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The development of a successful volunteer program relies on the ability to visualize a clear destination and create a road map. Through dedicated time planning, the road map can become a reality for the organization (Connors, 2011). With proper time and attention devoted to aspects of preparation, identifying context, profiling, planning, monitoring, and evaluating, your organization can maximize volunteer satisfaction to create and maintain a fruitful volunteer program. This groundwork of program planning will avoid failure to plan for and accommodate volunteers which often results in uncertain volunteer recruitment, ineffectual assignment, paid staff resentment, or a disbanded program.

Effective program planning should be linked to the structure of the organization and will consist of five phases as outlined in the Michigan Nonprofit Management Manual and are outlined below. These phases include preparation, context, profile, plan, and monitor. This guide intends to take you through each of these phases and provide an action plan outline to assist in your volunteer program planning.