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The Nonprofit Boon from Boomers
October 24, 2004, Working Knowledge (Harvard Business School)

By MANDA SALLS

Nonprofits often find it difficult to recruit enough volunteer labor to accomplish all of their goals. Susan Moses offers a few words of advice: Wait a couple of years.

As 77 million baby boomers are moving ever closer to retirement, they have the potential to provide a tremendous source of paid and non-paid labor for many nonprofits—if you know how to reach them—concludes a recent report.

Reinventing Aging: Baby Boomers and Civic Engagement was released by the Harvard School of Public Health-MetLife Foundation. Moses, deputy director of Harvard's Center for Health Communication, is helping design a media campaign that will motivate boomers to better manage their time and talents as they reach retirement, ultimately redefining how people spend their later years.

In this interview, Moses talks about how nonprofits can reach out to this new generation of volunteers, and recommends ways organizations should approach the inherent costs of unpaid labor.

Manda Salls: Why do you see baby boomers as such a ripe opportunity for nonprofits? What can this demographic achieve that others cannot?

Susan Moses: First, the sheer size of the boomer cohort (77 million) is impressive, so we don't need to recruit everyone. Even a small percentage of boomer volunteers would be a resource of unprecedented proportion.

Second, boomers are healthier than previous cohorts. They have benefited from the advances in public health and medical technology, and those reaching the age of sixty-five can expect to live, on average, another eighteen years. Furthermore, research has shown that social connectedness, remaining actively engaged in the community, is a key to healthy aging.

We now have a new phase of life—between the ages of sixty and eighty—that we are in the beginning stages of defining. Boomers will soon face the question, "What will I do with the rest of my life?" An extra decade or two is a long time to sit around relaxing. That's why we talk about "reinventing aging"—we need to rethink the meaning and purpose of these later years and what portfolio of activities will lead to successful aging.

We now have a new phase of life—between the ages of sixty and eighty—that we are in the beginning stages of defining.

In a 1999 AARP survey of boomers regarding how they envision their retirement years, 27 percent said they expect to volunteer more in their communities when they retire. The interesting thing about these individuals is that they expect to remain active and do more of everything—socialize more, spend more time on hobbies, and travel more. This group views volunteerism as part of a positive, active retirement.

So, the outlook is good that there may be a ready supply of volunteers if we can figure out how to motivate them and get them to actually do what they say they expect to do during their retirement years. Since people do not always do what they say, several experts in the field believe that boomers will need a push.

In general, many of the boomers are highly educated, motivated, and want to leave their mark on society. The leading-edge boomers came of age during the Kennedy years when optimism and the idea of service to one's country were high on the nation's agenda. But then life took over—starting a family and advancing in a career put those ideals on hold. Now, with an extra decade or two of life ahead, these boomers can have a second chance to fulfill those dreams. The question is, can we tap into those dormant feelings and reignite the spark? To do so, we need to create an environment conducive to giving back to society.

Q: What are some ways that nonprofits can start reaching out to potential volunteers? What's different about motivating boomers to volunteer?

A: While their parents, the so-called "Greatest Generation," have high levels of civic engagement, boomers have not followed in their footsteps. Many of the traditional volunteer activities of the boomers' parents were performed by women, some of whom did not work outside the home. In addition, many people of that generation belonged to "service clubs" which took on volunteer projects in the community. For the most part, boomers, unlike their parents, are not joiners. Very often, two parents work, leaving little time and inclination for volunteer activities not related to their families. Their volunteer work is often in the form of school activities and coaching sports teams. As the demands of child-rearing and family obligations diminish, some boomers drop out of the volunteer workforce altogether. An oft-cited reason: "I served my time."

