{"id":425,"date":"2023-06-06T09:10:19","date_gmt":"2023-06-06T09:10:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/golden2.wpenginepowered.com\/top-tips-on-putting-together-thank-you-for-volunteering-notes\/"},"modified":"2026-01-20T13:23:40","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T13:23:40","slug":"top-tips-on-putting-together-thank-you-for-volunteering-notes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goldenvolunteer.com\/blog\/top-tips-on-putting-together-thank-you-for-volunteering-notes\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Tips on Putting Together\u00a0 \u201cThank you for Volunteering\u201d Notes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Volunteers are not being paid, but they do need something. Without constant and consistent expressions of gratitude, you risk losing their support. If you forget to thank a volunteer, they might just forget you! <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

One of the best ways (and least expensive) to show that recognition is through a personalized \u201cthank you for volunteering\u201d note. Even if the note is just a few words, it shows a person that you care, and that you value their time and input.   <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to psychological research<\/a>, personal notes have an amazing impact on both the sender and the recipient. That same research shows that while we know these positive effects, most people struggle to put together thank-you notes! A part of the difficulty is overthinking how a recipient will respond. In general, any show of personalized gratitude in a note is very well-received, even if it seems a bit emotional or hokey to the sender. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

New technological tools like Golden volunteer management software<\/a> can help simplify some of that creative flow while helping volunteer managers automate some of the thanking process. Throughout this article, we will show you how, while providing some examples of great language to use in your \u201cthank you for volunteering\u201d notes. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thanking<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Best Practices for Your \u201cThank You for Volunteering\u201d Process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Thanking a volunteer is not a complicated process that requires deep understanding or insight. It is, though, a critical component of your volunteer management system to retain your best volunteers. When incorporating a thanking process into your management strategy, you should follow some best practices. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be Timely with Your Thanking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Do not wait! A thank-you note should go in the mail (or whichever communication system you are using) within 2 days of the action, whenever possible. This means that if your volunteer came out to an event on a Saturday, you need to make it a priority to send a thank-you note on Monday.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Golden, the most award-winning nonprofit volunteer management software<\/a> available, helps volunteer managers automate their thanking to never miss these moments. If appropriate to send notes electronically, you can prepare your \u201cthank you for volunteering\u201d notes before the events even take place, spend a few minutes personalizing them if possible, and then have them sent automatically a day or two after the event. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sending handwritten notes is still the best strategy when time allows. Golden can help with this process as well by sending you reminders and lists of contact information with accurate information on volunteer roles and time logged. This will help you ensure you do not forget any volunteers who attended your events and that you thank them for every minute of their service. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank Consistently<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you send one volunteer a thank you within 2 days, and another waits a week, they will talk! The one who had to wait will feel undervalued. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, if you thank a volunteer promptly after one event, and then forget to send the note after the next event, the volunteer might feel that you have forgotten about them. It\u2019s important to set out realistic expectations for you and your staff and allow a bit of flex time if necessary. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, it is important that the form is the same for every thank-you. If you take the time to send handwritten notes once and then move to text messages, you might seem ungrateful. Think about your audience very clearly, and create a communication strategy that fits with your volunteer base. Email and text might be more appropriate if well-designed and personalized. Golden\u2019s automated volunteer management software can automatically send personalized emails, SMS and push notifications to volunteers, according to the rules you set as their manager. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Focus on Sincerity and Authenticity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You can have some boilerplate messaging handy, but make sure every message sent is personal, sincere, and authentic. Some tips include:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n