Why Volunteer Solicitors Are Essential to a Successful Capital Campaign

One of the most valuable perks of Capital Campaign Pro membership is access to weekly group coaching calls.

Picture a virtual room with a dozen nonprofit professionals from across the country, each in a different stage of their capital campaign. Facilitating the conversation are two seasoned members of our advising team with more than 50 years of combined campaign experience. These calls are live, interactive, and practical. Clients bring real-time questions, and together, we workshop solutions on the spot.

A Fair Question: Are Volunteer Solicitors Essential?

In a recent call, a Director of Development at a public library (let’s call her “Jane”) raised a question that struck a chord — one we’ve heard before, and one that always deserves attention:

“Volunteer solicitors seem like a lot of work without much reward,” she explained, “Is it really worth it? Can I just skip volunteer solicitors in my campaign?”

Jane’s concern wasn’t hypothetical; at a previous organization, Jane had seen her boss form a volunteer solicitation committee filled with enthusiastic supporters. But after a few months, meetings began to drag. Some volunteers came prepared, others stalled and made excuses for their lack of activity.

No Follow-up, No Training, No Momentum…

There was no follow-up between meetings, no training, and no momentum. The volunteers doing the work grew frustrated. Staff didn’t know how to turn the dynamic. It all felt like a waste of time.

Eventually, the committee stopped meeting. A few continued making asks on their own, but most drifted away. The campaign didn’t just lose steam — it lost a core group of advocates. Jane wondered if her former boss wouldn’t have been better off if she’d skipped the volunteers altogether.

Understandably, Jane was skeptical about recruiting a similar committee at her current organization. As she explained her conundrum, heads were nodding in sympathy all around the virtual room.

Why Volunteer Involvement is a Campaign Best Practice… and Worthwhile!

Here are four reasons volunteer solicitors are well worth it.

1. Volunteers open doors to prospective donors who wouldn’t otherwise be accessible
   Volunteers often have personal and professional networks that staff can’t reach. A call from a peer carries more weight and can create access where outreach from staff might stall.
2. Volunteers speak from personal experience about why they care
   

   When volunteers share why the mission matters to them, it signals that yours is a cause people in the community believe in. It reassures prospective donors that their peers are also stepping up.

3. The experience is meaningful for the volunteers themselves
   

   Participating in a campaign gives volunteers a sense of pride and purpose. They’re contributing in a personal way to something that matters to them. Volunteers often make the best gifts!

4. Volunteer involvement creates broader ownership and momentum
   Campaigns gain visibility and credibility when more people are actively involved. Volunteers help spread the word, reinforce the message, and strengthen relationships in ways that staff can’t do alone.

Recognizing the value of volunteer solicitors is just the beginning, though. The real work lies in creating the structure and support they need to be effective.

Creating Volunteer Campaign Committees That Work

The most effective campaigns use committees as short-term, high-impact work groups with a clear task and a defined end point. Framing the group’s charge around a specific milestone — like reaching a gift threshold or completing a set of asks — makes it easier for volunteers to say yes.

Once the goal of the work group is met, you can have one-on-one check-ins to determine what role, if any, makes sense going forward. This approach keeps expectations clear, offers flexibility, and gives you a graceful way to release volunteers who aren’t the right fit.

How to Bring on the Right Volunteers for Your Campaign

The best volunteer solicitors understand what’s expected of them from the outset and are willing to embrace best practices. If someone hesitates to make asks in person or insists on running a letter campaign instead of asking for specific amounts, they’re likely to become a challenge to manage.

Use the recruitment process to clarify expectations and the campaign’s approach. If alignment isn’t there, it’s ok to pivot and create a different way for that person to contribute.

Prioritize Quality Over Quantity

Managing volunteer solicitors takes up a lot of time. A group of six focused, committed volunteers will outperform ten who are only halfway engaged. Choose people you can support consistently, rather than building a large roster that drains your energy and stalls progress.

Mind Your Mindset

All too often, volunteer management starts from a place of:

“What are these volunteers going to do for me (or for the campaign)?”

But the most successful fundraisers flip that thinking on its head by instead asking:

“What can I do for these volunteers to make this experience worthwhile and meaningful?”

When you focus on creating an experience that is enriching and valuable, volunteers stay engaged and do better work. They’re more likely to show up, follow through, and speak passionately about the campaign when they feel supported and appreciated.

Use Campaign Committee Meetings Wisely

Avoid rinse-and-repeat agendas. Think of each meeting like a meal. As the chef, you have a set of ingredients to choose from, but how you combine those ingredients should vary from meeting to meeting. Your fool proof ingredient list is as follows:

• Training – Give volunteers the tools and confidence they need to be effective. Training shouldn’t be treated as a one-time event; it’s ongoing and should evolve with the needs of the campaign.
• Accountability – Keep the work moving by following up on assignments. Volunteers should know that when they commit to something, their progress matters and will be checked in on.
• Relevant Information – Share timely updates on campaign milestones, messaging, and organizational developments so volunteers feel informed and prepared.
• Peer Learning – Create space for volunteers to share experiences and lessons with each other. It makes the learning more relatable and helps spotlight strong performers.
• Work Time – Use meeting time to get things done. Whether it’s writing notes, scheduling meetings, or making calls, 15-20 minutes of structured work time helps maintain momentum.
• New Strategy Development – Invite volunteers into higher-level conversations. They can help troubleshoot, brainstorm connections, or offer fresh ideas.
• Celebration – Don’t overlook the power of acknowledging wins. Celebrating progress keeps morale up and reinforces that their effort matters.

Mix and match these elements to keep meetings engaging and fresh.

Don’t Just Rely on Committee Meetings; Keep in Touch with Volunteers

Real progress often happens between committee meetings. Stay in touch through quick calls, emails, or texts. Schedule one-on-one work sessions to prep for asks, work through hesitations, and keep things moving for each volunteer. These check-ins help you spot issues early and keep volunteers on track.

Stack Your Volunteer Assignments for Early Campaign Wins

Set your volunteers up for success by giving them early, confidence-building asks. Don’t start them with the toughest or most skeptical prospects. Begin with people who already care and are likely to respond positively. A few early wins build momentum and help volunteers feel like they can succeed.

By the end of the group advising call, someone piped up that it sounded like the committee at Jane’s prior employer hadn’t fallen apart because the volunteers didn’t care; it fell apart because expectations weren’t clear and the volunteers weren’t properly supported.

Bingo!

It takes time and effort to get a group of volunteer solicitors off the ground and running. But when managed well, they can become one of the most valuable assets in your campaign.

With the right structure, support, and engagement, these volunteers can open doors, build credibility, and bring in critical gifts. More than that, they become champions for your mission, invested in its success for the long haul. The work is worth it.