Volunteer Performance Management
Set expectations, give feedback, and handle underperformance with care.
For: Volunteer coordinators and managers
What you’ll learn
- Set clear, written performance expectations before a volunteer ever starts
- Give feedback to unpaid staff that improves results without driving them away
- Apply supportive accountability through progressive, escalating steps
- Decide when to reassign a volunteer and when to release one — with dignity and good documentation
Screen your volunteers for $5
VolunteerBadge runs FCRA-compliant background checks for just $5 — with identity verification built in. No monthly fees, no contracts.
Create a free account →Course outline
- 1
Why managing volunteer performance feels different
5 min
- 2
Set expectations before there’s a problem
6 min
- 3
Feedback that improves results without driving people away
5 min
- 4
The supportive-accountability mindset
5 min
- 5
Progressive steps when performance lags
6 min
- 6
Reassign or release? Choosing well
5 min
- 7
Documentation & releasing with dignity
5 min
Sources & further reading
- Energize, Inc. (Susan J. Ellis) — Evaluation & Assessing Volunteer Performance
- VolunteerMatch — Writing the Perfect, Targeted Volunteer Opportunity
- National Council of Nonprofits — Volunteers — Managing and Engaging Volunteers
- 501 Commons — Volunteer Position Descriptions
- Independent Sector — Value of Volunteer Time ($34.79/hour, 2024 data)
This course is educational and provides general information about the Fair Credit Reporting Act and volunteer-screening best practices. It is not legal advice. Laws vary by state and change over time — consult a qualified attorney about your organization’s specific obligations.