101 Ways

to say

Thank You
to
Your Volunteers

Leaders dont
create
motivation,
they unlock
it. It is the
leaders job
to keep the
dream alive.
John Gardner
On Leadership

We need to remember that

quality appreciation
1) Will cost us money and time.
2) Must be meaningful to
recipients!
3) Cannot be totally prepackaged. Must be
personalized.
4) Must be timely and clear!

Why do we worry about this

so much when people tell us it
is not necessary..
We want to APPRECIATE Volunteers
We hope to RECOGNIZE Volunteers
We need to RETAIN Volunteers
We seek to MOTIVATE Volunteers

Appreciate Volunteers
Recognize Volunteers
Retain Volunteers
Motivate Volunteers
Build Community among volunteers
Celebrate work that has been
accomplished!
Because it is a part of a healthy
on-going management style

Recognition with a light touch

1) Name the coffee pot each month after a
volunteer who has served well.
2) Put a survival kit (band-aid, coffee
packet, pacifier, etc) together and present
to particularly harried volunteers to perk
them up!
3) Send anonymous, humorous cards
during hectic times.
4) Leave candy kisses at volunteer stations.
5) Put up posters with motivational
messages.

5) Call each volunteer by name.

6) Remember birthdays, anniversaries,
personal times of importance.
7) Coffee cups with names on them.
8) Give them opportunity to decorate work
space.
9) Chart to show accumulated hours for
individuals and teams.
10) Invited to paid staff team meetings.
11) Do a profile in parish bulletin/newsletter.
12) Label area to place coat, hat, etc.
13) Volunteer of the week or month award.

An Affiliation
motivated
person...

likes to be with people

works to make friends
does group projects
counts the feelings of others
needs relationships

21) Letters to family members thanking them for

sharing volunteer with church.
22) Unexpected notes on expressing thanks.
23) Potlucks, picnics with coworkers and
families.
24) Evaluations that measure success in
people terms.
25) Praising them to their friends!
26) Awards that have pictures of clients on them.
27) Taking time to talk to them.
28) Take out for coffee.
29) Inclusion of them in slide show.
30) Personal note from the Pastor

Match the appreciation you give to

person who is receiving it

Achievement

McClellands
Motivation
Model

Affiliation

Power

Appreciating Affiliatives
13) Anything done in presence of peers,
family.
14) Banquets.
15) Name in church bulletin.
16) Photo on bulletin board.
17) Personal note from supervisor.
18) Opportunities for socialization on job.
19) Assignment that offers opportunity for
personal interaction.
20) Personal verbal greetings from
supervisor.

Matching the appreciation you give

to person who is receiving it

Achievement

McClellands
Motivation
Model

Affiliation

Power

Achievement Motivation
excellence
need specific goals
works well alone
seeks responsibility
driven
concrete feedback
problem solver
tangible rewards

Appreciating the Achiever

31) Opportunity to give in-put in goal
related decisions.
32) Ability to set their own pace on
project.
33) Letter of commendation for specific
achievement by pastor.
34) Mail letter of commendation for
specific achievement to city
newspaper, etc..
35) Job assignments that allow frequent
check points to measure success.

37) Name attached to specific accomplishment.

38) Job assignments that offer increasing
responsibility.
39) Job assignments with clearly stated goals.
40) Opportunity for advancement.
41) Clearly defined parameters for assignments.
42) Nomination for local awards.
43) Being careful not to waste their time.
44) Training that allows questioning, shaping by
recipient.
45) Introductions to new people in terms of
proudest accomplishments. Meet John
Jones he was responsible for resettlement of
our refugee family this year!

Matching the appreciation you give

to person who is receiving it

Power Motivation

Appreciating Power People

having impact
self starter
status
verbally fluent
forceful,
outspoken
public
mover & shaker

Achievement

McClellands
Motivation
Model

Affiliation

Power

46)Job assignments that permit them to

persuade others.
47)Job assignments that allow them to
interact with highest authorities.
48)Job assignment that allow them to
teach.
49)Awards named for them that
applaud influential achievements.
50)Having coffee with Pastor and/or
staff.