Simultaneously, the concept of "retirement" has been changing. Trends in workforce participation predict that boomers will remain in the workforce longer. According to a 1998 AARP and Roper-ASW survey (and a follow-up survey conducted by AARP and ICR Research in 2001), four out of five boomers saw work as playing a role in their retirement years. Many will transition to "bridge" jobs (full- or part-time) once they leave their primary careers—either for financial reasons or because they wish to remain engaged. While at first glance this might seem like a problem for volunteer recruitment, it is not necessarily so. One key reason people say they do not volunteer is because "no one asked me." Those who remain in the workforce may be more connected and thus more likely to be asked to volunteer—and more likely to do so.

Nonprofits, then, could take advantage of this delayed retirement by reaching out to individuals while they are still working and recruit them for episodic volunteer opportunities. Such a strategy would allow boomers to get their feet wet, with the hope that they might be more likely to continue volunteering when they do retire.

Boomers are more educated than previous generations, and unlike their parents, who may have volunteered out of a sheer sense of obligation, they have different expectations about how they spend their time and how their volunteering may be valuable to the organization as well as to themselves. Many of the traditional volunteer activities, such as envelope stuffing or being a candy striper in a hospital, for example, may not resonate with the busy boomer of today.

Therefore, nonprofit organizations need to think creatively about using the skills and experiences that boomers have to offer and go beyond these traditional volunteer roles. For example, a bookkeeper could be recruited to help a nonprofit with its accounting needs; an attorney could volunteer legal services; a graphic designer could offer creative services. While not all boomers will want to volunteer the skills of their "day job," many may be happy to do so and eager to be able to give back in such a substantive way. Asking them to "share what they know" may overcome the barrier for those who feel they have nothing to offer.

However, for some boomers, making good use of time along with making a difference is more important than using skills and expertise. For example, many people who volunteer for Habitat for Humanity are not professional homebuilders.

In general, organizations need to make volunteering easy, and create a variety of volunteer opportunities (short-term as well as longer-term commitments) that will appeal to boomers, keeping in mind some of the motivations for volunteering: It makes people feel good about themselves, it offers the satisfaction associated with making a difference, it provides an outlet to give back to the community, it satisfies social aspects, and it offers an opportunity to learn something new.

Q: The report broadens the term volunteer, saying it doesn't necessarily mean "unpaid." Why is the word volunteer insufficient?

A: By limiting volunteer opportunities to totally unpaid work, we may be excluding individuals who are interested and willing to volunteer their time and experience but cannot do so because of financial considerations. Some people may need a small stipend for transportation or meals. We do not want to create a society where only those who have financial independence can afford to give back. Furthermore, from a psychological point of view, receiving some compensation, no matter how small, does provide a measure of worth for those who equate getting paid with being valued by society.

Nonprofits could take advantage by reaching out to individuals while they are still working.

We also need to elevate the status of the volunteer. One of the negative images to overcome is that of a volunteer (unpaid) as someone who has nothing else to do. Believe it or not, the stereotype of traditional volunteer work as "women's work" (read: not worthy of someone who could get a real job) still exists today. Rather than being respected and admired in society, volunteers are viewed by some as free labor with no responsibilities. On the flip side, those volunteering for free in an environment where they are not respected, and where they don't feel appreciated, may not feel committed or obligated to show up regularly and on time. A small compensation may serve the purpose of making the volunteer opportunity valuable and important to both the volunteer and the organization.

What this means, however, is that nonprofits may have to find additional funds to cover these costs.

Q: The Center's Designated Driver Campaign met with tremendous success. If this campaign is as successful, and lots of boomers volunteer, how will nonprofits need to adjust? Would success demand new models of nonprofit management and organization?

A: Absolutely. One of the biggest fears of anyone running an advertising campaign is to generate enough interest but not be able to live up to the promise. It is particularly important when we're talking about recruiting volunteers, as you usually get one chance to entice someone to sign up—if they have a bad experience (e.g., no one calls back, no concrete opportunity was available, their time was not used efficiently, they had a bad match, or there was poor management), they won't come back—and they'll tell their friends the organization is not worthy of their efforts.

