Empowering service

Ellie Burns

Senior director of nonprofit relations, Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, Community Foundation team member responsible for development and facilitation of the program

What excites you most about the nonprofit sector currently?

I am excited by the passionate individuals who are dedicated to the nonprofit sector. It is no secret that the sector is being tapped to do more with less and it can be overwhelming, but we have really smart, passionate, amazing individuals who work day in and day out to help our community thrive. The For Impact Leaders program has provided a great opportunity to connect with some of our future leaders, and I am confident that our sector is in capable hands!

What fundraising challenge is your organization currently facing, and how are you working to overcome it?

Each month, the Community Foundation hosts networking coffees, bringing together nonprofit professionals from across the area. These meetings provide an opportunity to discuss the challenges facing our sector. From what I’ve observed, it’s uncommon for an organization to experience a challenge that others haven’t faced as well. What’s truly remarkable is the collaborative spirit that permeates our community — professionals are not only willing but eager to support each other, creating an environment of mutual assistance.

What’s one trend you’re seeing with volunteer engagement?

It’s well known that volunteer rates haven’t bounced back to pre-pandemic levels, with many individuals being more selective about how they commit their time outside of work and family. A big shoutout to companies that are actively encouraging their employees to get involved in volunteerism. This serves as a great reminder that volunteer incentives aren’t just a perk that for-profit companies can offer — they’re something we all should consider. As we look to the future, we may need to rethink volunteer engagement strategies, focusing on building cross-sector relationships to ensure our nonprofit community can continue to connect people with their vital missions.

Kristi Kerner

Executive director, Mindspring Mental Health Alliance, 2024 participant

What excites you most about the nonprofit sector currently?

I personally am excited by the overall creativity, drive and determination of the people and organizations in this sector. This is a sector full of driven individuals who work diligently every day to find truly feasible solutions to real problems. They don’t let the fear of failure stop them from achieving success. It can be so easy to quit when things get difficult or messy, but this group tends to be motivated by the challenge, and it is so incredibly inspiring to be in and around that every day.

What fundraising challenge is your organization currently facing, and how are you working to overcome it?

I would say our biggest challenge in fundraising currently is capacity. Our very small team has seen some incredibly rapid growth. We know what needs to be done to increase awareness and inspire support, but time and resources are limited. Our board of directors and staff members all work hard to overcome this by enhancing our awareness, engaging our current donors and trying to inspire new donors to join us in our efforts to make mental health a priority and help our community members live the healthy lives they deserve.

What’s one trend you’re seeing with volunteer engagement?

One trend we have observed with our volunteer engagement is that we get high levels of initial interest, but that interest does not translate into active volunteer participation. This issue could be due to a few reasons: volunteers’ time constraints, unmet expectations or hesitation to commit. Additionally, our online programs have attracted global attention, which has sparked interest in remote volunteer opportunities. Unfortunately, we currently lack the infrastructure to effectively support and engage a large number of volunteers in this manner, which limits our ability to support this interest.

Peri Montufar

Donor engagement manager, Iowa Healthiest State Initiative, 2023 graduate

What excites you most about the nonprofit sector currently?

Nonprofit collaboration. Joining forces with organizations that share our vision allows us to expand our programs and impact. Recently, we partnered with NAMI Iowa and Community Support Advocates on a program called Mindful Expression: Exploring Mental Health through Artistic Creativity. This event showcased talented artists and writers who shared their work, highlighting the intersection of mental health and creative expression. We hope to continue this partnership to create awareness of our Make It OK program. Make It OK is a community campaign to reduce stigma by starting conversations and increasing understanding about mental illness.

What fundraising challenge is your organization currently facing, and how are you working to overcome it?

In my opinion, fundraising is always a challenge. If it were easy, everyone would want to do it. It’s about networking with the right people at the right time. Changes in government priorities and the corporate environment make it difficult to rely on recurring donations from individuals and workplaces. We constantly tweak our stewardship plan and I work closely with our executive director and marketing communication strategist to connect with our donors in various ways throughout the year.

What’s one trend you’re seeing with volunteer engagement?

Many organizations prefer to support nonprofits that offer volunteer opportunities for their employees to make a tangible impact. We are unique in that we don’t rely on a lot of volunteers for our statewide programs. Instead, we collaborate with various early care sites, schools, workplaces and communities to raise awareness for our Healthiest State Annual Walk, which took place on Oct. 2. We create engaging and interactive challenges on social media to promote making healthy choices easy and accessible. By sharing our initiatives online, we encourage other organizations to adopt these successful strategies.

