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Artwork for Volunteer Nation

Volunteer Nation

Tobi Johnson, MA, CVA
Volunteer Management
Volunteerism
Volunteer Engagement
Nonprofit Organizations
Volunteer Experience
Volunteer Recruitment
Volunteering
Nonprofit Management
Volunteer Management Progress Report
Volunteer Matching
Volunteer Program Assessment
Scarcity Mentality
Motivation
Interview Techniques
Nonprofit Sector
Tobi Johnson
Volunteer Strategy Support
Volunteer Retention
Community Building
Nonprofit Leadership

Nonprofit leadership author, coach, and expert Tobi Johnson shares weekly tips to help charities build, grow, and scale exceptional volunteer teams. Discover how your nonprofit can effectively coordinate volunteers who are reliable, equipped, and ready to help you bring about BIG change for the better. Rather than continuing to “do more with less,” achieve abundance for your organization by engagi... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes207Founded4 years ago
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Artwork for Volunteer Nation

Latest Episodes

Volunteer managers often rely on a mix of spreadsheets, emails, and manual processes to keep programs running. But as volunteer programs grow, those systems can quickly become overwhelming and difficult to manage. 

In this episode, Tobi Johnson expl... more

Managing volunteers often means juggling a wide range of responsibilities. From responding to emails and coordinating schedules to planning events and maintaining relationships, volunteer leaders frequently feel pulled in many directions at once. 

I... more

Strengthening a volunteer strategy is not always about fixing a struggling program. Sometimes it is about preparing a successful program for growth.

In this episode, Tobi Johnson is joined by Lisa Lopez and Paola Gonzalez from ScholarMatch to discus... more

Volunteer burnout is not always caused by time, workload, or lack of commitment. In many cases, it happens when leaders begin to feel less effective in their roles. As confidence and enjoyment decline, even experienced volunteers may start to disenga... more

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Recent Guests

Lisa Lopez
Director of College Access at ScholarMatch
ScholarMatch
Episode: 204. Transforming Your Volunteer Strategy: A Case Study with ScholarMatch
Paola Gonzalez
Volunteer Manager at ScholarMatch
ScholarMatch
Episode: 204. Transforming Your Volunteer Strategy: A Case Study with ScholarMatch
Paul Clarke
Performance coach, Leaders Coach; leadership development specialist and consultant
Leaders Coach
Episode: 203. Preventing Volunteer Burnout - New Research with Paul Clarke
Pam Kappelides
Senior Lecturer and Student Placement Coordinator at LaTrobe University
LaTrobe University
Episode: 196. Behind the Scenes of 10 Years of Industry Research with Pam Kappelides & Allison Russell – Part 1
Allison Russell
Assistant Professor of Public and Nonprofit Management at the University of Texas at Dallas
University of Texas at Dallas
Episode: 196. Behind the Scenes of 10 Years of Industry Research with Pam Kappelides & Allison Russell – Part 1
Jennifer Sirangelo
Expert in volunteerism, President of Points of Light
Points of Light
Episode: 195. The Top 10 Volunteer Nation Podcast Episodes for 2025 - Our Countdown
Chris Wade
Consultant and leader in the UK charity sector, founder of the Time for Impact Podcast.
Time for Impact Podcast
Episode: 193. Building Influence with Impact with Chris Wade and Matthew Cobble
Matthew Cobble
Head of volunteering for the MND Association, involved in improving access to care for motor neuron disease.
MND Association
Episode: 193. Building Influence with Impact with Chris Wade and Matthew Cobble
Travis Sternhagen
Volunteer Manager at Kinship Community Food Center
Kinship Community Food Center
Episode: 188. Let's Talk Volunteering with Weave: the Social Fabric Project

Host

Tobi Johnson
Host of the Volunteer Nation

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 49 ratings
  • A cut above the rest!