Nonprofits need to be creative in thinking about how they can recruit and retain boomer volunteers. A recent survey conducted by the National Council on the Aging found that many of the national nonprofits and their local affiliates are unprepared for boomer volunteers. Many of these organizations are preoccupied with the day-to-day operations and just staying afloat. They don't often have the luxury to plan ahead and take advantage of an approaching opportunity.

One critical issue often overlooked is that volunteers aren't free (whether or not they receive any compensation). There are real costs associated with recruitment, training, and management. The most successful programs have dedicated staff (such as a volunteer managers or coordinators) to ensure that any potential volunteer is utilized effectively (from both the organization's and the volunteer's perspective), and has a positive experience. Given that many organizations may not have the resources for professional volunteer management, there may be a need for a third-party institution to handle this function for nonprofits in the community. Or, perhaps several organizations could partner together to share the costs and services of volunteer managers.

And, as mentioned earlier, we need new models of volunteer opportunities that will meet the needs and desires of boomers as well as those of the organizations.

Q: How can local and national nonprofits take a lead in this campaign?

A: Nonprofit organizations that use volunteers need to realize the potential opportunity on the horizon and begin to develop strategic plans on how they might retool. Many leaders of these organizations are approaching retirement themselves, and have no plans in place for their successors, or future directions for their organizations. So, at the very least, nonprofits need to put these issues on their radar screen and plan accordingly.

One critical issue often overlooked is that volunteers aren't free.

Local nonprofits should think about ways boomers can help them to enhance their services for the community and create flexible and diverse volunteer opportunities that meet both the organization's and the boomer's needs.

National nonprofits can help their local affiliates identify and develop volunteer opportunities to obtain services they otherwise would not be able to afford. As I mentioned earlier, recruiting volunteers to assist with strategic planning, public relations, and legal services, for example, will benefit the organization and the boomer who offers their services in such a meaningful and valuable way.

Q: Can you tell us about some other projects the Center is working on?

A: We just received a generous grant from MetLife Foundation to continue with Phase II of the Harvard School of Public Health-MetLife Foundation Initiative on Retirement and Civic Engagement. The centerpiece will be a comprehensive media campaign to stimulate a national dialogue on the key findings and recommendations from the report, Reinventing Aging: Baby Boomers and Civic Engagement. The overall goals of the initiative are: 1) to strengthen civic life in America by mobilizing the time and talents of the 77 million baby boomers as they reach retirement, and 2) to contribute to a process of redefining the meaning and purpose of the older years. Phase II will focus on reshaping societal attitudes toward aging, reframing current images of aging, encouraging older boomers to participate in civic life, and promoting healthy aging. The project will seek to engage the attention and involvement of those who shape public perceptions on aging, those who report and comment on societal trends, those who set policies that affect the quality of life of retirees, and those who provide volunteer opportunities.

The Center also runs the Harvard Mentoring Project, a national media campaign to promote the growth of the mentoring movement with the goal of linking large numbers of young people with adult mentors. As the latest component of the mentoring campaign, the month of January has been designated as National Mentoring Month (NMM) by the president, the U.S. Congress, numerous governors and mayors, nonprofit organizations, and media outlets. This annual volunteer recruitment drive serves to refocus the Nation's attention each January on the importance of providing young people with caring adult role models. In more than fifty cities and states, local partnerships of mentoring programs convene steering committees of community leaders, create an action plan for NMM, secure media commitments in their markets, provide local telephone numbers for prospective mentors to call, and refer prospective volunteers to appropriate mentoring agencies. In many of the largest media markets, a single television network affiliate serves as the local TV partner for NMM, and sponsors a month-long, station-wide, on-air campaign in collaboration with the campaign's local nonprofit partner.

In addition, the Center sponsors World Health News, a weekly online news digest serving an international audience of policy makers, journalists, public health researchers, practitioners, and advocates.

The Center also offers graduate coursework that trains future leaders in public health to communicate effectively with the media.

Manda Salls is the Web editor for Baker Library.

Susan Moses is the Deputy Director of the Center for Health Communication, Harvard School of Public Health.