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As organisational plans for 2026 take shape, volunteering deserves more attention than ever. Data from Rosterfy’s State of UK Volunteer Management 2025 report shows a clear mismatch between what charities expect from volunteers and the level of investment required to enable their impact.
For CEOs, the message is clear: volunteering is not just a delivery mechanism. It is a strategic asset. Organisations that prioritise volunteer engagement at a leadership level see stronger recruitment, greater stability, and more resilient operations.
Key insights that charity leaders can carry into 2026 planning
Volunteers are mission-critical, but investment isn’t keeping pace
88% of volunteer leaders say volunteers are mission-critical, yet only 44% of organisations have invested in improving the volunteer experience.
This gap creates both risk and opportunity for organisations that rely on volunteers for frontline delivery, community reach, fundraising, or service expansion. Volunteers cannot deliver effectively without a team, systems, and clear strategy behind them. Underinvestment amplifies inefficiencies, limits impact, and stalls growth.
If volunteers underpin your mission, investment in volunteer management must do the same.
Burnout is a sector trend charity leaders must address
The findings reveal a growing pressure point: 29% of volunteer managers report experiencing burnout, and a further 28% say expectations of their role are unrealistic.
This isn’t only a wellbeing issue, it’s a strategic risk. Burnout within volunteer teams directly affects:
- Programme stability: High turnover among volunteer managers disrupts continuity
- Volunteer satisfaction: When managers are overstretched, supporter experience suffers
- Innovation and growth: Teams stuck in survival mode cannot develop new initiatives
As Rob Jackson FRSA put it in response to the findings: “This should be a wake up call to volunteer focused organisations – you need to invest properly in volunteer management.”
Burnout is a sector-wide warning sign leaders must address to protect people and purpose.
Volunteer recruitment success starts at the top
Recruitment remains a challenge in the sector, but our data reveals a critical insight: 75% of organisations that find volunteer recruitment easy say volunteering is a core priority for the CEO or senior leaders.
When senior leaders visibly prioritise volunteering:
- Budget conversations shift
- Buy-in across departments increases
- Reputation and community trust improve
- Volunteer managers feel supported and confident
When CEOs champion volunteering, volunteers are more likely to champion you back.
Strategy turns volunteer effort into organisational impact
One pattern in the data is clear: high-performing volunteer programmes aren’t simply working harder — they’re working with intention. Their success comes from having a clear, organisation-wide volunteer strategy backed by the right resources and leadership attention.
As Dr Helen Timbrell notes in the report: “Volunteering is most successful when it’s guided by a clear strategy, supported by adequate resources and aligned with organisational purpose.”
For CEOs, this means assessing whether:
- Volunteering is meaningfully embedded in organisational priorities
- Teams have the resources and systems they need to deliver
- Processes support a seamless, rewarding volunteer experience
Organisations that place strategy at the centre of volunteering build stability, attract more supporters, and deliver stronger impact.
What charity leaders can do now, ahead of 2026
- Strategic alignment: Connect your volunteer strategy to organisational priorities, with clear KPIs and leadership ownership
- Dedicated resourcing: Budget for staff capacity, systems, and training that make volunteer engagement sustainable.
- Modern tools: Digital transformation is no longer optional. Volunteers expect streamlined onboarding, flexible opportunities, mobile access, and clear communication.
- Wellbeing and workload: Monitor burnout risks and ensure volunteer management roles are scoped realistically and supported adequately.
- Visible leadership support: Your voice matters. When CEOs advocate for volunteering internally and externally, programmes thrive.