Volunteer Motivation and Reward Preference: An Empirical Study of Volunteerism in a Large, Not-For-Profit Organization (Report‪)‬

Among developed countries, the U.S. stands out for the high level of volunteerism. In 2008, as this article points out, more than one-fourth of the entire population volunteered for religious, educational, youth or community service organizations or other types. Volunteers are usually crucial for nonprofits, so knowing how to attract and retain them is also crucial. Results from an e-mail survey of 328 volunteers for Meals on Wheels--both otherwise employed and retired-- were analyzed quantitatively to assess the motivating power of various types of rewards, tangible and intangible. Results should be enlightening and useful for nonprofits, especially this one: "... the most meaningful motivators are neither expensive nor difficult to procure." **********