challenges the status quo of traditional volunteer position descriptions. She explores why the standard, task-heavy approach often falls flat and shares how a simple shift in language and structure can dramatically improve volunteer recruitment.  

Tobi introduces creative alternatives—like adding impact statements, showcasing team values, and sharing volunteer testimonial...

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi Johnson invites Dr. Rob Lion onto the show to discuss people-first leadership and fostering stronger collaboration between paid staff and volunteers. Dr. Rob Lion is a professor, consultant, and principal of Black River Performance Management, who shares expert insights on creating a human-centric organizational culture. Together, they explore key strategies for effective commun...

In this episode of Volunteer Nation, host Tobi Johnson dives deep into the ethical and fair treatment of volunteers. She introduces the Volunteer Bill of Rights, outlining ten essential rights every volunteer should have, from being valued and trained to working in a safe environment. 

But rights are only part of the equation. Tobi also explores ten key responsibilities volunteers should uphold, such as committing to the organizatio...

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi discusses the concept of volunteer bias in organizations, focusing on the theme, Entitled or Exploited. Using data from the Volunteer Management Progress Report, Tobi highlights issues such as volunteer retention, respect, and organizational challenges. 

She also delves into the implications of labeling volunteers as 'entitled' and introduces the concept of volunteer ex...

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation podcast, Tobi welcomes Michele Wiesner, Director of Capacity Building at Hire Heroes USA onto the show! Michele discusses her extensive experience in volunteer engagement and career development, particularly her role in developing a robust volunteer program at Hire Heroes.  

The pair cover a range of topics, including the importance of volunteerism, strategies for recruitment and retention, an...

In this episode, Tobi draws insights from the Volunteer Management Progress Report and discusses the perennial challenges in engaging volunteers, particularly respect and buy-in from leadership. She highlights the importance of power sharing, diverse community engagement activities, and the skill sets needed for successful community collaborations.  

Tobi also shares practical tips from listening forums and advocacy campaigns to dig...

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation podcast, Tobi Johnson is joined by Alice Glenn, President of the Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI). Tobi and Alice delve into innovative approaches to nonprofit membership and volunteer engagement, particularly within associations, chapters, and membership-based nonprofits.  

Alice shares insights into developing volunteer leadership pipelines and modernizing governance models...

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation podcast, Tobi focuses on nonprofit advocacy, emphasizing the importance of advocacy in uncertain times. Tobi outlines a detailed six-step plan to launch a community-based advocacy program, tailored for organizations that rely on volunteer and community support. 

She discusses the importance of defining goals, recruiting and training the right volunteers, providing necessary tools and resources...

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation Podcast, host Tobi Johnson provides an in-depth discussion on nonprofit advocacy strategies. Tobi talks about the immediate need for nonprofit advocacy and shares five key strategies to effectively engage in advocacy efforts. These strategies include public awareness and education, media and digital advocacy, grassroots mobilization, engaging policymakers without lobbying, and legal and polic...

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation podcast, Tobi addresses the critical need for nonprofits to engage in advocacy, especially amidst current uncertainties like federal funding chaos. She explains how advocacy's role has diminished over the past 20 years and stresses the importance of nonprofit sectors educating legislators, constituents, and communities about their work.  

Offering a basic understanding of nonprofit advoca...

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi discusses the key volunteer recruitment trends from the 2025 Volunteer Management Progress Report. She explores the major challenges non-profit organizations face in recruiting and retaining volunteers, such as time constraints, lack of support, and alignment issues between volunteer roles and community interests. 

Tobi also emphasizes the importance of tracking marketing metrics...

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi dives into the art of expanding volunteer roles within nonprofits. Inspired by a recent workshop, she breaks down the essential steps to designing an effective volunteer program that truly meets organizational needs. 

From setting clear volunteer goals to brainstorming new roles, aligning with volunteer interests, and collaborating with colleagues, Tobi shares a practical, step-b...

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi introduces the newly rebranded VolunteerPro Impact Lab, a community dedicated to supporting volunteer-driven organizations in their program development and assessment.  

Tobi discusses the enhancements and features of the platform, including the Volunteer Strategy Success Path model, assessment tools, and various training and coaching resources aimed at helping organizations buil...

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation podcast, Tobi is joined by the Founder of the Collective Good, Britt Hogue. The pair discuss the importance of bringing a collectivist spirit to nonpartisan volunteer work, especially in divisive politics. 

Britt shares her experience in organizing intergenerational conversations, and provides practical strategies for managing volunteer conflict, encouraging proactive community building, and i...

In the first episode of 2025, Tobi shares her insights on developing an impactful volunteer recruitment flyer. She discusses common problems, such as lack of audience targeting, incomplete journey planning, and ineffective distribution strategies.  

Tobi provides practical tips for creating flyers that resonate with specific audiences, plan the entire volunteer journey, and enhance personal connection through trained outreach teams....

In this holiday-themed episode of The Volunteer Nation Podcast, host Tobi Johnson shares the top 6 Volunteer Nation Podcast episodes from 2024! Themes include transitioning from doer to nonprofit leader, transforming volunteer leadership, successful volunteer coordination, effective volunteer management, boosting volunteer signups, and volunteer retention strategies. 

As we come to the end of the year, we want to say thank you for t...

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation podcast, Tobi shares 8 practical ways to build capacity with volunteer teams. These include leadership development, community engagement, program development and evaluation, and technology and data management, among others.

Tobi also offers advice on setting up and managing volunteer teams, from using advisory groups to building data and reporting teams. The episode aims to help volunteer lead...

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi discusses practical strategies for addressing volunteer performance issues. She introduces a structured approach called the 'Great Communications Model' and emphasizes the importance of setting clear boundaries, using authority correctly, and maintaining focus on organizational mission.  

This episode also includes tips for handling difficult dialogues and ensuring acco...