Volunteer Statistics for 2026: Key Trends for Nonprofits

As a volunteer manager or coordinator, you use your nonprofit's volunteer data to continually improve your program and recruit new volunteers. However, it can also be helpful to zoom out and look at the bigger picture: according to the International Labor Organization, 2.1 billion people volunteer monthly.

Reviewing broad statistics can reveal how your organization stacks up against the rest of the nonprofit sector. These trends can highlight where your nonprofit is beating the curve and succeeding, and where your volunteer program might need improvement to get up to par.

Whether you're looking for hard data to encourage supporters to join your volunteer program, building a case to justify an increase in funding, or just interested in learning more about volunteering, this article is for you. Let's get started!

Formal vs. informal volunteering

Before we dive into the statistics, it’s important to understand the differences between formal and informal volunteering.

Formal volunteering refers to unpaid service performed through an established organization, institution, or nonprofit. When individuals formally volunteer, the organization coordinates, schedules, and manages their activities.

Informal volunteering consists of direct, unpaid assistance provided outside of formal organizations. This includes mutual aid, helping neighbors with errands, caregiving, house sitting, or organizing community mutual support networks independently.

General volunteer statistics

Volunteerism is ingrained in many cultures worldwide, and there are always people in every community who need a helping hand. People face a variety of challenges, including climate change, food insecurity, poverty, disease, and other threats. Volunteerism seeks to mitigate these challenges by providing support for nonprofit programs and projects.

Here are some volunteer statistics that provide a broad overview of the current state of volunteering in the United States and around the world:

1.  Approximately 75.7 million Americans (28.3%)  formally volunteered with organizations between September 2022 and 2023, equating to more than 4.99 billion hours of service with $167.2 billion of economic value. This is higher than the 61 million American volunteers recorded in 2021 (NonProfitPro).

2.  About 1/3 of the nonprofit workforce is made up of volunteers (Double the Donation).

3.  Most volunteer work around the globe happens informally. 25% of the global working-age population engages in direct or informal volunteering (such as helping neighbors or community groups directly), while 11.7% participate in formal volunteering through an organization or association. In total, 34.5 percent of working-age adults—equivalent to 2.1 billion people—volunteer every month (2026 State of the World's Volunteerism Report).

4.  Utah is the U.S. state with the highest percentage of volunteers (United States Census Bureau).

5.  66% of volunteers also donate to charity (Double the Donation).

6.  The current value of an hour of volunteer time is $36.14 (Independent Sector)

7.  Women volunteer at a higher rate than men (AmeriCorps).

8.  35% of respondents in a 7,000-person volunteer survey said one reason they volunteer is to socialize (Sterling Volunteers).

9.  The greatest challenge in the eyes of volunteer managers is recruitment. 32% of volunteer coordinators surveyed said that recruitment was their organization's greatest roadblock (VolunteerPro).

Is volunteering increasing or decreasing?: Post-pandemic trends

While formal volunteering suffered a steep drop during the height of the pandemic, falling to a historic low of 23.2 percent in 2021, the latest U.S. Census Bureau and AmeriCorps data reveal a dramatic turnaround. Formal volunteering has officially bounced back to 28.3 percent, representing over 75.7 million Americans and marking a 22 percent growth rate in recent years. At the same time, informal volunteering, such as helping neighbors directly or supporting local community groups, has steadily climbed to an all-time high of 54.2 percent.

Although the overall headcount of formal volunteers has recovered, the way people give their time has fundamentally shifted. Total average annual hours per volunteer have dropped, indicating that supporters prefer shorter, episodic, or project-based micro-volunteering opportunities over rigid, ongoing weekly schedules. Furthermore, informal giving continues to flourish as community members directly assist one another without going through traditional organizational channels.

To adapt to these post-pandemic behaviors, nonprofits must modernize their engagement strategies. Organizations should focus on breaking large ongoing roles into flexible, bite-sized tasks and offering hybrid or virtual opportunities. By lowering the barrier to entry and creating accessible pathways for busy supporters, nonprofits can turn this surge in civic interest into lasting community impact.

