From Sign-Up to Show-Up: 8 Volunteer Management Tips That Actually Work

July 3, 2025

 

Every successful event takes precise coordination – and in the face of recent budget cuts affecting nonprofits and many other organizations, volunteers have become indispensable. Today, volunteers aren’t just extra hands, they’re essential team members who help bring events to life.

To support organizers in managing their volunteer programs more effectively, Whova recently launched a new “Call for Volunteers”, included in all Whova packages. This tool streamlines the entire volunteer process — from recruiting and reviewing applications to communicating with selected volunteers — all in one place. Since its release just two months ago, it’s already been adopted by over 60 conferences, helping organizers save time while building stronger, more reliable volunteer teams.

To foster knowledge-sharing within the event organizer community, our latest Event Insider webinar brought together three seasoned professionals to discuss a critical but often challenging aspect of event planning — recruiting and managing volunteers. These speakers have successfully led events powered by dedicated volunteer teams, and their insights offer valuable, real-world strategies you can apply to your own planning.

Representing a range of event backgrounds, our featured speakers are:

• Kaelyn Echiverri – Research Marketing Coordinator, Retina Consults of America
• Rylie Jennings – Chief Programs Officer, Stella Foundation
• Maryam Diaab – Director of Partnerships, California League of Middle Schools

With backgrounds in both non-profit and corporate events, our speakers shared tried-and-true approaches across every stage of the volunteer journey — from recruiting the right people to training and keeping them engaged throughout the event.

We’ve distilled their insights into 8 practical tips you can use to build a reliable, enthusiastic volunteer team. Whether you’re a first-time organizer or a seasoned pro, these tips will help you manage volunteers with less stress and greater impact. Let’s dive in!

1: People First – Turn Connections Into Committed Volunteers

Volunteer recruitment often starts with people who already know your organization. Whether it’s past event attendees or internal organization members, building strong relationships makes it easier to identify and engage those most likely to contribute. 

One of the simplest ways to reach them is through email. Send personalized messages to potential volunteers inviting them to get involved, outlining the impact of their help and the specific roles available. This way, you can quickly turn passive supporters into active participants.

“Oftentimes you’ll come across people who express an interest in what it is that you do, and that’s an opportunity to engage them and bring them into your organization as someone who can assist.” 

 

– Maryam Diaab, Director of Partnerships, California League of Middle Schools

2: Reach Out to Local University Programs to Find Student Volunteers

Recruiting students from relevant fields can bring dedicated support and a burst of fresh energy to your event. With strong motivation, a drive to contribute, and genuine curiosity, students often make enthusiastic volunteers who may grow into long-term supporters of your mission.

In return, the experience offers students a meaningful opportunity to deepen their knowledge, gain real-world exposure to the field, and build connections with seasoned professionals – industry leaders, subject experts, and other key contributors.

“The biggest value of being a part of any of our events and conferences is the connections with our speakers. So oftentimes, when we have either students or other founders who are very early on, [they want] to get connected with investors, experienced founders, and corporate partners. They volunteer to have a connection with those people.”

– Rylie Jennings, Chief Programs Officer, Stella Foundation

3: Define the Volunteer Requirements to Find the Right Help

Make sure you have a clear written outline of all volunteer roles, including the number of volunteers needed for each position, along with their responsibilities and any specific requirements. For example, if you’re assigning a stage runner role, note that it involves active movement and specify the sessions or rooms each person will be assigned to.

Clear role definitions not only help match volunteers to roles that align with their abilities and preferences, but also speed up the assignment process and ensure balanced coverage, preventing situations where some roles are overfilled while others are left unstaffed.

“Another thing we look at, specifically when we’re assigning roles, is age. If we have somebody who should be sitting, we want to make sure they’re at the registration table. Somebody who’s a little bit younger has a lot of energy. We can have them near the stage doing stage assignments.” 

– Rylie Jennings, Chief Programs Officer, Stella Foundation

4: Host Orientations and Provide Clear Instructions

Helping volunteers feel prepared and confident starts with a structured onboarding process. Once volunteers are confirmed, it’s important to outline their responsibilities and what to expect. This typically begins with a follow-up email and continues with training sessions or orientation meetings, walking through the event schedule and clarifying the role of each volunteer.

For example, if your volunteer team is handling check-in using Whova (like Kaelyn Echiverri’s team does), consider organizing a dedicated training session led by your Whova account manager. They can guide volunteers step by step through the check-in process on the platform and answer any questions in real time.