    The Volunteer Nation podcast is truly in a lane of its own. There are so few quality podcasts, websites, and communities for leaders of volunteers, and Tobi Johnson leads the best of these, probably in the world. I listen to the Volunteer Nation podcast for timely, industry leading, and actionable information. I hope that Tobi has many more years of podcast ideas up her sleeve because this is one of my favourite podcasts!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    terakristen8888
    Canada2 months ago
  • Amazing content, well presented

    I’m trying to improve my Membership community. I thought I’d give this podcast a try. I just can’t stop listening. Every episode provides tips, guidance and insights that I can immediately apply. Thank you!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Alice’ adventures
    United States7 months ago
  • I

    Iii

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Swim Karim's twin Skip Karim
    United States3 years ago
  • Thank you for putting this out there!

    I like what I’ve heard so far! I am a director of volunteering with an RSVP program in Wisconsin. I love the social science behind volunteering and often feel I am alone in that. Nice to hear from fellow nerds trying to understand how to make the field better. Thanks for putting this out there

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ghuff09808
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Positive note on nursing a community of fellow professionals nerding out on volunteer management.
Listeners value the focus on volunteer voice, ethics, and governance in nonprofits.
Listeners praise practical tips you can apply immediately to improve volunteer programs.
The show delivers timely, industry-leading, actionable volunteer insights.
Audience appreciates the combination of research and real-world advice.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

204. Transforming Your Volunteer Strategy: A Case Study with ScholarMatch
Q: What has been the most meaningful impact of the volunteer transformation on students?
Increased graduation rates under the seven-year model (80% for first-gen students) and more robust student support through dedicated volunteer mentorship.
204. Transforming Your Volunteer Strategy: A Case Study with ScholarMatch
Q: What made you decide to pursue external help to transform the volunteer program?
They wanted an objective perspective to scale recruitment, training, and professional development as they expanded nationally, while leveraging their strong internal processes.
188. Let's Talk Volunteering with Weave: the Social Fabric Project
Q: What percentage of your volunteers return after their first experience?
Approximately 90% of volunteers are returning participants at events, highlighting the effectiveness of community-building efforts.
188. Let's Talk Volunteering with Weave: the Social Fabric Project
Q: How do you approach conflicts that arise among community members?
Conflicts are addressed relationally, often in informal settings over food, emphasizing built relationships within the community.
188. Let's Talk Volunteering with Weave: the Social Fabric Project
Q: What does the orientation process look like for new volunteers?
New volunteers receive a brief orientation on human dignity and are thrown into the engaging environment for hands-on learning, with a follow-up debrief after their initial experience.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Volunteer Nation

What is Volunteer Nation about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A leadership-focused podcast for people managing volunteers in nonprofits and civic organizations. Across episodes, the show emphasizes scalable volunteer programs, burnout prevention, recruit-and-retain strategies, and the role of voice and governance in effective volunteer management. Guests often include scholars, program leads, and practitioners who bring research-backed insights and practical tactics for building stronger volunteer cultures, improving the volunteer experience, and leveraging data to demonstrate impact. A standout theme is pairing academic findings with actionable practices to elevate volunteer programs, making it helpful for leaders seeking tangible improvements and for sponsors targeting the nonprofit sector.

Notewor... more

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How many listeners does Volunteer Nation get?

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What are the audience demographics for Volunteer Nation?

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How many subscribers and views does Volunteer Nation have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Volunteer Nation has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Volunteer Nation?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Volunteer Nation:

1. Making a Ruckus
2. ZOE Science & Nutrition
3. Marketplace
4. Consider This from NPR
5. Code Switch

How many episodes of Volunteer Nation are there?

Volunteer Nation launched 4 years ago and published 207 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Volunteer Nation?

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What guests have appeared on Volunteer Nation?

Recent guests on Volunteer Nation include:

1. Lisa Lopez
2. Paola Gonzalez
3. Paul Clarke
4. Pam Kappelides
5. Allison Russell
6. Jennifer Sirangelo
7. Chris Wade
8. Matthew Cobble

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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