Volunteer statistics by state

State-level engagement varies substantially across the United States. According to analysis of the AmeriCorps Open Data (collected in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey) and USAFacts, state participation spans broad ranges across both forms of civic action:

• Formal volunteering rates range from 18.6% to 46.6% (~19–47%) across states.
• Informal volunteering rates range from 45.7% to 68.2% (~46–68%) across states.

Below is a summary of the top and bottom-ranking states when it comes to volunteering:

Volunteer demographic statistics

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau and AmeriCorps Civic Engagement and Volunteering (CEV) survey reveals that volunteerism is heavily influenced by life stage, socioeconomic resources, and household dynamics. While women continue to lead in participation, a deep dive into other demographics paints a comprehensive picture of the modern American volunteer.

Here is a detailed look at American volunteer demographics:

1. Age and generation

• Peak age groups: Gen X (ages 41–56) consistently maintains the highest formal volunteering rate among all adult generations.
• Youth surge: Older teenagers (ages 16–17) drive the highest formal volunteering rate by age, peaking at 34.1%.
• Older adults: While the Silent Generation (ages 78+) has the lowest formal participation, Baby Boomers lead the nation in informal helping, with 62.2% regularly assisting neighbors.

2. Parents and households

• The parent bump: Parents with children under 18 formally volunteer at a significantly higher rate (37%) than individuals without children (21% to 27%). Their efforts are heavily concentrated around schools, youth sports, and scouting.

3. Income and economic shifts

• Higher income stability: Historically, individuals with higher stable incomes volunteer at greater rates due to increased financial security and schedule flexibility.
• Low-income growth surge: The most recent data notes a major turnaround: the fastest relative growth in volunteering occurred among households earning under $25,000, signaling a democratization of civic engagement.

4. Education and employment

• The education predictor: Higher educational achievement remains the strongest predictor of formal volunteering. College graduates possess greater human capital resources that enable them to enter formal organizations. However, individuals with less than a high school diploma experienced the largest recent rate rebounds.
• Employment status: Self-employed individuals and those with stable, predictable working hours volunteer at the highest rates. Conversely, work-related time constraints limit full-time employees, whereas homemakers and the unemployed exhibit lower formal organizational ties but stronger informal networks.

Youth volunteering statistics

Youth volunteering trends reveal a distinct shift between formal organizational participation and cause-driven engagement. Generation Z demonstrates a high interest in direct, project-based social action that aligns with their values.

Gen Z and youth participation rates

Data from AmeriCorps’ Volunteering and Civic Life in America study details how Gen Z compares to other generations across formal and informal channels:

Volunteer recruitment and retention statistics

While recruiting new supporters is essential for program growth, volunteer retention statistics demonstrate that keeping existing supporters engaged delivers far higher long-term value. Acquiring a new volunteer requires significant staff time for outreach, vetting, and onboarding, whereas retaining an active volunteer yields compounding benefits for both service delivery and financial fundraising.

Recruitment channels and initial conversion

• The power of direct outreach: Personal invitations remain an effective recruitment tool, with over 47% of active volunteers reporting they began serving simply because someone asked them directly.
• The first-shift drop-off: Up to 30% of first-time volunteers do not return for a second shift. This initial drop-off often stems from poor onboarding, a lack of role clarity, or feeling unnecessary during their first service experience.

Corporate volunteer statistics

Corporate volunteering programs are employer-supported volunteering activities that encourage staff members to donate their time to a good cause in their community. These types of programs include:

• Volunteer Time Off (VTO)
• Volunteer Grants (also known as Dollars for Doers)
• Team Volunteer Days

This type of volunteering enhances employee teamwork, collaboration, and even skill development. At the same time, corporate volunteerism provides many advantages to nonprofit organizations. These organizations receive not only support for their volunteer programs but also monetary support in the form of volunteer grants. Volunteer grants are donations that businesses make to nonprofits after their employees have volunteered a certain number of hours with those organizations.

