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Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2481-4474

Date Available

5-12-2025

Year of Publication

2023

Document Type

Capstone

Degree Name

Doctor of Social Work (DSW)

Faculty

Laura Escobar- Ratliff, DSW

Abstract

While there is a significant amount of research focusing on organizational leadership in business and for-profit organizations, comparatively little data has been collected and studied to address the role of leadership in volunteer organizations. By closing this gap in research and providing context around leadership, nonprofit organizations can enhance leadership, culture and climate, and volunteer engagement and retention. Fewer Americans are engaging in volunteerism in their community than any other time in the past twenty years. The Systemic Literature Review will aid in recognizing and addressing this decline which is important as volunteer organizations provide needed services to people and communities who lack monetary, physical, and logistical resources. The Conceptual Paper will identify and integrate leadership practices to focus on improving trust and psychological safety while developing and building healthy and resilient organization culture will increase engagement and retention among volunteers. Social justice initiatives including diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are key organizational factors and leadership directives that will enhance experience and trust. Ethics will be examined as part of creating a positive organization. The Practice Application Paper will focus on a case study of a national-based non-profit organization where leadership behaviors will be examined in order to increase volunteer commitment. Viewing the identified issue of volunteer management through a human resource management lens will enable NPO’s to successfully engage their volunteer base in order to ensure growth, retention, and sustainability within their organization. By examining and implementing a systems-level approach and change, leaders can provide three important aspects of volunteer engagement including a sense of purpose, community, and identity. Capitalizing and enhancing these will ensure quality experiences for volunteers which then creates a cycle of retention to where volunteers continue to invest time in a specific organization or cause. In order to maintain motivation, retention rate, and sustainability in the volunteer workforce, leaders must also manage volunteers effectively and ensure value congruence in order to achieve these goals. While the primary goal of volunteering to provide a service to people and communities, the act of volunteering provides positive benefits for volunteers. These direct and indirect benefits have been shown to increase emotional, mental, and physical strength, encourage social behavior and decrease isolation, boost other types of civic engagement including voting, and promote socioeconomic achievement. The three capstone products contained in this paper have explored, examined, and enhanced how leadership behaviors impact volunteer retention and motivation. Understanding and identifying why volunteers donate time and services while connecting the overarching leadership strategy of an NPO will capitalize on volunteer involvement and outcomes in order to increase the impact and reach of both a volunteer and the organization. The need for NPOs and volunteers is significant therefore, increasing the effect of volunteerism and improving leadership behaviors in order to achieve that goal is imperative in order to provide all the services that are needed in our society.

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