#IPLFC25 - Today’s Session: Stewarding the Gift of Time to the Gift of Treasure
- 3 mins
What if I told you that some of your library's strongest potential supporters are already investing their most precious resource in your mission? They're shelving books, running programs, organizing events, and helping patrons navigate technology. They're your volunteers—and they represent one of the most overlooked fundraising opportunities in library development.
Today's conference session at the International Public Library Fundraising Conference, "Stewarding the Gift of Time to the Gift of Treasure," will transform how you think about volunteer engagement and reveal why these dedicated community members should be at the center of your fundraising strategy.
The Numbers Tell a Compelling Story
Here's what makes this session essential: volunteers who donate give 4x more than non-volunteer donors. Let that sink in for a moment. The person organizing your book sales, teaching computer classes, or helping with children's programming isn't just giving you their time—they have the capacity and inclination to become transformational financial supporters.
Even more encouraging? Research shows that 66% of volunteers also donate to the organizations they support, and when they do give, their average gift is 2.2x larger than donations from non-volunteers.
Why This Matters Right Now
Your volunteers already understand your needs firsthand. They see the aging book carts that need replacing, witness the demand for expanded programming, and experience the joy of community impact your library creates. They're emotionally invested in your success and have insider knowledge that makes them ideal philanthropic partners.
The challenge? Most libraries haven't developed systematic approaches to cultivate these relationships beyond the volunteer experience itself.
What Attendees Will Walk Away With Today
This isn't another theoretical presentation about donor relations. Today's session, developed in collaboration with Kaki Garard, Director of Advancement, Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library and Fundraising for Libraries, will give attendees practical, actionable strategies you can implement immediately:
- A volunteer touchpoint mapping exercise to identify all the ways your community members are already engaged
- Authentic conversation frameworks that connect volunteer experiences to giving opportunities naturally
- Sample scripts and approaches tailored to different types of volunteers
- A 120-day implementation roadmap with specific milestones and metrics
- Segmentation strategies to prioritize your cultivation efforts effectively
From Service to Philanthropy: A Natural Evolution
The most powerful aspect of volunteer-to-donor cultivation is that it feels authentic to everyone involved. When you help a long-term shelving volunteer understand how their organizational skills could support a collection expansion project, or show a program volunteer how their passion for literacy could fund new resources, you're not asking them to care about something new—you're inviting them to deepen their existing commitment.
Your Implementation Starts Today
Whether you have a robust Friends group, dedicated board members, or individual volunteers who show up week after week, today's session will help attendees see these relationships through a philanthropic lens. They'll learn to recognize giving capacity, develop personalized cultivation approaches, and create systems that honor both time and treasure contributions.
The session includes hands-on exercises where attendees practice tailoring approaches for different volunteer types, developing authentic asking language, and creating preliminary cultivation plans to begin implementing immediately.
Ready to Transform Your Volunteer Program?
For those attending #IPLFC25 today, join Kaki Garrard, from Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library from 3:00-4:00 pm, for this practical, empowering session that will help you unlock the philanthropic potential already walking through your doors.
Your volunteers chose to invest their time in your library's mission. Learn how to help them discover the joy and impact of investing their treasure as well.
The "Stewarding the Gift of Time to the Gift of Treasure" session takes place today. Don't miss this opportunity to transform your most dedicated supporters into your strongest financial partners.
