25 interesting volunteer statistics

Volunteering goes beyond just having a positive impact on the world. It is a way of experiencing personal and professional growth and increasing physical and mental wellbeing. Volunteering has something to offer everyone.

But what does volunteering look like in today’s world, and who are the people behind it? We delve into 25 interesting volunteer statistics that explore the trends, demographics, and benefits of volunteering. From the impact of the pandemic on volunteerism to the unique benefits of corporate and skills-based volunteering, these volunteer statistics will give you a deeper understanding of the power of volunteering.

Volunteering trends

• During the COVID-19 pandemic 51% of Americans (124.7 million people) informally helped their neighbours and 23% of Americans (60.7 million people) formally volunteered with an organisation ¹.
• All generations of volunteers, from Baby Boomers to Generation Z, desire flexible volunteer schedules, value shorter-term commitments, value having a say in the work and want respect ².
• 71% of volunteers commit to only one organisation per year ³.
• 89% of respondents to a Deloitte survey on volunteering believe that companies who sponsor volunteer activities offer a better overall working environment than those who do not ⁴.
• The estimated value of each volunteer hour in the United States is $29.95 USD ⁵.
• There is a strong correlation between volunteering and levels of financial donation. 66% of donors worldwide volunteer with nonprofit organisations. 73% of those donors donate to the nonprofit they volunteer for ⁶.
• Close to 60% of companies offer paid time off for volunteering ⁷.
• 40% of Fortune 500 companies offer volunteer grant programs ⁸.
• Google searches for ‘virtual volunteering’ peaked in May 2020⁹ . This
  timing coincides with when many of the country were locked down due
  to the COVID-19 pandemic, and movement around the community
  was restricted.
• 67% of volunteers found opportunities online, up from 34% in 2016 ¹⁰.

Volunteer demographics

• 25% of females formally volunteer compared to 21% of males ¹¹.
• The 16 – 17 year age bracket has more people formally volunteering
  than any other age group ¹² . This could be due to the need to include
  volunteer hours on college applications.
• Almost 40% of parents volunteer each year ¹³ .
• Utah has the highest rate of volunteering in America ¹⁴ .
• 13.5% of high school graduates volunteer compared with 42.2% of
  people holding a graduates degree ¹⁵ .

Rosterfy Reporting

Diversity and developing an inclusive culture within a volunteer program is important when encouraging engagement and lasting relationships between a volunteer and the cause they support.

With Rosterfy volunteer managers are able to report not just on the hours and the impact their volunteers have on their program but also the demographics of those who volunteer.

Volunteering benefits

• 92 percent of respondents to a Deloitte survey agreed that
  volunteering is an effective way to improve leadership skills ¹⁶ .
• People who volunteer regularly have a 27% higher chance of gaining
  employment ¹⁷ so remember to list volunteer work on your resume.
• Volunteering has been linked to reduced mortality in older adults ^{18 .}
• One study found that 77% of volunteers believed their mental health
  improved due to volunteering ¹⁹ .
• 64% percent of employees who volunteer said it improved their work
  relationships ²⁰ .
• 74% of respondents to a Deloitte survey think volunteering improves
  their sense of purpose ²¹ .
• Volunteers have an economic value of $123 billion ²² .
• 78% of volunteers who were surveyed by the United Health Group
  said volunteering reduced their stress levels ²³ .
• Nearly 19% of volunteers say their motivation for volunteering is to
  learn new skills ²⁴ .
• 70% of corporate volunteers believe volunteering boosts morale in the
  workplace better than company events do ²⁵ .

FAQs

What are the benefits of volunteering?

Volunteering statistics show there any many benefits to volunteering,
including personal and professional development opportunities. Engaging in
volunteer activities can also foster new connections, strengthen current
relationships, and broaden social circles. Studies have shown that
volunteering can alleviate stress, boost mood and enhance overall well-being,
leading to greater happiness and satisfaction with life.

How effective is volunteering?

Volunteering statistics show volunteers contribute huge amounts of time and
service to their community. Volunteers support nonprofits in providing vital
services to groups and individuals within the community. They use their time
and skills to raise funds for organisations and are a critical part of disaster
response teams. Volunteers are vital to contributing to the health of the
environment and the planet on which we live.

Is volunteering increasing or decreasing?

Volunteer statistics up to the end of 2021 shows the rate of volunteering has
declined from the levels recorded in 2017 however that was likely due to the
impacts of COVID-19. As people become more comfortable being out in the
community again and start to seek out volunteer opportunities, the level of
volunteering should start to rise to pre-pandemic levels.

What age group is most likely to volunteer?

From kids to seniors, people of all ages volunteer. Volunteering statistics
released by Americorps has found that 16 – 17 year olds have the highest
rate of formal volunteering and 60 to 69 year olds have the highest rate of
informal volunteering.

When looking across generations, Generation X are the largest group of
formal volunteers and Baby Boomers are the largest demographic of informal
helpers.

Sources

1. https://www.americorps.gov/newsroom/press-release/americorps-celebrates-national-volunteer-week-2023
2. https://doi.org/10.1002/vmr.31499
3. https://www.volunteerhub.com/blog/40-volunteer-
statistics/#:~:text=67%25%20of%20people%20found%20volunteer,decision%20on%20a%2
0potential%20job.
4. https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/about-
deloitte/us-2017-deloitte-volunteerism-survey.pdf
5. https://independentsector.org/resource/value-of-volunteer-time/
6. https://www.funraise.org/giving-report
7. https://www.charities.org/Snapshot-Employer-Research-Corporate-DNA-
Employee-Engagement-Social-Impact
8. https://doublethedonation.com/matching-gift-statistics/
9. https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=today%205-
y&geo=US&q=virtual%20volunteering
10. https://www.volunteerhub.com/blog/40-volunteer-
statistics/#:~:text=67%25%20of%20people%20found%20volunteer,decision%20on%20a%2
0potential%20job.
11. https://americorps.gov/about/our-impact/volunteering-civic-
life/demographics
12. https://americorps.gov/about/our-impact/volunteering-civic-
life/demographics
13.https://americorps.gov/sites/default/files/document/Volunteering_in_America_Demographi
cs_508.pdf
14. https://americorps.gov/sites/default/files/document/volunteering-civic-life-
america-research-summary.pdf
15. https://americorps.gov/about/our-impact/volunteering-civic-
life/demographics
16. https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/us-deloitte-
impact-survey.pdf
17. https://www.volunteerhub.com/blog/40-volunteer-
statistics/#:~:text=67%25%20of%20people%20found%20volunteer,decision%20on%20a%2
0potential%20job.
18. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5971845/
19. https://www.ncvo.org.uk/news-and-insights/news-index/time-well-spent-
national-survey-volunteer-experience/volunteer-impacts/#/
20. https://www.forbes.com/sites/colleenreilly/2023/02/21/do-you-want-to-
know-the-best-kept-secret-to-improving-wellbeing/?sh=49d693416627
21. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/citizenship-
deloitte-volunteer-impact-research.html
22. https://www.americorps.gov/about/our-impact/volunteering-civic-life
23. https://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/content/dam/UHG/PDF/2013/UNH-
Health-Volunteering-Study.pdf
24. https://www.volunteeringaustralia.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/VA-Key-
Volunteering-Statistics-2022-Update.pdf

About Rosterfy

Rosterfy is used by non-profits, charities, sporting federations, and more to better manage their volunteer programs by improving how they can recruit, screen, train and retain volunteers.

Our market leading technology helps you create engaging experience throughout the whole lifecycle of your volunteer journey.