In this episode of The Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi Johnson shares Part 1 of her 2026 trends and predictions for the future of volunteerism. This is the first half of a two-part series exploring 8 major shifts shaping how communities show up, how volunteer-driven organizations build trust, and what leaders of volunteers must pay attention to in the year ahead.

Tobi dives into the first three big trends: accountability, mutual aid, and new psychological insights into belonging and community.

Full show notes: 198. The Future of Volunteerism - Trends & Predictions Part 1

Future of Volunteerism - Episode Highlights

• [00:59] - Trends and Predictions for 2026
• [06:12] - Trend #1: Public Call for Accountability
• [16:22] - Trend #2: Resurgence of Mutual Aid Volunteerism
• [23:27] - Trend #3: Psychological Advances in Community and Belonging

Helpful Links

• Volunteer Management Progress Report
• VolunteerPro Impact Lab
• Volunteer Nation Episode #183 - The New Reality - Volunteers Don't Need You
• Faith Popcorn Brain Reserve
• Book - Volunteer ENGAGEMENT 2.0: Ideas and insights changing the world
• Volunteer Nation Episode #101: Tap the Power of Psychological Contracts with Pam Kappelides

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 WeCare@VolPro.net.

In part 2 of our behind-the-scenes series on the Volunteer Management Progress Report, Tobi Johnson returns with Allison Russell, Assistant Professor of Public & Nonprofit Management at the University of Texas at Dallas, for a powerful conversation on practitioner research and what it can teach us about the volunteer engagement profession.

Allison steps into the interviewer role again as they dig into what the VMPR revealed over a decade of surveying volunteer engagement leaders and how practitioner research can drive real-world improvements in training, leadership, and volunteer program strategy.

You’ll hear what challenges consistently show up year after year, why response rates matter, and how turning research into action is what makes it truly valuable!

Full show notes: 197. Behind the Scenes of 10 Years of Industry Research with Allison Russell – Part 2

Practitioner Research - Episode Highlights

• [02:06] - Diving into Volunteer Management Research
• [03:51] - Key Themes in Volunteer Management
• [05:30] - Challenges in Volunteer Recruitment
• [06:49] - Respect and Influence in Volunteer Management
• [08:43] - Using Research to Improve Practices
• [22:50] - Survey Design and Response Rates
• [30:33] - Understanding Research Participation
• [33:50] - Advice for Conducting Survey Research
• [37:18] - The Importance of Research Follow-Through
• [38:49] - Challenges in Volunteer Management Research
• [45:12] - Future Directions in Volunteer Research
• [50:38] - What's Next for Volunteer Pro

Helpful Links

• Volunteer Management Progress Report
• VolunteerPro Impact Lab
• Engage Journal
• Volunteer Nation Episode #196 - Behind the Scenes of 10 Years of Industry Research with Pam Kappelides & Allison Russell
• Find Allison on LinkedIn
• Allison’s UT Dallas Profile

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 WeCare@VolPro.net.

To mark 10 years of the Volunteer Management Progress Report (VMPR), Tobi Johnson hands the mic to nonprofit scholar Allison Russell for a behind-the-scenes conversation about what it really takes to produce a decade-long, global research study, without grant funding, institutional backing, or a full research team.

Joined by longtime research partner Pam Kappelides, this episode explores why volunteer engagement research matters more than ever, how practice-informed research gets done, and what practitioners can learn (and apply) from the VMPR process.

Full show notes: 196. Behind the Scenes of 10 Years of Industry Research with Pam Kappelides & Allison Russell – Part 1

Industry Research - Episode Highlights

• [00:55] - History of the Volunteer Management Progress Report
• [13:54] - Importance of Research in Volunteer Engagement
• [17:25] - Challenges and Innovations in Volunteerism
• [31:59] - The Origin Story of the Survey
• [32:43] - The Generosity of the Volunteer Community
• [33:27] - Planning and Executing the Survey
• [34:47] - Setting Goals and Philosophical Approaches
• [36:23] - Steps in Survey Design and Analysis
• [37:10] - Challenges and Practical Advice
• [46:02] - Qualitative Analysis and Coding
• [50:16] - Impact and Reflections

Helpful Links

• Volunteer Management Progress Report
• VolunteerPro Impact Lab
• Engage Journal
• Volunteer Nation Episode #101: Tap the Power of Psychological Contracts with Pam Kappelides
• Volunteer Nation Episode #058: Innovative Models in Volunteerism Research with Lucas Meijs
• Pam Kappelides and Tobi Johnson, A Heavy Load: Challenges and Current Practices for Volunteer Managers in the USA, Australia, and Canada, Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 32(1)
• Find Allison on LinkedIn
• Allison’s UT Dallas Profile
• Pam’s LaTrobe Profile
• Find Pam 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 WeCare@VolPro.net.