51) Story in church newsletter telling of their

impact on people/programs.
52) Impressive Job title.
53) Note from Bishop, Diocesan staff.
54) Letters of commendation noting their impact
and importance to Diocesan Newspaper, city
papers, etc..
55) Job assignments that offer increased
responsibility and authority.
56) Asking for suggestions on how church can
achieve wider impact, recognition in
community.
57) On-going program or site named after them.
58) Opportunity to innovate.

More Youth Appreciation!

62)Opportunities to speak to other
youth and adults about involvement.
63)Possible credits for classes being
taken.
64)Shortened job assignments rather
than year long commitments.
65)Letter to editor of school paper.
66)Letter to city/town paper.

More Ideas for Seniors

70)Parking spaces near entrance.
71)Socialization at peak lonely times
(holidays, weekends).
72)Recreation opportunities.
73)Networking information to
agencies/people who might be able
to provide them with assistance.
74)Listening!

Youth
Volunteers

59) Documentation of
training & skills
developed for
resume.
60) Letter of
commendation to
parents,
grandparents,
teacher, etc..
61) Letters to
colleges they
might be
considering.

Appreciation
Ideas for
Seniors!
67) Transportation or
at least,
transportation
allowances.
68) Meals at the site.
69) Discount
coupons for
services, food,
entertainment,
etc..

Or, how about

Some Churchy Ideas
75) When it is Good
Samaritan Sunday, name
some of your volunteers
as Good Samaritans.
76) Service Pins with the
church symbol.
77) Free meal tickets for
church picnic or suppers.
78) Bible inscribed to
volunteer.
79) Start a Volunteer honor
roll.

80) While doing a project

make a photo collage
that shows the people
who worked in it, its stages of
development, and its completion and
presentation. With just a little more
work this can also be turned into a
Power Point Demonstration for use
on Volunteer Recruitment Sunday to
tell a story about the power of
volunteers in your parish!

Coupons and/or Gift

Certificates you can give..
83) Subscription to magazine related to their
interest.
84) Free babysitting, so couple can have a
night off.
85) Bookstore.
86) Tickets to theater.
87) Car wash/gasoline
88) Couple: Marriage Encounter Weekend.
89) Local Coffee shop.

www.pointsoflight.org
www.greateventspublishing.com
www.streff.com A Milwaukee based
incentive and printing company.

www.volunteergifts.com
www.thankscompany.com
www.volunteersales.com

Sources
for Gifts

81) Ask three staff members to go up to

the volunteer and say, ______
(name of supervisor) asked me to
thank you for _________. Good
job!

82)Develop a Behind the Scenes

award, specifically for those whose
actions are not usually in the
limelight.

Gifts and Trinkets

90) Mugs with design special for volunteer
thank you and/or parish logo. $5.50 $10.00 each. For something really unusual
have printing reappear when cup is filled!
91) Keychains. $1.25 - $2.95 each
92) T-Shirts. $7.79 and up
93) Refrigerator Magnets. Price varies
according to quantity.
94) Pencils or pens with Thank You message
on them. Price depends on quantity
95) Post-it pads! My personal favorite.

Some Ideas on Special Clothing

Items, i.e. TT-shirts, sweaters, hats..
96) Make an eye-catching design to feature the
project they participated in and/or feature parish
logo, placed prominently on item.
97) Opt for more subtle placement by sewing a tag
with parish name and logo onto a sleeve or cuff.
98) Create a special label to appear inside the
garment.
99) Place a crest with parish logo on pocket of shirt,
using a color slightly darker than that of the
garment.
100)For special volunteers purchase a high quality
brand name item with your parish name and
present with a special card conveying your
sincere appreciation for all their work.

The MOST IMPORTANT

Affirmation you can do is
101

SMILE!

The people we seek to

recognize are our most
priceless resource and
therefore deserve our most
creative and sensitive
thinking!