Your volunteers make extraordinary sacrifices to promote your organization, and all without any expectation of compensation. Although they may continue to provide their assistance for the sheer joy of helping out, it’s worth your while to reward their hard work on occasion.
Unfortunately, if you’re lacking in adequate funding, you might not be able to throw the volunteer gala you’ve always dreamed of. Major scholarships and prize drawings may similarly be out of reach. However, volunteer appreciation on a small budget does not have to be a complete impossibility.
Consider utilizing one of these unique ideas as you strive to show your volunteers how much their service means!
Silly Volunteer Awards
Remember the Dundies on The Office? If your volunteers have established close friendships and enjoy goofing off with one another, they are the perfect candidates for silly awards.
These don’t have to be as negative as Michael Scott’s Dundies: awards for best hair or biggest coffee fiend should do the trick. Be sure to give winners certificates to cement their status as honored volunteers.
Useful Totes
Your volunteers may be providing their assistance in hopes of bolstering their resumes 
and eventually gaining employment in a related field. This phenomenon is particularly common among volunteers working with children and seniors.
Your volunteer opportunity may have provided these individuals with vital skills for the workplace, but you can offer further assistance with the right gift. A tote bag adorned with an inspirational message makes for a valued and useful gift. Inside, you can include essentials for the workplace; these may include water bottles, pens, mouse pads or paper weights.
Volunteer Trophies
Kids take participation trophies for granted, but after graduation, such awards may be
few and far between. Longtime volunteers who have consistently gone the extra mile deserve special awards; with a trophy, you can show them that their service really does make a difference. The trophy could mark a certain number of years of service or, perhaps, a specific achievement that took place due to the volunteer’s efforts. Be sure to highlight the nature of the award by including a personalized engraving.
Volunteers work hard to make the world a better place and while they never expect compensation, they certainly appreciate receiving tokens of appreciation. You don’t need a huge budget to make a special volunteer appreciation event a reality; simply invest in a few personal gifts and awards to show that you care.
