In this episode of Volunteer Nation, Tobi Johnson sits down with Jennifer Sirangelo, President & CEO of Points of Light, to explore why volunteerism is not just a “nice to have”, it’s a necessity. 

Jennifer shares her inspiring journey into the nonprofit world and offers a behind-the-scenes look at Points of Light’s mission to position volunteer management as essential infrastructure. Together, they unpack key insights from the groundbreaking report From Nice to Necessary, which outlines the urgent need for increased investment in volunteer engagement. 

If you're a nonprofit leader, volunteer coordinator, or advocate for civic engagement, this episode will leave you energized and equipped to make the case for stronger volunteer systems. 

Full show notes: 163. New Research from Points of Light with Jennifer Sirangelo 

Points of Light - Episode Highlights 

• [03:01] - Jennifer’s Nonprofit Journey 
• [05:47] - The Importance of Volunteerism and Civic Engagement 
• [08:36] - Challenges and Opportunities in Volunteer Management 
• [09:08] - The State of Volunteering Today 
• [20:07] - The Hidden Costs of Volunteer Engagement 
• [24:37] - Discussing Healthcare Access and Volunteer Management 
• [26:02] - Theory of Change in Volunteering 
• [27:41] - Challenges in Measuring Volunteer Impact 
• [29:32] - Research and Data in Volunteerism 
• [33:35] - Engaging Funders in Volunteerism 
• [34:55] - Addressing Volunteer Infrastructure 
• [38:44] - Digital Marketing and Volunteer Recruitment 
• [43:42] - Supervisory Ratios and Staffing 

Helpful Links 

• Volunteer Management Progress Report  
• Volunteer Nation Episode #047: The State of Volunteer Engagement with Dr. Sue Kahl and Nathan Dietz 
• Volunteer Nation Episode #71: Partnering with Funders to Support Volunteer Engagement with Jane Justis & Betsy McFarland 
• Volunteer Nation Episode #158: Nonprofit Capacity Building with the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond 
• Volunteer Nation Episode #81: How Vol Services & Nonprofit Marketers Can Work Together with Kivi Leroux Miller  
• Points of Light, From Nice to Necessary: Unleashing the Impact of Volunteering Through Transformative Investment  
• Contact Points of Light  
• Find Jennifer on LinkedIn 

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Volunteer Nation podcast. If you enjoyed it, please be sure to subscribe, rate, and review so we can reach more people like you who want to improve the impact of their good cause.

For more tips and notes from the show, check us out at TobiJohnson.com. For any comments or questions, email us at [email protected].