25 Actionable Volunteer Survey Questions

The cornerstone of non-profit organisations and community groups the world over, volunteers give of their time, knowledge and support, helping a wide range of activities and functions to succeed and to have the positive impact desired. To ensure that your volunteer programme is as effective as possible, it is helpful to understand the experiences and feelings of those offering their time and skills, and a well-structured non-profit survey can be invaluable in gathering such insights.

A volunteer survey is not just a one-off event, however; it should be seen as a linchpin for sustained dialogue and programme improvement. The questions below are fashioned to open up avenues for frank conversations, providing the organisation with the understanding it needs to evolve and refine its volunteer programme. Regularly assessing volunteer experience through surveys will help to build a stronger, more effective team, aligning individual motivations with organisational goals.

The sample questions on this page should assist you in creating an informative and actionable volunteer survey. They provide a list of thought-provoking questions to gauge different aspects of volunteering, covering volunteer satisfaction and motivation, skills and training, communication and support, impact assessment, and future engagement.

Example volunteer feedback questions

Satisfaction and motivation

1. What prompted you to volunteer with us?

2. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your overall satisfaction as a volunteer here?

3. Do you find the tasks you are assigned fulfilling?

4. Do you think your time as a volunteer is well-utilised?

5. Is there anything we could do to make your volunteer experience more rewarding?

Skills and training

6. Was the orientation training sufficient for you to start your volunteer work?

7. Do you feel confident in carrying out your assigned tasks?

8. Are there specific areas in which you would like additional training?

9. What skills do you hope to gain or develop further during your time volunteering?

10. Have you been able to use any of your existing professional or personal skills?

Communication and support

11. Are you comfortable approaching your supervisor or team leader with concerns or ideas?

12. How effective do you find our methods of communication (e.g., emails, meetings)?

13. Do you feel well-informed about the organisation’s goals and activities?

14. Are there any changes you would suggest to improve our internal communications?

15. Do you feel like a valued member of our volunteer team?

Impact assessment

16. Do you think your volunteering efforts have a tangible impact on our cause?

17. Can you share an example of a positive experience you've had while volunteering?

18. Do you believe that your role contributes to the organisation's objectives?

19. What improvements have you noticed in the community as a result of our work?

20. How has volunteering impacted your own personal or professional development?

Future engagement and recommendations

21. Do you plan to continue volunteering with us in the next year?

22. Would you recommend volunteering with our organisation to friends or family?

23. What are some ways we could make our volunteer programme more appealing to prospective volunteers?

24. Are there any other roles or projects within the organisation you are interested in?

25. Do you have any other comments, questions, or suggestions for our volunteer programme?

Use our volunteer survey templates

To get started, browse our range of example non-profit surveys, such as the volunteer satisfaction survey template and sample volunteer skills survey. Each template is ready-to-use or can be adapted to your unique needs.