Another helpful step is providing printed materials, so volunteers have a physical reference on event day. For example, if you’re preparing a volunteer guide, consider creating a simple pamphlet that includes role descriptions, contact information for team leads and fellow volunteers, and details for the designated day-of coordinator. Having these materials on hand can reduce confusion and help volunteers feel more prepared.

“We let the volunteers know what they would be doing, the biggest one was utilizing Whova and our check-in process. I let them know that we scheduled a meeting with our Whova event manager to walk the whole check-in team through the process.”

 

– Kaelyn Echiverri, Research Marketing Coordinator, Retina Consults of America

5: Pair Up Volunteers

Pairing experienced volunteers with newcomers, especially for more complex roles like registration, check-in, or assisting presenters, is an effective way to simplify your training efforts while providing hands-on learning during the event itself.

Assigning more than one volunteer to a role adds flexibility and ensures coverage, helping guarantee that responsibilities are still managed smoothly even if there are last-minute changes or no-shows.

“Usually, what we end up doing is having someone work with someone else who is more experienced in the role. So we don’t usually take first time volunteers and throw them out there, unless it’s something straightforward and easy…If there’s something important that we need a volunteer for, we make sure that we schedule more than 1 person for that role.”

– Maryam Diaab, Director of Partnerships, California League of Middle Schools

6: Stay Ahead and Have Back-up Plans on Standby

Plan ahead for last-minute changes by building flexibility into your volunteer strategy. Assigning more than one volunteer to key roles creates built-in coverage, so things keep moving even if someone is late or unavailable. You can also identify a few flexible volunteers who can pivot to different roles if needed.

“The floaters and the runners are always those that we can pull from if someone cancels from a role that’s more involved. And so, we’ll transition them to that role that the individual cancelled from. The biggest thing is of course being prepared ahead of time.”

– Rylie Jennings, Chief Programs Officer, Stella Foundation

“Making sure that if for some reason the volunteer is not able to show up, there is someone either from the board or on our staff or our team, that can fill in for that space.”

 

– Maryam Diaab, Director of Partnerships, California League of Middle Schools

7: Small Incentives Can Go a Long Way

Offering thoughtful incentives can make a big impact – and they don’t have to break the bank. One great option is providing complimentary event tickets, giving volunteers a chance to attend sessions and network during their downtime. 

You can also offer meals, snacks, and drinks throughout the day to keep the team fueled and focused. One of the easiest ways to have a live meal update is through targeted announcements. For an extra personal touch, consider small tokens of appreciation like branded swag to show volunteers they’re valued. These gestures not only create a more rewarding experience but also increase the likelihood that volunteers will return for future events.

“We recently started having our volunteers come a day early to our event, we have a nice dinner for them. And then throughout the conference we have free snacks, free drinks, just showing appreciation throughout the whole conference…Giving them any extra swag that we have, they love that.”

– Kaelyn Echiverri, Research Marketing Coordinator, Retina Consults of America

8: Make Volunteers Part of the Shared Mission 

All event contributors, whether they’re volunteers, speakers, or organizers, are essential members of the same team, united by a shared mission to create a successful and memorable event. One way to encourage a collaborative environment is by helping volunteers feel genuinely included in the team dynamic, not just assigned a role.

A great first step is engaging volunteers beyond their main responsibilities. For instance, you might place them in sessions that align with their interests or create opportunities for them to connect with speakers. Since volunteers often participate to build meaningful industry connections, organizers who actively support these goals not only enhance volunteer satisfaction but also boost the event’s success.

“Making sure they’re feeling involved in what’s going on, and that they’re not just there to help. We try to make sure that people see volunteers as being valued and a part of the team”

 

– Maryam Diaab, Director of Partnerships, California League of Middle Schools

Ready to Build Your Best Volunteer Team?

Optimizing volunteer recruitment and management is key to running a smooth, successful event. The expert-backed tips shared in this article offer practical ways to recruit the right people, prepare them effectively, and keep them engaged from start to finish.

Want to dive deeper into these strategies? Watch our latest Event Insider webinar for more insights and real-life examples from seasoned organizers.

To support you even further, Whova’s new Call for Volunteers feature makes the entire volunteer recruitment process easier and more efficient. Included in all Whova packages, it helps organizers collect applications, review candidates, and communicate with volunteers – all in one place. 

 

“I’m very excited about the Call for Volunteers launch through Whova!”

 

– Maryam Diaab, Director of Partnerships, California League of Middle Schools

For even more event planning advice – from managing heavy workloads to using data to optimize event strategy – check out other Event Insider topics on our YouTube channel and subscribe to stay up to date.

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