For many organizations, recruiting and maintaining a core group of dedicated volunteers spells the difference between success and failure. But very little research has been done to find out what motivates people to volunteer, how to recruit volunteers, and how to nurture their dedication.

Enhancing the Volunteer Experience reveals, from the perspective of the volunteer, how management can foster – or impede – the growth of high-quality, long-lived volunteer programs, and how to ensure that volunteering remains a dynamic force that generates social change. Drawing on a four-year study of volunteers in a variety of fields and extensive interviews with 180 people, Ilsey provides nonprofit managers with the insights, skills, and strategies they need to recruit and retain committed volunteers, and to make the volunteer experience rich, rewarding, and productive.

Paul J. Ilsley is the author of Enhancing the Volunteer Experience: New Insights on Strengthening Volunteer Participation, Learning, and Commitment, published by Wiley.