Volunteers’ Week is upon us. Celebrating and recognising the wonderful work of volunteers in the UK. In 2024 alone, volunteers added £4.6 billion in productivity gains to the UK economy – that is a valuable contribution to our society and one that deserves to be celebrated.
If you’re looking for new volunteers to champion your cause and support your work, prospect research can help. Here’s how to undertake some research to find new volunteers with skills and motivations aligned with your cause.
What is prospect research?
Prospect research is the process of gathering information about potential volunteers, supporters or donors. It can help you make the most of your database, find new prospects, or even secure funding from grant-makers. Prospect research simply means getting to know your supporters and their networks better, so you can find volunteers who are truly aligned with your cause and who have the skills to support you.
Identify your ideal volunteer
Before beginning research, have a clear understanding of where you need support and how a volunteer will fill that gap. What skills are you lacking? What kind of time commitment do you need? Where would you like your volunteers to be located? Which volunteers might feel a connection to your cause? Might they make good trustees or Development Board members?
Answering these questions will help you narrow your search and focus on the most relevant candidates. It’s also important to consider what you can offer a volunteer – they might be looking to learn new skills, connect with people or simply support a cause they care about.
Start by searching your own database. Look for people who have volunteered before, are engaged with your events and communications, and work in sectors where volunteering is encouraged.
Understand their motivations for working with you
Now that you have a list of potential volunteers, it’s time to get to know them better. This step involves researching to understand who your supporters are, what they care about, their potential capacity to volunteer, and their connection to your cause.
Use LinkedIn to check that the people on your shortlist have relevant skills or a public record of volunteering or charity involvement. Look for people who: list volunteering as an interest, are nearing retirement, or have board or trustee experience.
Develop personalised strategies to connect with them and keep them engaged
Use the information you’ve gathered to tailor your communications to your potential volunteers’ interests. Highlight why they’re a good fit for your cause, the impact their support will make, and what they’ll get in return.
If you’re engaging with people who aren’t familiar with your cause, use your existing network or volunteers to see if anyone can make an introduction. Be very clear about the support you’re asking for, the commitment it will require, and how it will help the people your charity serves.
Keep your supporters informed of your research
If you’re making changes to the research you are undertaking, make sure to update your privacy notice and let your supporters know, giving them ample time to opt out of data processing. Your privacy notice must be easy to understand and accessible via your website and on any sign-up forms or mailing lists that collect supporters’ data.
At Prospecting for Gold, we specialise in research, wealth screening, consultancy, and regulatory compliance, making fundraising more effective and successful.
Successful major gift fundraising isn’t just about securing a donation. It’s about building relationships, understanding people’s motivations, and aligning their interests with your cause.
Our wealth screening and data summary report is free when we screen 2,000 or more of your UK supporters. Ready to transform your major gift fundraising? Contact us today.