Tracy Gryp

Center manager, Full Circle Recovery, 2024 participant

What excites you most about the nonprofit sector currently?

There’s a strong focus on collaboration and partnerships. Nonprofits are working more closely to provide comprehensive services to social challenges. The energy and creativity within the nonprofit sector are inspiring.

What fundraising challenge is your organization currently facing, and how are you working to overcome it?

Being a newer organization in a field that hasn’t had a lot of attention in the past has been challenging. Prevention and treatment have been more of a focus until now. Those things are still important, but recovery is where people begin to rebuild and transform their lives. To overcome this challenge, we’ve been working to raise awareness and demonstrate effectiveness in order to attract donors, which takes time.

What’s one trend you’re seeing with volunteer engagement?

People want to know that the time they spend with an organization is directly affecting the people served. They want to be involved in the community and feel like they’re part of the organization’s mission. Anyone can be affected by substance use disorders, and our volunteers want a meaningful peer-to-peer experience.

Travis Gorsch

Founder and president, the IOWA Foundation (Impactful Opportunities With Athletes, 2023 graduate

What excites you most about the nonprofit sector currently?

The work that organizations, like the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, are doing to enhance the nonprofit sector by bringing professionals and organizations together. This has spurred professional development, expansion of our networks and the opportunity to collaborate with each other to achieve our missions across Central Iowa.

What fundraising challenge is your organization currently facing, and how are you working to overcome it?

We are a completely volunteer-run organization that received our 501(c)3 nonprofit status in May of 2021. Our fundraising challenges typically come from being smaller, newer and not having a full-time staff. We are working on developing relationships within the community to understand the needs while also developing relationships with donors, corporate partners and others to help bridge the gap between them.

What’s one trend you’re seeing with volunteer engagement?

We have had success engaging student-athletes, coaches and their connections at the high school and college level. Having volunteer opportunities that align with their interests and passions has helped us from a recruitment standpoint. Some volunteers are fulfilling a class requirement, team goal or just want to give back using their platform. When volunteerism is emphasized and encouraged from a young age, it tends to have a lasting effect later in life, which bodes well for nonprofits who rely on them.

Tony Timm

CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of , Central Iowa, 2024 advisory committee

What excites you most about the nonprofit sector currently?

Des Moines continues to be a generous community with thoughtful leaders who, when they see a need, step up to call attention to it and ignite others to help meet that need. Everyone who works in the nonprofit sector has a passion to make the community better, but I don’t know if the larger community realizes the sacrifice they make. They endure long hours, nights and weekends, often at a low rate of pay, not because they are looking for accolades, but rather because they see a better version of our community and work to bring that version to reality.

What fundraising challenge is your organization currently facing, and how are you working to overcome it?

Our community has had several companies that experienced ownership changes in recent years. When those occur, it is not only the potential loss of support from those companies but also the individuals in leadership positions. When those leadership positions leave our community, they take with them their charitable dollars and the gap widens. As a community, we are going to have to recognize that nonprofit organizations need human capital and there is a cost for that. I have often said the cost of doing nothing is far greater than making investments to meet the needs of people in our community.

What’s one trend you’re seeing with volunteer engagement?

Volunteers are a key to any organization’s success. We are grateful for individuals and companies that value organizations in the nonprofit sector and are committed to helping them succeed. We can always use more volunteers, so please, if you have some time available and are passionate about a cause, reach out and offer to volunteer.

Kalyn Cody

Associate director, Iowa Community Capital, 2024 participant

What excites you most about the nonprofit sector currently?

I find the chance to make change thrilling. Every career holds some of this possibility, but working in a small, nimble system allows (in fact, it requires) for opportunities to experiment and innovate. Nonprofit professionals are known for their ingenuity and resourcefulness, and I am reminded of this every time our For Impact Leaders cohort comes together.

What fundraising challenge is your organization currently facing, and how are you working to overcome it?

