Fractional Volunteer Coordinators – What are They, and Do You Need One?
The term “Fractional Volunteer Coordinator” is one that many people are unfamiliar with.
Briefly, a fractional volunteer coordinator is a highly qualified, experienced professional that comes in part time on a contract basis for organizations that may not have the resources – or the need – to have a full-time coordinator in-house. They bring the sort of dedication, knowledge and skills that are usually out of reach for smaller not-for-profits. The time that they don’t spend with you, they may spend doing the same thing for one or more other organizations. Thus, the word “fractional” – you get a fraction of their time.
A fractional volunteer coordinator is a highly qualified, experienced professional that comes in part time on a contract basis for organizations that may not have the resources – or the need – to have a full-time coordinator in-house.
The idea of fractional leadership isn’t new. Small and midsized companies have been using fractional chief financial officers or chief marketing officers, etc. for decades. This simply moves the concept out of the “C-suite”.
Understand, although the position is contracted, the coordinator isn’t just a consultant; they actually DO the work of managing your volunteers.
There are several benefits to your organization in having a fractional volunteer coordinator.
They are highly skilled and trained; they understand the work and know-how to prioritize and strategize in such a way as to maximize your volunteers’ impact on your mission.
Being in a contract position, you have more flexibility and control. Not only do you choose the number of hours they work, but those can be changed according to operational need, and the position can be terminated much more easily and more amicably than with an employee. There is no built-in expectation of a long-term commitment.
As they are there only for the amount of time you need them, it is less expensive. Although you will be paying more per hour than you might with an employee, you pay for fewer hours, you are not responsible for benefits, employment insurance, vacation pay, etc. Not to mention less time spent on paperwork!
Easier, cheaper and you get top quality service to further your organization’s mission.
With a fractional volunteer coordinator, there is no built-in expectation of a long-term commitment.
Sounds interesting, but is it really for you? Here are three signs you may want to consider a fractional volunteer coordinator:
1. Your volunteer program needs high-level guidance
A strategic benefit comes from having a well-trained, experience professional in this position. Oftentimes, especially in small and growing organizations, volunteer programs lack a cohesive plan. This is common when the program is steered by multiple people or by someone who is not trained and solely dedicated to the volunteers. This is not a knock on the person running your program now, just a reason to bring on someone with education and experience in this particular field. If you believe your volunteers are important to achieving your mission, you owe it to your organization to hire someone who specializes in managing them well.
2. You’re facing budgetary constraints or uncertainty
Tight budgets and financial uncertainty are a normal part of business for most not-for-profits. This is especially true for new, growing and specialty organizations. Financial resources to hire a full-time volunteer coordinator are often unavailable. This means having the executive director or some other staff member manage the volunteers as and when they can. Besides taking time away from their own duties, this can cause inconsistencies and errors in the program which impact your mission and/or clients. A fractional volunteer coordinator, as mentioned earlier, is less expensive overall than having an extra staff member, and will still be able to run your program effectively.
3. You’ve been wanting more organizational and financial flexibility
Running a not-for-profit takes an incredible amount of agility. You need to pivot and change continually in order to deal with altered funding or unforeseen opportunities or challenges. Locking your organization into a yearly salary commitment for a volunteer coordinator can be detrimental to the needs of many not-for-profits. Hiring an on-demand, fractional volunteer coordinator allows you to use your resources when you need them most. If you have a seasonal component to your charity (such as the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign) or a big event coming up that requires an influx of temporary volunteers, you can give more or fewer hours to a fractional coordinator to match those needs. It is a very flexible situation. During times you don’t need a coordinator, you can divert those resources into other areas or save them for a busier time, all without having to got through the hassle of recruiting a new one when things pick up again.
Locking your organization into a yearly salary commitment for a volunteer coordinator can be detrimental to the needs of many not-for-profits.
If hiring a full-time volunteer coordinator is challenging, so is firing one. If the relationship doesn’t work out, separating from them can be an uncomfortable and acrimonious process. If a fractional volunteer coordinator isn’t working out, however, it is much easier to just end the contract and move on to someone else. The same is true as your organization grows and your needs shift. You may decide you need a full-time coordinator. With a fractional volunteer coordinator, that process is easy and painless. In fact, the fractional coordinator will often be happy to help recruit, train and settle your new hire into the position.
Every not-for-profit is different. A fractional volunteer coordinator may not suit your needs, but it is certainly worth your time to consider it.
Karen has been providing volunteer recruitment, engagement, and training for not-for-profit organizations for over 25 years.
At Toastmasters, she oversaw a budget of a quarter of a million dollars, 300 individual clubs, totaling over 5,000 members. She had twenty leaders reporting directly to her, and another eighty reporting to them. All volunteers.
She currently serves as the Vice-President of the Board of Directors for the Kamloops Therapeutic Riding Association.
After many years working and volunteering with not-for-profits, she found that many leaders of volunteers have difficulty with aspects of their volunteer programs, whether that be in recruiting the right people or assigning those people to roles that both support the organization’s mission and keep the volunteers enthusiastic.
