Squeezed in 2025: The People Problem for Nonprofits (NP2025 3 of 3)
The People Problem: Volunteers and Staff Are Disappearing (NP2025 3 of 3)
Beyond the budget, nonprofits in 2025 face an equally urgent issue: a shortage of people. Volunteer numbers have declined sharply in recent years, leaving many organizations without the support they need to run programs and events. While virtual and skills-based volunteering are growing trends, they haven’t replaced the lost volume of in-person engagement.
At the same time, workforce shortages are disrupting internal operations. Nearly three-quarters of nonprofits say they have persistent job vacancies, especially in leadership and frontline service roles. Many simply cannot compete with for-profit wages, and the stress of chronic understaffing leads to burnout and turnover—especially in smaller community organizations.
To adapt, nonprofits are shifting toward skills-based hiring practices, focusing less on degrees and more on what applicants can do. Some are investing in employee wellness initiatives, even on a tight budget, recognizing that a healthy, supported team performs better and stays longer. Others are doubling down on training and technology to reduce manual workloads and improve team efficiency.
Nonprofits that want to retain staff and attract volunteers will need to offer more flexible roles, clearer purpose, and deeper support. The sector is powered by people—and without a focused strategy to address this people problem, many nonprofits will struggle to meet the rising demands placed on them in 2025.
Sources / Links
- Nonprofit Workforce Crisis – Johnson Center: https://johnsoncenter.org/blog/the-nonprofit-workforce-is-in-crisis
- 2025 HR Trends in Nonprofits – ADP Spark: https://www.adp.com/spark/articles/2025/03/9-non-profit-hr-trends-you-need-to-know.aspx
- Corporate Volunteer Trends – Double the Donation: https://doublethedonation.com/volunteerism-trends
- Virtual Volunteering Overview – Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_volunteering
GenAI Prompts
- “Develop a skills-based hiring plan for a nonprofit struggling with staffing shortages.”
- “Create a 3-part volunteer engagement campaign that includes remote and in-person roles.”
- “What wellness initiatives can nonprofits implement affordably to retain talent?”
- “How can nonprofits adapt leadership pipelines to address generational gaps and turnover?”
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