Access to operating funds is the organization’s priority. Iowa Community Capital typically has sufficient funds for loans to low-income Solidarity Microfinance entrepreneurs. The Solidarity client segment typically requires more intensive staff involvement than do conventional loan clients. Additionally, during the past two years, ICC embarked on launching credit builder loans and small dollar loans to persons with disabilities. In turn, these two loan segments require still more technical assistance coaching per client than do microfinance loan clients. Therefore, the priority is operational funds. Each $1 of operational funds to ICC creates an opportunity for the average Solidarity client to generate more than $10 in annual income.

What’s one trend you’re seeing with volunteer engagement?

Volunteer board members, particularly from the realms of banking and finance, are aging and retiring faster than we can replace them. Strong volunteer boards are the backbone of any nonprofit organization and are especially effective in helping organizations like Iowa Community Capital make wise decisions as we lend our funds to underserved entrepreneurs.

John Soener

Community investments manager, United Way of Central Iowa, 2024 participant

What excites you most about the nonprofit sector currently?

I’m excited to see the way nonprofits are engaging in advocacy efforts. The public sector plays an important role in addressing key issues for our community members that face significant challenges, and having nonprofits advocate for effective public policy is crucial to a thriving community.

What fundraising challenge is your organization currently facing, and how are you working to overcome it?

One area for growth that we have is enhancing our messaging and influence through word of mouth and peer-to-peer networks. It’s these close relationships that serve as credible sources when people are making important decisions regarding to whom and how they give. By providing social and networking opportunities around specific issue areas — like our Women United group does regarding quality, affordable child care — we are working to grow and strengthen these trusted relationships.

What’s one trend you’re seeing with volunteer engagement?

Although it can be tricky to implement, we’ve seen interest from both nonprofit and corporate partners in skills-based volunteer opportunities. Many local nonprofits need support from experts in technical areas like financial management, technology and strategic planning. If, as a community, we can properly connect our skilled workers with those nonprofits that need that support, we can significantly bolster the services being provided in our community.

Julie Burtnette

Co-founder, executive director, Des Moines Children’s Museum, 2024 participant

What excites you most about the nonprofit sector currently?

What excites me most about the nonprofit sector right now is how the Community Foundation has made a space for different roles in nonprofit to meet and connect. All nonprofits are busy, and we all know that we are better together, but it’s hard to connect. The Colleague Connects that the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines hosts monthly has become a place to connect with other nonprofits.

What fundraising challenge is your organization currently facing, and how are you working to overcome it?

With the unknown future of Valley West Mall, the Des Moines Children’s Museum is in a precarious location. We need to raise more money than we ever have to make sure the Des Moines metro still has a children’s museum. Our challenge is getting people to remember we are a nonprofit. We are about the joy and wonder of childhood. It’s a place of discovery and imagination. Our pictures don’t easily capture the importance of Des Moines Children’s Museum. With over 71,000 guests in 2023, we are working on collecting stories to show the impact the Des Moines Children’s Museum has.

What’s one trend you’re seeing with volunteer engagement?

As an organization that started and ran 100% on volunteers for the first 18 months, we’ve seen a lot of volunteers these first seven years. We love all of our high school volunteers who help in the museum. I love seeing high-schoolers return each year. We’ve had fewer adult volunteers since 2020. Volunteers need to feel like they are making a difference, and we need to have more opportunities for adult volunteers who have skills, passion and drive. There is always something to work on at the Des Moines Children’s Museum.

Jen Cross

Vice president of donor relations, Great Outdoors Foundation, 2023 graduate, 2024 advisory committee

What excites you most about the nonprofit sector currently?

The nonprofit sector has never been more full of collaboration. We are all working for such great missions but leaning on each other through partnerships and experience to advance the work of our organizations.

What fundraising challenge is your organization currently facing, and how are you working to overcome it?

With the upcoming election and unknowns, we are seeing many partners scale back their giving. A challenge we continually face is funding for operational support or capacity building. We are working on creative funding solutions to overcome this barrier.

What’s one trend you’re seeing with volunteer engagement?

We are seeing an increase in volunteerism, especially from our larger corporate partners. They are wanting their employees to get back out into the community and support their larger initiatives.

Lela Scott

Program director, iJAG (Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates), 2024 participant

What excites you most about the nonprofit sector currently?

What excites me now is the same thing that has always excited me about nonprofit work — the missions. The idea of working toward making my job obsolete by fulfilling those needs is genuinely inspiring.

What fundraising challenge is your organization currently facing, and how are you working to overcome it?

