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PODCAST

Volunteer Nation

Tobi Johnson, MA, CVA

Nonprofit leadership author, coach, and expert Tobi Johnson shares weekly tips to help charities build, grow, and scale exceptional volunteer teams. Discover how your nonprofit can effectively coordinate volunteers who are reliable, equipped, and ready to help you bring about BIG change for the better. Rather than continuing to “do more with less,” achieve abundance for your organization by engaging community talent that helps you do more with more. Society is evolving and so, too, is volunteerism

business non-profit

All Episodes

26:42

166. Train Volunteers with This Simple 4-Step Framework

Volunteer Nation ·

2025/06/12

In this episode of Volunteer Nation, Tobi Johnson shares a simple yet powerful four-step framework to help you train volunteers more effectively. Drawing on decades of experience in instructional design and facilitation, Tobi breaks down what makes training truly impactful and what to avoid. Whether you're building a new training from scratch or refreshing your current approach, this episode will help you streamline your process, boost volunteer confidence, and focus on what really matt...

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59:32

165. Let's Make Volunteering Accessible for All with...

Volunteer Nation ·

2025/06/05

In this episode of Volunteer Nation, Tobi Johnson is joined by Allyson Ferrari, Director of Connections at Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, to explore how organizations can make volunteering more inclusive and accessible. Together, they dive into practical strategies for building, growing, and scaling volunteer talent by designing opportunities that welcome people with disabilities. From addressing legal and logistical challenges to embracing neurodiversity and co-creatin...

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38:21

164. Moving from Volunteer Compliance to Building...

Volunteer Nation ·

2025/05/29

In this episode of Volunteer Nation, Tobi Johnson unpacks a powerful mindset shift in the nonprofit world: moving beyond volunteer compliance and toward building a thriving volunteer community. Tobi explores the delicate balance between ensuring accountability and fostering genuine connection, trust, and shared purpose among your volunteers. Through real-world insights and practical examples, she contrasts the limiting effects of compliance-heavy approaches with the energizing impact of...

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53:44

163. New Research from Points of Light with Jennifer...

Volunteer Nation ·

2025/05/22

In this episode of Volunteer Nation, Tobi Johnson sits down with Jennifer Sirangelo, President & CEO of Points of Light, to explore why volunteerism is not just a “nice to have”, it’s a necessity. Jennifer shares her inspiring journey into the nonprofit world and offers a behind-the-scenes look at Points of Light’s mission to position volunteer management as essential infrastructure. Together, they unpack key insights from the groundbreaking report From Nice to Necessary, which outl...

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42:30

162. The #1 Secret to Deep Volunteer Participation

Volunteer Nation ·

2025/05/15

In this episode of Volunteer Nation, Tobi Johnson dives into one of the most powerful, yet often overlooked, tools for volunteer engagement: human connection. Tobi reminds us that it's not tech tools or training manuals that drive true engagement, it's trust, belonging, and meaningful relationships. Tobi unpacks why emotional closeness matters in volunteerism and shares six practical ways to cultivate connection, from hosting informal social gatherings to designing team-based roles, co-...

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41:13

161. Leadership Principles for Sparking Change – Part...

Volunteer Nation ·

2025/05/08

In this powerful follow-up episode of The Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi Johnson continues her insightful conversation with Jenni Field, diving deeper into the leadership principles that drive meaningful change, especially for those managing volunteers. Together, they unpack the nuanced differences between authenticity and vulnerability in leadership, highlighting how empathy, flexibility, and consistent action can earn trust and credibility with both volunteers and colleagues. To...

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43:01

160. Leadership Principles for Sparking Change – Part...

Volunteer Nation ·

2025/05/01

In this episode of Volunteer Nation, Tobi Johnson sits down with leadership and communications expert Jenni Field for an insightful conversation about what it really takes to lead with credibility in the nonprofit world. Jenni shares practical, research-backed strategies for building trust, fostering supportive team cultures, and leading with clarity—especially during times of change. Drawing from her extensive experience and her latest book, she unpacks how values-driven leadership can...

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45:32

159. How to Hire a Future Proof Volunteer Coordinator

Volunteer Nation ·

2025/04/24

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi Johnson breaks down exactly what it takes to hire a future proof volunteer coordinator who can lead with confidence and adaptability. Given how vital this role is in representing your organization and engaging your volunteers, hiring the right person matters more than ever! Tobi walks you through 8 essential steps to build a strong hiring foundation. From understanding volunteer coordination best practices and deciding if the positio...

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66:31

158. Nonprofit Capacity Building with the Community...

Volunteer Nation ·

2025/04/17

In this episode of The Volunteer Nation Podcast, host Tobi Johnson sits down with Diana Villarreal and Gail Cavallaro from the Community Foundation for greater Richmond to explore how strategic volunteer engagement is shaping the future of nonprofits. Diana and Gail share the foundation’s mission and walk us through its inspiring history, along with the wide range of programs designed to support nonprofit growth at every level—from individuals to entire networks. Whether you're a ...

