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How to Manage Volunteers: 9 Tips for Political Campaigns

McKayla Girardin

Published: Mar 31, 2023
Updated: Jul 25, 2025
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Volunteers are the engine that powers grassroots campaigns. Recruiting volunteers is only step one. To turn energy into action, you also need to know how to manage volunteers effectively once they join your team. Whether you’re running for city council, school board, or a statewide office, managing volunteers with care and clarity helps you build momentum, stay organized, and outwork even the most well-funded opponents.

Why Volunteer Management Matters

Once you have a volunteer team in place, management becomes the difference between a group of willing individuals and a well-oiled campaign machine.

When done right, volunteer management:

  • Builds trust and accountability: Volunteers know what’s expected and feel confident showing up.

  • Increases retention: Clear systems, regular check-ins, and recognition keep people coming back.

  • Maximizes campaign impact: An organized team can knock more doors, make more calls, and reach more voters.

  • Creates a culture of purpose and belonging: Volunteers don’t just complete tasks. They feel like they’re part of a movement.

Think of it this way: recruiting volunteers fills your campaign bus, but managing them well is what keeps it moving in the right direction.

LEARN MORE: Need more support? Enroll in our free course on recruiting and retaining volunteers to sharpen your skills and grow your leadership.

How to Manage Volunteers: 9 Tips for Campaign Success

Once you’ve recruited your volunteer team, your focus shifts to keeping them engaged, supported, and organized. Great management helps volunteers feel confident in their roles and excited to come back again and again.

Here’s how to do it right:

#1: Define Clear Volunteer Roles

Volunteers need to know where they fit in and how they can help. That starts with assigning clear, specific roles.

Common volunteer positions include:

  • Canvassers: Knock on doors and talk to voters

  • Phone or text bankers: Spread your message over the phone or by text

  • Event support: Help set up for events, greet attendees, and manage logistics

  • Social media helpers: Create or share campaign content

  • Data entry: Organize and update voter or volunteer records

  • Volunteer coordinators: Help manage schedules and onboarding

Clear roles reduce confusion and empower your team to take initiative.

LEARN MORE: Explore why you need a volunteer coordinator for your campaign and how to train them. 

#2: Set Expectations Early and Often

When volunteers know what’s expected of them, they’re more likely to follow through and stick around.

Be specific about:

  • Time commitment: Use specific language, like one shift per week, rather than vague phrasings like “whenever you can.”

  • Location: Explain whether volunteer shifts are in-person, hybrid, or remote.

  • Tasks and responsibilities: Have volunteer coordinators available to help if someone is unsure what their role is. 

  • What success looks like: Give clear metrics and goals. 

Creating a one-page volunteer guide with all the information volunteers need can help limit confusion and get the team rolling faster.

#3: Offer Training That Sets Them Up for Success

Confidence builds commitment. Make sure each volunteer has the tools they need to thrive in their role.

For example:

  • Canvassers: Give them scripts, maps, and campaign literature so they know where to go and what to say. 

  • Phone bankers: Provide scripts, sample conversation starters, and troubleshooting tips.

  • Event staff: Walk through setup logistics and day-of responsibilities.

  • Social media coordinators: Share examples of past campaigns, provide access to tools like Canva and GoodParty.org, and give clear content goals and brand guidelines. 

Training can be live, pre-recorded, or one-on-one, whatever works best for your team size and capacity.

LEARN MORE: Keep your canvassers on track with our sample canvassing 101 training agenda.

#4: Build a Strong Communication System

Volunteers shouldn’t feel like they’re operating in the dark. Regular communication helps everyone stay on track and feel connected.

Best practices include:

  • Weekly volunteer emails or texts with updates and shifts

  • Group chats via digital tools like Slack, WhatsApp, or GroupMe for quick communication

  • Point people for each team so questions don’t pile up

Keep your tone positive, clear, and consistent and ensure you’re also available for questions.

#5: Foster Team Spirit and Community

Help your volunteers feel like they’re part of something bigger by:

  • Hosting team lunches or post-canvass hangouts

  • Shouting out volunteers on social media

  • Celebrating wins, big or small, like number of doors knocked, calls made, or new recruits

Connection drives commitment. When people feel seen and appreciated, they stick around.

LEARN MORE: Explore how volunteers directly contribute to building political change.

#6: Delegate and Empower

You can’t do it all and you shouldn’t. Delegate responsibility to trusted volunteers and give them real ownership.

Some ways you can delegate might include:

  • A lead volunteer managing Saturday canvassing

  • A graphic designer volunteer creating weekly social posts

  • A long-time supporter helping onboard new recruits

Trust builds leadership. Just be sure to check in and offer support when needed.

#7: Be Flexible and Inclusive

Not every volunteer can commit to long hours or in-person events. That doesn’t mean they can’t contribute.

Offer diverse ways to get involved, such as:

  • Remote shifts for texting, data entry, or content creation

  • Micro-shifts: 1-hour windows for busy schedules

  • Family-friendly events and roles

The more accessible your campaign is, the more powerful it becomes.

LEARN MORE: Learn how to use relational organizing to grow your team. 

#8: Show Appreciation Frequently

Volunteers aren’t doing it for the recognition, but recognizing them still matters.

Some ideas for letting your team know you appreciate them are:

  • Personalized thank-you notes or texts

  • “Volunteer of the Week” shout-outs

  • Campaign swag or stickers as small gifts

  • End-of-cycle volunteer celebration

Gratitude goes a long way in keeping spirits high and retention strong.

#9: Evaluate, Reflect, and Improve

Volunteer management isn’t one-and-done. Check in regularly and improve as you go.

Ask yourself:

  • Are volunteers showing up consistently?

  • Where are people getting stuck or dropping off?

  • What feedback have we received?

Run quick surveys, host feedback circles, and look for patterns. Then adapt.

Managing Volunteers Is the Key to People-Powered Campaigns

Learning how to manage volunteers effectively is one of the most important things you can do as a grassroots campaign leader. It’s not about perfection. It’s about purpose, relationships, and the systems that bring people together around shared goals. Great management transforms your campaign from a solo effort into a full-blown movement.

When your team feels supported and inspired, they’ll go further than you ever imagined.

Join our free training course on recruiting and retaining volunteers to sharpen your strategy and build a thriving, people-powered movement.


Photo by Steven Jones on Unsplash

Want personalized support and tools? Book a demo today to see how GoodParty.org can help you build, manage, and grow your volunteer network. 

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McKayla Girardin

McKayla Girardin is a New York City-based writer who specializes in breaking down complex topics into reader-friendly articles. McKayla has previously covered personal finance for WalletHub, complicated financial and technology concepts for Forage, a digital learning platform for college students, and small business topics for Chron. Her work has also appeared on MSN and has been cited by Wikipedia.