We are a nonprofit organization funded by both public and private sources, and we have experienced growth over the past two years. Our challenge is to manage the financial demands required to sustain this growth while also investing in the development of new relationships.

What’s one trend you’re seeing with volunteer engagement?

We host three major events each year that showcase the work of specialists and students in the classroom. These events require hundreds of volunteers. We’ve noticed a growing enthusiasm among volunteers to engage with the students and support them both at the events and in the classroom.

Scott Sithonnorath

Property services manager, Anawim Housing, 2024 participant

What excites you most about the nonprofit sector currently?

It is refreshing to see organizations focusing on hiring people who represent affected populations in their leadership and staff. Now, it is not uncommon to see individuals with lived experience working within their communities. When your staff is representative of the community that you serve, oftentimes they may have a better understanding of needs and are able to bring new and strategic solutions to challenging problems.

What fundraising challenge is your organization currently facing, and how are you working to overcome it?

Donors seem more willing to fund specific projects rather than operational costs. This creates a challenge in maintaining the day-to-day functioning, operations and sustainability. Anawim Housing staff members continue to share our story, educate the community and host fundraising events among other strategies. Anawim hosts an annual event called Home is Everything, and this year we are spicing it up by adding a wine pull and auction. Donor fatigue and competition are real — we think this is a fun way to keep folks engaged and educated. One hundred percent of the donations go toward supporting individuals and families who call Anawim Housing home.

What’s one trend you’re seeing with volunteer engagement?

Overall, there seems to be a decline in volunteer engagement. In today’s world, it may not be economically feasible to volunteer one’s time. Personally, I think it is due to generational differences. Younger individuals have different drives and motivators than generations past. The younger generation values their time and wants to be compensated appropriately. I’ve also seen organizations wanting to volunteer, but we struggle to find things for them to do.

A.J. Salinas

Director of corporate and foundation engagement, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa, 2023 graduate

What excites you most about the nonprofit sector currently?

The people. Through my work, I have had the opportunity to meet some of the most influential people in Des Moines. It has been great working with others who have a similar passion for community and a desire to make it a better place for everybody.

What fundraising challenge is your organization currently facing, and how are you working to overcome it?

The biggest fundraising challenge we are facing is the increased costs from year to year, but funders aren’t necessarily giving more. For Boys & Girls Clubs specifically, staff costs are our biggest expense, but a lot of companies don’t want their support to go to staff salaries. Not only do we depend on staff to provide our programs and mentor our youth, but we also have to stay competitive and provide a livable wage.

What’s one trend you’re seeing with volunteer engagement?

We are seeing an increase in volunteer engagement in the past couple years. We haven’t seen as many companies doing group volunteer opportunities like in the past.

Julia Mason

Director of development, YMCA of Greater Des Moines, 2024 participant

What excites you most about the nonprofit sector currently?

I’m seeing collaborative initiatives among agencies, businesses and community partners. We are increasingly working together to tackle the pressing issues for larger community impact.

What fundraising challenge is your organization currently facing, and how are you working to overcome it?

At the Y, we aim to ensure every K-2 student in Des Moines struggling with reading can join a summer learning program, reaching grade-level reading by the third grade. We’re progressing with community support and growing enrollment in YMCA Starfish Academy. Our goal is to organize resources and funding to provide a top-notch experience, enrolling at least 1,000 students in the next three to five years.

What’s one trend you’re seeing with volunteer engagement?

Volunteers want to see the tangible impact of their efforts.

Alison Hanner

Director of marketing and public relations, Variety - the Children’s Charity of Iowa, 2023 graduate

What excites you most about the nonprofit sector currently?

I am so excited by the enthusiasm and creativity of the next generation of philanthropic supporters in the Des Moines metro. We see it at our events and throughout the community, but we especially see it in our Young Variety board. Our Young Variety group is constantly innovating and helping us think outside the box on new fundraising and programming ideas. These board members are always reaching out to their connections to share Variety’s mission, and they are continuously raising the bar to beat their previous fundraising totals to make a direct impact on the children of Iowa.

What fundraising challenge is your organization currently facing, and how are you working to overcome it?

Variety celebrated our 50th Telethon in March, and with it, a record-breaking $6.5 million fundraising total. The question is now — how do we capitalize on this momentum? We have some fun ideas up our sleeves for the next 50 years, and I am excited to help continue to innovate our fundraising and programming to help children throughout Iowa who are at-risk, underprivileged, critically ill or living with special needs.