Here are a few statistics that reveal the positive impact of corporate volunteerism:

1.  80% of companies offer volunteer grants valued at between $8-$15 an hour (Double the Donation).

2.  77% of nonprofits say they believe that skilled volunteers can significantly improve their organization's business practices (Deloitte Impact Survey).

3.  89% of working Americans believe that companies that sponsor volunteer activities offer a better overall environment than those that don't (Deloitte Impact Survey).

4.  40% of Fortune 500 companies offer volunteer grant programs (Double the Donation).

5.  Almost 60% of companies provide paid time off for employees to volunteer (America's Charities).

6.  On average, companies with VTO policies offer an average of 20 VTO hours per team member per year (Double the Donation).

7.  49% of individuals state that work commitments are their biggest obstacle to volunteering (Gov.UK).

8.  The average corporate volunteer participation rate is 33% (2019 CECP Giving in Numbers Report).

9.  The average participation rate for volunteer grant programs is just 3%. This is likely due to a lack of awareness about these programs (Double the Donation).

10. Around 25% of companies tie skills-based volunteering to employees' professional development plans, and 21% say they plan to make this connection in the future (America's Charities).

To help your volunteers take advantage of these programs, work with them to find out whether their employer offers VTO or volunteer grants. Encourage them to research their eligibility and be ready to provide any answers they might need to complete their volunteer grant applications.

Benefits of volunteering statistics

Studies show that volunteering helps individuals feel more socially connected and reduces feelings of loneliness and depression. Many people who choose to volunteer are also rewarded with improvements in their physical health, including having lower blood pressure and longer life expectancies!

These volunteering statistics clearly highlight the valuable health advantages of volunteering:

1.  A study by Yeung, Zhang, and Kim, researchers from the Department of Applied Social Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, found that volunteering led to an 8.54% increase in mental health, 9.08% increase in physical health, 7.35% increase in life satisfaction, 11.11% increase in social well-being, and 4.30% decrease in depression (BMC Public Health).

2.  One study found that older adults who volunteered with two or more organizations experienced 44% lower mortality rates over a five-year period than those elderly persons who did not volunteer (Corporation for National and Community Service).

3.  Research published in 2020 determined that volunteering can actually increase happiness and improve well-being over time (Journal of Happiness Studies).

4.  A study in the journal Social Science and Medicine found that individuals who volunteered experienced 38% fewer nights in the hospital. The study found that volunteers are more likely to practice preventive care, such as getting flu shots and routine health screenings, than non-volunteers (Science Direct).

Volunteer statistics FAQs

How do nonprofits track informal volunteering for grant reporting?

Since informal volunteering occurs outside structured programs, nonprofits can measure it using qualitative community surveys, participant-reported logs, and social impact assessments. Grantmakers increasingly accept these proxy metrics to evaluate broader civic engagement and local mutual aid networks.

Does employer-sponsored volunteer time off count as formal service?

Yes. When employees use employer-sponsored volunteer time off (VTO) to serve at registered nonprofits, it is classified as formal volunteering. The nonprofit manages the activities, even though the employee receives regular compensation from their workplace.

What legal liabilities do organizations face with informal volunteers?

Nonprofits generally face higher liability risks with informal volunteers because standard volunteer waivers, background checks, and workers' compensation coverage apply only to formal organizational roles. Informal helpers operating independently may expose groups to risks like unmitigated property damage or injury claims.

How does volunteer management software improve long-term retention?

Volunteer management software automates shift scheduling, sends automated reminders, tracks hours, and streamlines communication. By eliminating administrative friction and providing clear role expectations, these platforms directly reduce early dropout and keep supporters engaged over time.

Wrapping up

With increasing demand for nonprofit services, your volunteers are one of the most valuable resources available. Use these statistics to compare your volunteer program with the rest of your industry, and make targeted improvements based on recent trends.