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27:53

157. A Fresh Take on Volunteer Position Descriptions

Volunteer Nation ·

2025/04/10

In this episode of The Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi Johnson challenges the status quo of traditional volunteer position descriptions. She explores why the standard, task-heavy approach often falls flat and shares how a simple shift in language and structure can dramatically improve volunteer recruitment. Tobi introduces creative alternatives—like adding impact statements, showcasing team values, and sharing volunteer testimonials—that speak to both the hearts and minds of prospective...

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70:38

156. People-first Leadership & Strengthening Teams...

Volunteer Nation ·

2025/04/03

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi Johnson invites Dr. Rob Lion onto the show to discuss people-first leadership and fostering stronger collaboration between paid staff and volunteers. Dr. Rob Lion is a professor, consultant, and principal of Black River Performance Management, who shares expert insights on creating a human-centric organizational culture. Together, they explore key strategies for effective communication, trust-building, and conflict resolution—essential ele...

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42:45

155. Entitled or Exploited? Part 2 Volunteer...

Volunteer Nation ·

2025/03/27

In this episode of Volunteer Nation, host Tobi Johnson dives deep into the ethical and fair treatment of volunteers. She introduces the Volunteer Bill of Rights, outlining ten essential rights every volunteer should have, from being valued and trained to working in a safe environment. But rights are only part of the equation. Tobi also explores ten key responsibilities volunteers should uphold, such as committing to the organization’s mission and respecting boundaries. This insightful c...

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26:27

154. Entitled or Exploited? Part 1 - Volunteer Bias...

Volunteer Nation ·

2025/03/20

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi discusses the concept of volunteer bias in organizations, focusing on the theme, Entitled or Exploited. Using data from the Volunteer Management Progress Report, Tobi highlights issues such as volunteer retention, respect, and organizational challenges. She also delves into the implications of labeling volunteers as 'entitled' and introduces the concept of volunteer exploitation with real-world examples and emphasizes the importance ...

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57:38

153. Building Nonprofit Capacity at Hire Heroes with...

Volunteer Nation ·

2025/03/13

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation podcast, Tobi welcomes Michele Wiesner, Director of Capacity Building at Hire Heroes USA onto the show! Michele discusses her extensive experience in volunteer engagement and career development, particularly her role in developing a robust volunteer program at Hire Heroes. The pair cover a range of topics, including the importance of volunteerism, strategies for recruitment and retention, and insights on how nonprofits can scale their impact thro...

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42:19

152. What Every Nonprofit Executive Should Know About...

Volunteer Nation ·

2025/03/06

In this episode, Tobi draws insights from the Volunteer Management Progress Report and discusses the perennial challenges in engaging volunteers, particularly respect and buy-in from leadership. She highlights the importance of power sharing, diverse community engagement activities, and the skill sets needed for successful community collaborations. Tobi also shares practical tips from listening forums and advocacy campaigns to digital engagement and strategic planning, that can transfo...

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59:56

151. Reimagining Nonprofit Membership & Volunteer...

Volunteer Nation ·

2025/02/27

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation podcast, Tobi Johnson is joined by Alice Glenn, President of the Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI). Tobi and Alice delve into innovative approaches to nonprofit membership and volunteer engagement, particularly within associations, chapters, and membership-based nonprofits. Alice shares insights into developing volunteer leadership pipelines and modernizing governance models. She emphasizes the importance of aligning volunteer ex...

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52:52

150. Launch a Community-based Advocacy Program in Six...

Volunteer Nation ·

2025/02/20

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation podcast, Tobi focuses on nonprofit advocacy, emphasizing the importance of advocacy in uncertain times. Tobi outlines a detailed six-step plan to launch a community-based advocacy program, tailored for organizations that rely on volunteer and community support. She discusses the importance of defining goals, recruiting and training the right volunteers, providing necessary tools and resources, and recognizing and retaining advocates. Tobi also sha...

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37:11

149. Nonprofit Advocacy Strategies – A Checklist

Volunteer Nation ·

2025/02/13

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation Podcast, host Tobi Johnson provides an in-depth discussion on nonprofit advocacy strategies. Tobi talks about the immediate need for nonprofit advocacy and shares five key strategies to effectively engage in advocacy efforts. These strategies include public awareness and education, media and digital advocacy, grassroots mobilization, engaging policymakers without lobbying, and legal and policy advocacy. The episode emphasizes the importance of in...

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42:56

148. Nonprofit Advocacy 101 – Yes You Can!

Volunteer Nation ·

2025/02/06

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation podcast, Tobi addresses the critical need for nonprofits to engage in advocacy, especially amidst current uncertainties like federal funding chaos. She explains how advocacy's role has diminished over the past 20 years and stresses the importance of nonprofit sectors educating legislators, constituents, and communities about their work. Offering a basic understanding of nonprofit advocacy versus lobbying, Tobi provides actionable steps and dispel...

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55:17

147. Volunteer Recruitment Trends from Our New Report

Volunteer Nation ·

2025/01/30

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi discusses the key volunteer recruitment trends from the 2025 Volunteer Management Progress Report. She explores the major challenges non-profit organizations face in recruiting and retaining volunteers, such as time constraints, lack of support, and alignment issues between volunteer roles and community interests. Tobi also emphasizes the importance of tracking marketing metrics to double down on successful tactics and offers insights...

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186 results

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