What’s one trend you’re seeing with volunteer engagement?

Volunteers want to have fun, while also still being engaged and active in making a difference. Whether it’s our board members, event volunteers or office volunteers, we are constantly trying to put the fun in fundraising!

Zach Couture

Land and production supervisor, Lutheran Services in Iowa: Global Greens, 2023 graduate

What excites you most about the nonprofit sector currently?

Though it’s hard to work in this sector, I see how much community support there is for our work and celebrate all our collective accomplishments and growth. I’m inspired by the creative and caring people working in nonprofits and the resilience of clients we work with. Even though our society can sometimes seem bleak, we’re creating solutions that have potential to fill short-term needs while also transforming systems to be more equitable and sustainable long term.

What fundraising challenge is your organization currently facing, and how are you working to overcome it?

We accomplish great work with partners, but there is still an immense unmet need. It is partly due to funding sources like grants who only fund certain outcomes, thus leaving gaps based on community-identified need. Another challenge is that we run programs focused on mental health or for people with disabilities that are not as visible because of confidentiality. To address this, we advocate by sharing our clients’ stories and empower community leaders to raise their voices. We’re also working to share our impact more broadly to diversify funding to meet both seen and unseen needs.

What’s one trend you’re seeing with volunteer engagement?

At our farms and gardens, groups and individuals connect to something bigger than themselves by working side by side with farmers in a spirit of solidarity. Coworking grounds us in an appreciation for who grows our food and the soil that it grows in, inspiring connections within the groups and to farmers beyond our volunteer events. A volunteer may see broccoli growing in the field for the first time during a Friday afternoon workday, and then visit the farmers on Saturday at Global Greens International Market to buy a bunch.

Diana Echeverria

Community impact manager, United Way of Central Iowa, 2024 participant

What excites you most about the nonprofit sector currently?

What excites me most about the nonprofit sector is the power of collaboration to uplift our community and create meaningful, lasting impact. True progress and long-term success comes from working together across government, businesses, nonprofits, faith-based organizations and educational institutions, not from working in isolation. By fostering multisector involvement and engaging diverse voices, we can drive significant change and build a better future for generations to come.

What fundraising challenge is your organization currently facing, and how are you working to overcome it?

United Way of Central Iowa is constantly working toward engaging contributors who value and understand systemic issues affecting Central Iowans’ ability to thrive. By addressing our community’s critical challenges through investments and strong partnerships, we aim for positive, long-term impact. While the results of policy, advocacy and systemic change may not be immediately visible or as straightforward as direct service, these efforts are crucial for creating long-term, lasting benefits. To clarify our impact, we simplify messaging, equipping community advocates and highlighting our achievements through data, storytelling and highlighting our strategic partnership’s work in Central Iowa. We recognize that making a lasting, positive impact requires a collaborative effort.

What’s one trend you’re seeing with volunteer engagement?

Since the onset of the pandemic, individuals are aligning their volunteer work with personal values and seeking meaningful connections in their chosen activities. Companies are also using volunteerism to boost team engagement and social responsibility. For example, at United Way of Central Iowa, our staff is invited to participate in local volunteer events, such as at a community garden. This activity allows employees to appreciate the importance of fresh produce and its impact on community well-being. It supports an initiative, fosters networking and offers valuable insights for employees, enhancing their engagement and connection to the community.

Sarah Lohmeier

Executive director, Friends of Des Moines Parks, 2023 graduate

What excites you most about the nonprofit sector currently?

What excites me most about the nonprofit sector is the incredible work and initiatives being driven by my fellow nonprofit professionals. Their dedication and passion are transforming our community for the better. Every day, local nonprofits make a significant impact, enhancing the Des Moines metro and improving the lives of those around us. It’s inspiring to see this collaboration and commitment across the sector.

What fundraising challenge is your organization currently facing, and how are you working to overcome it?

We are truly fortunate to be part of a community that offers strong philanthropic support. At Friends of Des Moines Parks, one challenge is the competition for funding in both grants and event support. However, we have built remarkable partnerships that enable us to continue our important work and make a meaningful impact throughout and in the park system and recreational programs.

What’s one trend you’re seeing with volunteer engagement?

A trend we’re observing in volunteer engagement is the rise of volunteering as a team-building activity. Many co-workers are seeking opportunities to give back to their community while simultaneously strengthening their connections as a team. And I think people love to spend their volunteer time outside in nature!

Dani Mincks

Director of community engagement, Change Course, 2024 participant

What excites you most about the nonprofit sector currently?

I’m energized by our community’s united effort to solve our community’s challenges, break down silos and embrace collaboration. The nonprofit organizations I’ve connected with are equally enthusiastic about partnering to complement each other’s services. The progress we’ve made together is truly inspiring, with everyone focusing on their strengths and avoiding duplication. This collective approach is paving the way for meaningful change.

What fundraising challenge is your organization currently facing, and how are you working to overcome it?

As a 2-year-old organization, we’ve built a steady stream of small donors, but we know there are still untapped opportunities for support. Our focus now is on increasing our visibility and expanding our reach. To create a more sustainable income stream, our CEO launched a for-profit cleaning company, Change Course Cleaning. This venture, which offers both commercial cleaning and auto detailing services, directs its proceeds to support our nonprofit program. Additionally, it provides our participants with the opportunity for part-time employment while they progress through our program.

What’s one trend you’re seeing with volunteer engagement?

We’re excited to see a growing number of volunteers stepping up as allies in our program, so much so that we currently have a waitlist for this role. Many volunteers are eager to return and commit to another six-month class. It’s inspiring to see people so willing to invest their time and expertise to support our participants, especially in guiding them through career development.

Jenna Turner

Communications and strategic partnerships director, Camp Fire Heart of Iowa, 2024 participant

What excites you most about the nonprofit sector currently?

The people doing day-to-day work on the ground make me excited for the future of nonprofit work. The Des Moines nonprofit sector is extraordinarily robust and offers many services to help face the challenges that grip our community. I’m excited for increased and focused collaboration between existing nonprofits to avoid duplicating efforts while being helpful and efficient, helping streamline services and ultimately benefiting the populations we serve.

What fundraising challenge is your organization currently facing, and how are you working to overcome it?

A challenge that we are facing is the lack of opportunities to apply for general operating relief. We have tried to work to overcome this by diversifying our revenue streams and looking for opportunities to offer new, unique and creative programming. We do this in conjunction with maintaining and nourishing established relationships with longtime funders and looking for new grant opportunities.

What’s one trend you’re seeing with volunteer engagement?

There has been an increase in corporate volunteer engagement, while individual volunteerism seems to have stagnated a bit. I’ve noticed that for many corporations, employee volunteerism is a core value of their giving philosophies. My hope for the future is to have a healthy combination of corporate volunteerism as well as recruiting new individuals who are excited and passionate about the mission, while maintaining and stewarding our long-established volunteer relationships.

Jessica Nelsen

Health and well-being and essential needs officer, United Way of Central Iowa, 2023 graduate

What excites you most about the nonprofit sector currently?

In the nonprofit community, folks are coming together to address critical issues in a very exciting way. We know resources are limited, we know that Central Iowans are struggling and we are having more discussions about how integrated our work is. This allows us to look at the big picture and collaborate with our community to work more efficiently and address critical community issues.

What fundraising challenge is your organization currently facing, and how are you working to overcome it?

Fundraising for any nonprofit organization involves understanding and addressing the diverse preferences, values and communication styles of different generational groups. Each generation brings unique experiences and expectations, which can make it challenging to craft a fundraising strategy that resonates universally. To effectively fundraise across generations, we need to adopt a multifaceted approach that includes understanding generational preferences, utilizing diverse communication channels and providing various engagement opportunities. By tailoring strategies to meet the specific needs and values of each generation, nonprofits can foster stronger connections and encourage more consistent and meaningful support. At United Way, we really lean into offering opportunities that span giving, advocating and volunteering — meeting folks where they are and encouraging them to explore their sense of purpose.

What’s one trend you’re seeing with volunteer engagement?

We are witnessing a significant shift in how companies and their employees engage with volunteer opportunities. A growing trend is the increasing influence of employees in shaping the types of volunteer activities their groups or companies participate in. The employee’s voice is becoming central to how individuals and companies utilize volunteer time off (VTO), leading to more engaging, impactful and satisfying volunteer experiences. By empowering employees to take the lead in volunteering efforts, companies can foster a culture of social responsibility and community engagement that resonates deeply with their workforce.